How essential is a rooster?

[MelodyC]

Our rooster, while he's a sweetheart, is so very loud! This morning he was crowing at 4am in the dark, and he's been crowing non-stop all day. While I could care less if he bothers one of our neighbors, another neighbor has said they can hear him if they are outside, and they don't care, but I worry about the other two neighbors (and our sleep lol). One of them wants to buy eggs from us, so I have a feeling they are tolerant of his crowing.

One question is, do they normally crow during the night? And the other is how well will the girls stick around if we don't have a rooster.

This is by no means a rush to decide either way - as the neighbors that don't care are planning on getting chickens and we don't know if they are getting a rooster also. If they do, there's no reason to get rid of ours, as we'll hear theirs all the time also.

Just researching the pros/cons of a rooster.

Thanks!

 

[nchls school]

Our rooster, while he's a sweetheart, is so very loud! This morning he was crowing at 4am in the dark, and he's been crowing non-stop all day. While I could care less if he bothers one of our neighbors, another neighbor has said they can hear him if they are outside, and they don't care, but I worry about the other two neighbors (and our sleep lol). One of them wants to buy eggs from us, so I have a feeling they are tolerant of his crowing.

One question is, do they normally crow during the night? And the other is how well will the girls stick around if we don't have a rooster.

This is by no means a rush to decide either way - as the neighbors that don't care are planning on getting chickens and we don't know if they are getting a rooster also. If they do, there's no reason to get rid of ours, as we'll hear theirs all the time also.

Just researching the pros/cons of a rooster.

Thanks!

The only necessary reason is if you want chicks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The right rooster can add a lot behaviorally to a flock. The wrong rooster creates chaos. A rooster isn't necessary unless you wish to breed. You can expect possibly some different behaviors from your hens without a rooster, like maybe more dominating amongst the top birds, but there's a good chance they will also be calmer and happier. If you decide not to keep him, expect a drop in production when you remove him for a short while.

 

[MelodyC]

Thanks! Talked with the one neighbor that we weren't sure about, and he said that today when he was outside with the dog was the first time he's heard him. Turns out they are wanting to get chickens also, and are coming up tomorrow to look at our coop.

So only one who could possibly have an issue with it doesn't matter.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Great to hear, add another chicken owner to the list.

 

[MeepBeep]

One question is, do they normally crow during the night?

In regards to that question, yes... Mine will crow at any hour of the night if there is a disturbance around the coop, (my Guinea Fowl are much more obnoxious) but they will also start crowing in anticipation of sunrise and that can be several hours before it actually happens... Or in my case since I supplement light in the 'morning' that crowing can happen at midnight or what not as the lights are coming on at 2am or 3am in the winter...

Glad to hear your neighbor doesn't mind, the only time it grates me is when I'm actually in the coop and all the birds are going to town while I'm trying to do something in there...

 

[MelodyC]

Quote:
Well, the coop is maybe 30' from our bedroom window. So he's quite loud when you're trying to sleep.

There might have been a predator out there, but it sounded more like his morning crow.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine will often start crowing at 3-4 am. They are early risers.

 

[MeepBeep]

There might have been a predator out there, but it sounded more like his morning crow.   

The sound they make is the same morning crow, when they hear me or what they believe is me making noise around the coop at night they must just assume it's time to get up...

 

[Weehopper]

Most of the heavy duty crowing seems to occur more during spring, and through the summer. Sometimes they can stop crowing during the molt, and during the winter months. I don't know if it's only my climate zone (SW Washington). This may not hold true in warmer climates. All I know is what mine do. If you really listen, and take note of the times that they crow, you will probably find that there is a pattern that they loosely follow. I.e. During the night, they seem to pop off every two hours or so, during the summer. But there are a lot of veriables, too..such as critters bothering them, and things that go bump in the night. It's like some kind of rule, that they must crow an all clear when the danger is gone. They do what they can with what they have, I guess.