I would not add a rooster in a small backyard flock, or if there is any space concerns. Roosters do need space from the neighbors. I love my roosters, but I do like them away from the house where his crow is charming, not irritating.
I agree that adding a rooster might not be appropriate for a very small flock but not necessarily for the sound. It is more about the ratio of males to females.
Maybe if my house had thin walls, open windows and surrounded by my coops. It can be annoying with 10 roosters crowing incessantly.
My coops are anywhere from 50 - 100 feet from my house and I can't hear any roosters unless all the windows are open and then it is very faint.
My closest neighbor is probably at the most 75 feet from the nearest coop to her house. She didn't know I had chickens till I told her I had chickens.
I think it is what we get used to. People are accustomed to annoying sounds of lawn mowers, barking dogs, weedeaters, roofers, train whistles, boom boxes or just plain traffic noises - most of which are louder than roosters.
I worked in Costa Rica and many people in the neighborhood had chickens. No A/C or closed windows. I had to be at work early and I awoke to roosters every morning. I grew to love waking to that beautiful natural sound rather than an annoying alarm clock. Got up, made coffee, had a hearty breakfast of rice and beans, fresh eggs a big platter of fresh fruit and off to work I walked feeling great.
Today, I can't imagine a flock without a rooster.
and its time to start planning the new coop. I've read the standard of 4 sq ft per bird doesn't apply to a rooster, so how much extra square footage does a rooster need? He'll be standard size, going with either Ameraucana or Salmon Faverolle.
