How To Raise A Rooster

[The Momma]

my two roos are gorgeous. I fear my third is sick and probably will need to be culled. It makes me so sad. At any rate, I need help understanding what do to with my roosters if I want laying hens that dont have fertiized eggs. i know this seem basic but I'm very new to this. Do I separate them? They are free range so they will come in contact with eachother. HELP

 

[newbie32]

I would find another home if you don't want fertilized eggs. Just an FYI-there is no difference when eating a fertilized egg and a none fertilized egg. As long as you don't let your hens go broody on eggs then you wont have babies. If your birds are free ranging around predators-including hawks-you might want to keep the roo.


Today my dog killed 2 of my 7 week old chicks. The older birds just watched while my husband ran after him. I am angry with my older roo for not taking charge. One of the chicks that is left is a roo that I special ordered. I am hoping he will protect the young better when he gets bigger. MY DOG WONT BE ALLOWED IN THE BACKYARD AGAIN!

 

[Kathrynmodra]

I've just been reading through this forum and oh no, I've done everything wrong! Lol! Ive only had chickens for a few months and decided to keep the rooster that was really confident and friendly and liked jumping on my lap as a chick and I'd walk him around. He is nearly 5months and doesn't love cuddles anymore but he is not nervous of me at all. Although I kept him as he never showed any aggression. He even lets some hens sleep under his wings. They snuggle up, its gorgeous. If he has always acted like a gentleman is there a chance he will still be nice later on? He does crow but doesn't do his thing with the girls yet.

Here is Jedi, my tailed araucana rooster (in australia), he has a bad colouring with blond in his wings, but I don't care as I won't show him and he is just for me to look at, and I adore him

 

[KelsiNS]

I've just been reading through this forum and oh no, I've done everything wrong! Lol! Ive only had chickens for a few months and decided to keep the rooster that was really confident and friendly and liked jumping on my lap as a chick and I'd walk him around. He is nearly 5months and doesn't love cuddles anymore but he is not nervous of me at all. Although I kept him as he never showed any aggression. He even lets some hens sleep under his wings. They snuggle up, its gorgeous. If he has always acted like a gentleman is there a chance he will still be nice later on? He does crow but doesn't do his thing with the girls yet. Here is Jedi, my tailed araucana rooster (in australia), he has a bad colouring with blond in his wings, but I don't care as I won't show him and he is just for me to look at, and I adore him

dont sweat it- my boys were cuddled due to wet pox/respiratory issues blowing through. I had to hand feed medicine and check head to toe. Theyre pretty aloof of me nowdays. Also? Jedi is gorgeous!

 

[newbie32]

I don't think it is necessarily awful that you raised him like that. If he shows the slightest bit of aggression then chase him down!!!! My roo flew up at eye level once (as I am sure you read?) when I was picking up a screeching hen. I chased him down and gave him a good one. He has NEVER done that again. He did start getting a little braver for a split second and then I chased him all over the yard. LOL he runs fast!

Sometimes I chase him because he is beautiful and I want to hold him. I know I wont catch him but it asserts my authority while also giving me the view of a gorgeous bird running at full speed

 

[lazy gardener]

Hmmm. Chasing roosters? Sounds like a new Olympic event. If not that, certainly an entertaining bit of aerobic exercise. I hate to exercise for the sake of exercise... however, give me a good pile of manure, and I'm set to go!

 

[TheChips]

I too have been doing everything wrong since day 1. I already had 3 isa brown chicks then 3 weeks later adopted 5 bantom cochins from my neighbor.

A few weeks later they started practicing their crowing. Now that the cochins are around 13 weeks, 4 of the 5 are roosters.

Ive cuddled them, babied and everything under the sun of spoiling them. So far I dont see any signs of them being aggressive with me. When they start to pick on each other I step in and take the one who first started it and put him outside so he has to walk back in the coop. Usually after the 2nd time he stops.

My problem is, since i have 4 roosters, 1 hen. I cant find mates for them. And they have also been crowing at all hours of the day. Is this something they are doing to see which one is the "alpha male"?

I feel the constant crowing is stressing out my 3 isa hens. And I dont want them sexually exhausting the 1 cochin female. Theyve tried putting the moves on the Isa hens with lowering their left wing and doing a "shimmy" shake but theyre not interested. My Isa hens will peck back in dominance they dont want none of that.

How can I have a happy coop and still keep my roosters? Ive had people suggest to get rid of 2-3 which is heart breaking. Then finding 3 female cochins has been a challenging task with no luck.

Id love to hear some advice or suggestions

 

[newbie32]

I too have been doing everything wrong since day 1. I already had 3 isa brown chicks then 3 weeks later adopted 5 bantom cochins from my neighbor.

A few weeks later they started practicing their crowing. Now that the cochins are around 13 weeks, 4 of the 5 are roosters.

Ive cuddled them, babied and everything under the sun of spoiling them. So far I dont see any signs of them being aggressive with me. When they start to pick on each other I step in and take the one who first started it and put him outside so he has to walk back in the coop. Usually after the 2nd time he stops.

My problem is, since i have 4 roosters, 1 hen. I cant find mates for them. And they have also been crowing at all hours of the day. Is this something they are doing to see which one is the "alpha male"?

I feel the constant crowing is stressing out my 3 isa hens. And I dont want them sexually exhausting the 1 cochin female. Theyve tried putting the moves on the Isa hens with lowering their left wing and doing a "shimmy" shake but theyre not interested. My Isa hens will peck back in dominance they dont want none of that.

How can I have a happy coop and still keep my roosters? Ive had people suggest to get rid of 2-3 which is heart breaking. Then finding 3 female cochins has been a challenging task with no luck.

Id love to hear some advice or suggestions

UMMMM you need more hens to keep all those boys happy!

 

[TheChips]

Thats been the challenging part. Ive been searching for bantom cochin hens. But most breeders wont sell a few. They only sell either a lot or as couples (roo and hen)

 

[goldielox]

My Rooster continued to be terribly aggressive to everyone and everything. He is no longer here. No buddy hurts my Helen!