I have been offered a rooster. Please help me with my dissision...

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

So I have a flock of six 25 week old (6 months) hens. I have been offered a 6 month old rooster from a friend of mine who's neighbor is giving her a hard time about it, and she can no longer keep it.
I live on a little over an acre and have always wanted a rooster.
She said that the rooster won't leave the other chickens alone (I assume she means he won't stop mounting the hens.) I want my girls to be happy and don't want them being chased by a darn rooster all the time. Is there anyway to break him of this?

I have a lot of predators where I live and actually just recently had a close call with a hawk, you can read more about that here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=562001
I would like the rooster for protection of my girls alone with some fertile eggs.

The only problem is, my family doesnt really like the idea of eating fertile eggs. I said to them that people eat them all the time but they just don't like the idea of eating something that could have been a chick.

My questions include:

Do fertile eggs taste the same as non fertile eggs? The only difference is the bullseye, correct?
Do you think the hens will be unhappy with the rooster?
Will the rooster be good protection for my flock?
How loud is a roosters crow? About how far away can you hear it?

I am open to all and any advise/opinions. Thanks all!

 

[citychickx6]

When I was in the country...My roosters could be heard almost a half mile away.
I think one rooster and six hens may tax your hens. If your family does not want to eat fertile eggs than perhaps a second pen with the rooster and a set of hens for him and the eggs for consumption from a non rooster set?
I had LARGE hens BA's and banty roosters to small to wreck the eggs. The banties were Japanese black tail and red cochin.

 

[allieloveschickens]

Hi there,

nice of you to consider adopting the roo, sounds like you have a lot of doubts though- so I am not sure it would be a good choice for you.

Here are my answers (opinions) to your questions:

1. Fertile eggs do not taste any different, the bulls eye is the only difference.
2. I think it depends on the roo, if he harasses them all the time they probably won't like him- but if he isn't too wild I think they will be fine. Some roos are really sweet and will bring their hens little treats that they find out free ranging.
3. I think most roosters are pretty good defenders, or at least warning systems for a flock.
4. We have a neighbor with a rooster 2 miles away and we can usually hear their rooster crowing (not very loud, but if I'm outside I hear him) So you will probably be hearing him crow a lot!

I hope this helps! Good luck with your dilemma!

 

[so lucky]

If the girls are happy without a rooster, and you already know he is too amorous for the girls he is with now, and your family doesn't want to eat fertile eggs, why even consider taking him? I don't think you can teach a rooster not to mount his hens. He's doing what nature intended. He may protect the flock, but you probably already have a dominant hen who does that to some extent now. I would like to get rid of my rooster. He doesn't attack me (yet) but he is obnoxious, greedy and picks on the smallest pullets who aren't ready to be mounted yet. I vote NO.

 

[Silverose]

personally, I love my roo, I have 7 hens, I can't tell if the egg is fertile or not, it tastes like a wonderful farm fresh egg. I can hear the crowing inside but not with the fan on, my neighbors had chickens before and I never heard a crow, but we are in the country. (not that close together)

he does cute little dances for the girls, and finds food for them and clucks at them to come eat it. yesterday when there was a helicopter flying around he had them haulin tail all over the place to find cover.

and I like the idea of havin some broodies in the spring hatch some baby chicks.

I just told my boys the eggs only become chicks when the hens decide it the right time to hatch them.

 

[kidcody]

Personally I enjoy having roosters. Why don't you see if someone would loan you a rooster. Like you are renting a rooster monthly with the option if he works out you would keep him. I have a close friend that tryed this (renting) and the rooster was too loud and wouldn't leave her hens alone, so she gave the rooster back. The rooster was a quality rooster (Orpington) use for show, breeding. So it wasn't a problem sending him back.
Roosters can be very loud and can take time for you and your family to get use to his noise. (sometimes early wake up)
How loud? My roosters are about 2 acres from my house and at times its not far enough. (too loud)
There are some roosters that will never leave the hens alone, but you have 25 hens so thats good.
Roosters don't really change there behavior just because you place him in a new flock.
Roosters are great for protections, many give there lives for there hens. They are great at sounding the alarm.
Fertile eggs taste the same, just the bullseye!
Yes, your girls will love a roosters, sometimes when you don't have a rooster a dominate hen will take on rooster behavior.
Its mother nature that a rooster and hens go together.
I personally feel hens are happier with a rooster, provided the rooster is not causeing stress.
I say give the rooster a try. We all need to save a rooster when we can!!!!!

 

[gryeyes]

sunny & the 5 egg layers :

Do fertile eggs taste the same as non fertile eggs? The only difference is the bullseye, correct?
Do you think the hens will be unhappy with the rooster?
Will the rooster be good protection for my flock?
How loud is a roosters crow? About how far away can you hear it?

I am open to all and any advise/opinions. Thanks all!

No difference in taste whatsoever. No difference in vitamins, minerals; neither healthier or unhealthier than u fertilized eggs. Bulls-eye is the only difference, yes. (Blood spots have nothing to do with fertilization, so don't let anybody try to convince you of that, either.)

The hens will neither be happier nor unhappier with a rooster. It is the natural condition for them to submit to a rooster. You may find them vying for higher status, to be The Rooster's Favorite. (Any time you change location, living conditions, or add flock member, the pecking order will be re-established, and the rooster will end up as the highest ranking chicken, as it is in nature.)

Roosters do provide protection, in that they will be on the lookout for predators and sound the alarm, and the all clear. He may very well give up his life in protecting his flock. He will also stop hen squabbles, by the way.

A rooster's crow is loud. Generally. Few roosters have a quiet crow. You can hear a good crow about a quarter of a mile. At least that's been my experience.

I would not have a flock without a rooster. I happen to have eleven roosters right now, but I have a large flock.

Edited to add info about fertilized eggs: There is NO "chick" in any egg until that egg has been incubated, 24/7, for several days. And at that point, it's just the beginnings of a chick's circulatory system. NOTHING begins to develop until the egg is incubated.​

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Thanks for the input so far guys. It isn't that my family wont eat fertile eggs, its just that they are a little hesitate about it. It personally doesn't bother me.

Also, I know that you can't break him of mounting the hens. I want him to mount them. I want fertile eggs for hatching. I am just concerned that he may end up being aggressive towards the girls. And if he ends up being mean to the girls is there a way to break him of it?

I want to eventually get a rooster. But I want the right one. I want to be able to provide him a good home so long as he is nice to us and the girls. I don't want him to end up someones dinner.

Sorry for my typo's by the way.

 

[gryeyes]

If he's six months old, he's too amorous right now because he's a teenager, flushed with hormones. You have to wait that period out, until he gets over that obnoxious behavior and settles down into the "normal" mounting routine, where a hen can say no and he'll just go ask another one.

Gentlemen Roos respect their ladies. There is always at least one floozy hen in the flock....

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Quote:
I actually have 6 hens.