I need a rooster!

[MeanCheek]

Barnevelders....I am not spelling it right am I?

You are!

 

[Brooks_]

Quarantine, as others have said. Let the girls get older, as already said. Look for a rooster over a year old and from a multi-generation flock; they tend to have better bird manners and you'll get a better idea of his human manners. For integration into an all girl flock, it can be as easy as slipping him in after dark.. Supervise in the morning.

 

[Geena]

Most of the "rooster protecting the flock" stuff I see on here kinda makes me go

The way I see it, it's MY job to protect the flock, rooster included. If he sounds the alarm and then runs to hide to with the hens seems to me he's got some smarts, because he's unlikely to win against 99% of predators anyway.

I don't expect him to lay down his life, but then I value my roosters just as much as I do the hens.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

You are!

Really? Yay!

Most of the "rooster protecting the flock" stuff I see on here kinda makes me go

The way I see it, it's MY job to protect the flock, rooster included. If he sounds the alarm and then runs to hide to with the hens seems to me he's got some smarts, because he's unlikely to win against 99% of predators anyway.

I don't expect him to lay down his life, but then I value my roosters just as much as I do the hens.

Well I agree but they usually will lay down their life for the hens, it's their instinct to protect. I also think it's the owners job but I understand some people want them to be protectors

 

[Geena]

Really? Yay!

Well I agree but they usually will lay down their life for the hens, it's their instinct to protect. I also think it's the owners job but I understand some people want them to be protectors

Just because it's instinctual doesn't make it the right thing to do. Maybe it's the owner's job to save the roosters from themselves.
If there was a grizzly outside my dogs would be going crazy to get at it, but I'm not going to send them out there to handle it, because they would most likely end up maimed or dead.
Every rooster I've had that "protected the flock" was savagely killed and that's not okay with me. If anyone is going to kill and eat my roosters it's gonna be me.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Just because it's instinctual doesn't make it the right thing to do. Maybe it's the owner's job to save the roosters from themselves.
If there was a grizzly outside my dogs would be going crazy to get at it, but I'm not going to send them out there to handle it, because they would most likely end up maimed or dead.
Every rooster I've had that "protected the flock" was savagely killed and that's not okay with me. If anyone is going to kill and eat my roosters it's gonna be me.

I agree, I am not letting my rooster get killed by a hawk saving hens, I protect ALL my chickens, hen or rooster, chick or adult. Most rooster who do "protect the flock" are killed doing it. Definitely not disagreeing there.

All I'm saying is that I know some people just have roosters to protect, not that I would have that but I don't slaughter any of my chickens either so it's just my opinion.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Just because it's instinctual doesn't make it the right thing to do.

Exactly, just because my roosters instict is to provide for the hens doesn't mean it's always a good thing. I rarely see my rooster eat, if he finds a bug, he kills if and feeds it to a hen. He let's them eat and once they finish he eats. He's a very good....but a little skinny....boy.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Look for a rooster over a year old and from a multi-generation flock; they tend to have better bird manners and you'll get a better idea of his human manners.

This was my thought as well. Older = better, imo. I recently rehomed a 6 mo cockerel who was great rooster material because of his temperament around people, but he was waaaay too hormonal, and it was stressing out my girls. My 3 yo rooster isn't as friendly, but he's good to my girls and much, much calmer.

 

[Aunt Angus]

And I'll add that there are umpteen roosters out there who need homes. You can afford to be picky! It's a buyer's market, for sure...

 

[nuthatched]

Roosters aren't going to protect hens apart from hopefully give a warning sound if they see something flying

X2 they want out of dodge too.

Oh no, they will most definitely protect. Why do you think people have issues with roo's attacking them? They are trying to protect their flock!

I’ve seen a rooster attack and drive off a hawk that was attacking a hen…seemed pretty protective to me.

This is how roosters protect their flocks:
distraction, a rooster won't last long against a predator, they usually fight whatever it is, get killed then the predator goes off on its way to kill a few hens. You're going to need more than one roo to cycle in as you loose them. A rooster will only last about 4-5 'attacks'.