Is getting a rooster worth it?

[blessedmamato3]

I've been reading through a ton of posts on roos and how they're dangerous with children, etc. My only experience with one was less than stellar (and he didn't even make a decent meal, but I digress). I've read that most suck and others are wonderful. Is there such a thing as a roo that takes care of the flock, but leaves humans alone (especially kiddos)? If so, how the heck do you get one? I imagine it's possible, as I hear of them on here, but have never seen a living example.

Our hens will be free roaming, so a roo would be beneficial, but my kids are 9, 3 and 4 months. If there is a roo that behaves, that would be great. I would never leave my littlest ones alone with any animal, but I don't want to constantly have to look over our shoulders, waiting for what I always thought was inevitable.

 

[NonnasBabies]

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I think so! I'm on the other side of the fence though and have never had a bad rooster!!

They would go after each other and maybe my yorkies if they got to close but NEVER did they try to come after one of us!! Maybe it was because from the begining we never shied away from them and made darn sure they knew who was boss!!

Good Luck!

 

[BrattishTaz]

I will say that I love my roos. I have put a ton of work into making them friendly and have not had any that I could not deal with (I have 10 or so right now). I absolutely would not, under any circumstances allow a small child around them though. Kids are unpredictable and so are roosters. A kid does not stop to think that a sudden movement or loud noise can trigger a roo to go into attack mode in order to "protect" his flock. My 18 year old daughter was bitten yesterday by my big BO boy because she was being goofy in his pen and he felt threatened. This roo adores her and usually loves her visits. She just forgot the rules for a minute.

 

[Cockadoodledon't]

There are some roo's that are just ""Bad to the Bone"" but...I have a Cherry Egger or most would say Rhode Island Red...that is as docile as they come. I think alot of that is because no one picked at him when he was growing up and made him mean. More than one roo in the bunch can make them competitive and mean. Your best bet is to get one that is a pullet and get him used to coming for ""TREATS"" and used to being around you. Kids love to torment a rooster when no one is looking and that is the best way to get one riled. They are like elephants and never forget... I think your Domineckers, RIR, Cherry Eggers are good ones to get. Game roosters have that natural tendency to fight a buzz saw.
They are good to have around....sometimes they can be a bit amorous and give the girls a hard time. I have 9 ladies and one Gent...and he has worn the feathers completely away on 2 of the girls and pulled the feathers out around their combs. I have cut his spurs back to decrease the damage, but, may need to separate them for awhile whilst they regrown their plumage.

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[CapricornFarm]

Just like dogs, some are sweet, some are mean. I get rid of them if they are mean. Just don't spoil them when they are small so they respect you.Roosters are wonderful , they treat the hens so nice. Mine will call the girls over for treats, and I have seen some actually pick up a bug and give it to their favorite hen. Plus you need one for chick production! And they keep the girls together and help protect the flock.

 

[Niss]

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I love the way my roos call the gals over for treats

I had one hen try to run out durring bedcheck and my red sexlink rounded her up in a hurry! They really are a good addition for all reasons stated in quote above.

I posted an add on a local classified looking for a cheep rooster to take care of my hens. I made it clear only nonagressive roos were wanted and others would be killed. A BYCer answered my ad and I picked up two well behaved boys for $5. My son is 5, and he loves the roos. There is always a slight risk with ANY animal, but I think looking for a grown roo that has never been agresive is the way to go.

 

[blessedmamato3]

Thanks guys, please keep them coming.

 

[bobbi-j]

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I have one. He's a Brahma. Got him and 6 others from a neighbor last summer - they were all starving - and decided to keep him because he's HUGE! (Trying to develop a dual-purpose flock, here) Anyway, he's good to the hens (a little hard on them with breeding, but always calls them to the treats I bring out - I've never seen him have to warn them of predators), and when I'm around he just walks away from me. I don't have small kids, though, so I don't know how he'd be with them. I think that if an adult were with them, he'd be fine. Thinking back, I think I've had more good roosters than bad. The most aggressive ones I've had were an EE, BR, and a white one of unknown breed.

 

[NewToFarming]

I do love my roos and I only have 1 with an attitude towards me out of 12! He will come and peck at my pants leg and when I look at him he will peck at the ground like "what are you looking at me for, it was that other guy over there" It is quite funny but I do put him in his place. Now I can hold this guy and do anything to him and he only does this when I first come into the pen. Also, the one time he did this to me, 2 of my top hens decided to whoop his butt for it! LOL
I have silkies so they can't really fly up and could not do as much damage as another breed could. My EE boy is big and just the sweetest thing.
It really depends on the roo. But I haven't had too many bad experiences. But as others have posted, a good roo does take care of the girls by finding them yummy treats, safety and preparing their nests for them and I love to just watch them do these things! They really do make sure all are accounted for when it is time to go into the coop at night too.
Oh and my boys help to care for the chicks too, some better than others but I have about 5 boys that like to help the moms with their chicks and are right their with them the entire day!

 

[gryeyes]

I don't have kids, so I'm not sure my input would be all that valuable for THAT particular aspect of having a rooster around.

But my flock includes SEVERAL roosters, both bantam sized, large fowl and VERY large fowl sized (two of 'em are Jersey Giants). My silver Sebright roosters are obnoxious little fellas and prone to flogging my ankles when they're around hens they are protecting. It's like the little fellas don't "get" that there's no need to protect the hens from me.....

The JGs are so mellow I think a small child could ride 'em around like a horsey.

I love my roos. I absolutely love the Rooster Chorus in the mornings.

All of them call out for the ladies to come seen any goodies they've found. All of them alert to aerial - or other - predators so the ladies know to stand stock still or run and hide until the roos sound the All Clear. All of the roos know Carl, the EE, is the dominant rooster of the flock. All of them are very protective of chicks running around, although a couple of them are more "tolerant" than protective when it comes to feed or treat time.

Within my rather large flock, several of the roos have developed their own smaller, "just for me" groups of a few ladies. Sort of like satellite, mini-flocks. They escort from two or three to six or seven ladies apiece. Carl gets King's Rights to any pullet or hen in the entire flock, though. None of my roosters have been threats to chicks - mostly because the mama hens protect 'em so well. But I have NEVER seen any of my roosters threaten chicks, even when the chicks are no longer protected by their hatch mom.

The roosters settle hen squabbles, too.

Now, honestly, I would prefer the fellas not ride the ladies so much, because I've a few hens with bare backs. However, hen aprons are available to protect them until their feathers grow back, and they DO make quite a fashion statement within the flock.