I'm new to raising chickens and just wondering; Is there any advantage to having a rooster if I just want eggs? We don't want to hatch eggs and we're not raising chickens for meat. We just want live chickens and fresh eggs. A friend told us that a rooster will help maintain order. Is this true? Is it enough of an advantage to make the crowing worth it while I'm trying to sleep. Would there be any other advantage to having them around? Thanks!
The only reason I got a rooster is because my hens are 100% free-range and the rooster alerts the flock to predators such as hawks. If yours are in a run, I would NOT get a rooster, cause they just end up causing trouble.
yes it will help maintaine order and also PROTECT your girls from harm... like the man of the house.. but its not always nessicary to have a roo if you dont want one.
A rooster can and will keep order, they will also be more alert to predators and are often the first to sound an alarm call. If you keep your's in a coop, there is no reason for you to have a rooster. He would probably cause more trouble than good. I keep my roosters for their crow, their looks, their alertness, and of course breeding. LOL I need roosters. -Kim
I think that it also depends on your situation. How many hens will you have? Will they free range? Do you have predators in your area? I have a backyard and no predators, (unless you count Steve my 4lb peeka-a poo puppy). I also live in the burbs and so they don't like roosters. So I don't have one. Also do you have small children? A rooster could be dangerous. But if you have land and want them to go out you might want one. Also if you won't eat fertile eggs don't get a roo. As far as them crowing while you sleep, that shouldn't be an issue unless you work nights.
I've had roosters, and I've been roosterless, and my hens have done well both ways. In fact, my current hens have never known one, and may, or may not, be pleased with the one coming in my June chick order!
A guy down the way who has a bunch of chickens free ranging on his neighboring empty lot told us that he had roosters for a while and got rid of them because they kept sticking their spur into his leg. After they were gone he said his hens egg production went down by half. I haven't talked to him since to see if it went back up to normal levels but if having a rooster somehow encourages hens to lay that might be a reason to have one. Maybe someone with more chicken experience can way in on this as I am still new to life with chickens.
This may be total speculation on my part, but it was something I observed. I had 6 pullets all the same age, and one rooster (from a different home). I had put 3 pullets in with him, and 3 pullets were in a different coop. At the time I didnt have enough room to have them all together. I noticed the girls that were with the rooster were first to produce eggs, and also had healthier, thicker, bigger combs and wattles. It was as though they matured faster than the 3 that were by themselves. About a month after being with the rooster, the other 3 girls caught up to the 3 that were already in there. Again, this is just something I observed. Im in no way an expert.
What I think happened, Jashdon, and this is just from my own experiences, is that your neighbors hens were used to having the rooster there. When they are raised without a rooster they don't know better, and production is fine. Mine, currently without rooster, couldn't lay more, as I'm getting an egg a day from each of them currently.
I think flock order just looks better when there is a rooster in the mix. When I lost my head roo a few years back, the hens were much more scattered. Got a new head roo and he's been protecting the flock ever sense. They don't need one physically to lay eggs, but it may have some effect on their emotional health if they had one and then lost one. Could be good if their rooster was a good rooster and treated them well, but also could be bad if the rooster they had was mean, over bred them, or didn't respect them as some roosters seem to do.