Just how useful is a rooster anyway?

[Molpet]

Is he a rooster or cockerel? I have found they get better when they are about a year and a half. Mainly they give an alert so everyone can run... I never had one attack anything... the turkeys take care of attacking in my flock.

just like people some are better than others at being the man

 

[meetthebubus]

Lol sounds like my rooster roo who runs crying with his girls but my hen turned roo China is so full of testosterone she fought off 2 rottweilers while Roo ran with his girls so depends on the roo but as long as he is good to them he will support them in other ways, plus he will be more alert to give them warning from predators

 

[Mrs. K]

Actually not all roosters are the same. Just like anything else. And we all have opinions, here is mine.

I think you get better roosters when the rooster is raised in a multi-generational flock. And some of those will not be good ones. There is more to being a great rooster than fertilized eggs. Once you get one, you don't keep a poor rooster. Being raised in a flock of older birds a rooster is in a subordinate position for some time, unlike being raised with flock mates, where he rapidly gets bigger than the other pullets, becomes sexually interested way before the flock and often becomes a bully.

You want a rooster that will be the first to see you as you come to the flock. His head needs to be up, and looking most of the time while his girls peck around you. He needs to naturally keep his distance from you. And not be aggressive with people. However, roosters are really not great until they are at least a year old. From that point on, my daytime predation has dropped, but as stated, they can only do so much.

I keep a rooster, but I am picky. The clue to keeping a flock master is a sharp knife, keep looking until you get a good one.

I free-range/total lock down, depending on the predators. Your fox is going to be back, and where there is one, there will be more. The rooster actually did make a run for safety, and the hens followed his leadership. One cannot really lead from behind.

Mrs K

 

[Gray Farms]

I agree with @sylviethecochin. If your not wanting/needing fertile eggs to produce chicks I see no reason to have a rooster.

 

[Shadrach]

A good rooster does a lot of things that help to protect their flock that often go unnoticed.
As others have correctly ime, mentioned; cockerels are pretty all round hopeless. That's youth in any species. If they don't die and grow up in a mixed age flock with a senior rooster, but often more important, a senior hen then the survivors will learn. It seems to me the poor cockerels aren't in with a chance with some people and are expected to know what to do and when to do it because they are males.
What about your hens? Maybe they feel safer having him around. Maybe the hens like how he stops the usual hen bickering, maybe while they're busy stuffing their faces while he stands guard they feel more secure. Maybe when they go to look for nest sites they like to have a cockerel, or rooster accompany them. Maybe they like the mating knowing that if that big predator on two feet doesn't steal their eggs they might be able to hatch some chicks.
Maybe people who want to keep chickens should learn a bit about what motivates a rooster and what he actually does for his hens.
Of course, if you just want to keep a few hens and not really keep chickens at all, then by all means don't have a rooster.

 

[Curnow]

What is it exactly you expect from your rooster?
I think your getting behavior you might wish from from a boyfriend, or husband confused with another species.
Of course he runs from a fox. He's not stupid!
Did you notice if he gave a warning call to his hens?
Do you think he should fight the fox? Seems like a rather unequal match to me.
Roosters are not equipped to fight predators. they are equipped to fight each other.
Honestly, words fail me.

I agree whole heartedly! We tend to put human emotions and expected behaviors on our animals. I have a free range flock of about 70 total. Minus the two roosters I butchered yesterday...I have 12 roosters (2 are juveniles just feeling their hormones) I have sizes from two Sultan roosters to very large English Orpingtons and Orpington crosses. They are all what I consider to be wonderful flock guardians, but I would not expect any one of them to stand up to a predator and fight. Each has a role within the flock. I do not have fighting issues. My head rooster is a wonderful Appenzeller Spitzhauben "Molly" his second is his son "Wiley" who is crossed with easter egger. What they provide is constant escorts and multiple audible alarm system. There is a structured rank and order, but they all provide the same service and security.
I do not keep roos that do not adopt the gentlemanly behavior of Molly & Wiley. Thus far they have been good teachers!

 

[MROO]

I think the idea of a rooster sacrificing himself for the girls is largely a myth.
I know some have and will do that but I think it’s rare.
In reality his job is to breed more chickens and lead the girls to a safe place when there’s danger.
But these young cockerels we get from hatcheries and breeders are completely inexperienced juveniles who have no mature rooster to observe and learn what they’re supposed to be doing.
It’s not a natural environment where they would have birds of all ages and sexes within the flock.

Ultimately its my job as a keeper of a domestic animal to keep them as safe as I can.

How old is he? With no older rooster as a model/mentor, he has to learn everything from experience - and learning things the hard way takes time. If he's truly a nuisance, send him to a new home or to freezer camp. If he's not hurting anyone (people or his ladies) and you enjoy having him around (eye candy is a plus!,) then give him a chance to learn.

This is going to sound harsh and judgmental, simply because it's in text and not delivered with the shrug and the smile it would be paired with if we were face-to-face, but it's definitely not meant to be nasty ...
We are ultimately responsible for the safety of our charges. It's unfair to expect a rooster to do it for us.


Good Luck with figuring out your next step.

 

[MROO]

I agree whole heartedly! We tend to put human emotions and expected behaviors on our animals. I have a free range flock of about 70 total. Minus the two roosters I butchered yesterday...I have 12 roosters (2 are juveniles just feeling their hormones) I have sizes from two Sultan roosters to very large English Orpingtons and Orpington crosses. They are all what I consider to be wonderful flock guardians, but I would not expect any one of them to stand up to a predator and fight. Each has a role within the flock. I do not have fighting issues. My head rooster is a wonderful Appenzeller Spitzhauben "Molly" his second is his son "Wiley" who is crossed with easter egger. What they provide is constant escorts and multiple audible alarm system. There is a structured rank and order, but they all provide the same service and security.
I do not keep roos that do not adopt the gentlemanly behavior of Molly & Wiley. Thus far they have been good teachers!

Great Post! ... But I'm thinkin' we need pictures!

 

[Curnow]

How old is he? With no older rooster as a model/mentor, he has to learn everything from experience - and learning things the hard way takes time. If he's truly a nuisance, send him to a new home or to freezer camp. If he's not hurting anyone (people or his ladies) and you enjoy having him around (eye candy is a plus!,) then give him a chance to learn.

This is going to sound harsh and judgmental, simply because it's in text and not delivered with the shrug and the smile it would be paired with if we were face-to-face, but it's definitely not meant to be nasty ...
We are ultimately responsible for the safety of our charges. It's unfair to expect a rooster to do it for us.


Good Luck with figuring out your next step.

Bravo! Well said. Not harsh...just realistic!

 

[dashman1319]

Doesn’t sound harsh at all!