Just how useful is a rooster anyway?

[Curnow]

Got it. I've decided to shy away from DP birds because the cockerels don't have much meat. I'm going with more meaty breeds (Cochin, Cornish) and I want to get a good egg layer that isn't your standard leghorn. I love the meat I get from my Dark Cornish.
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English Orpington carcass. First time I ever butchered my own! This one was just shy of a year old. Picture doesn't show it...he was the size of a small turkey! Roasted in a big roaster and stuffed him! AWESOME!

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Definitely give them a chance, but don't rush the introductions. To avoid unintentional (and potentially serious) injury to your pullets by over-anxious roosters, wait until your girls are laying to house them with "The Boys." Until then, keep them within sight and sound of, but with no real access to, your roosters. By the time the girls are old enough to handle the advances of a grown rooster, they'll all be accustomed to each other, and your transition should be fairly smooth.

my thoughts exactly. especially since it is likely that my hachery silkies are going to include a roo or two. the old guys may just have to admire from afar.

 

[MROO]

Got it. I've decided to shy away from DP birds because the cockerels don't have much meat. I'm going with more meaty breeds (Cochin, Cornish) and I want to get a good egg layer that isn't your standard leghorn. I love the meat I get from my Dark Cornish.
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That's beautiful! I wish I had the cojones to process my own meat birds, but I know my limitations ... including "space" which is what I'll blame it on ... {{{Sigh}}}

 

[MROO]

my thoughts exactly. especially since it is likely that my hachery silkies are going to include a roo or two. the old guys may just have to admire from afar.

Oh yeah! And somehow, I don't see hatchery Silkies - or ANY Silkies, for that matter - making good "woodpile chickens!" Now THAT's a funny visual!
I'd love to see a picture of your Phoenix. They're SUCH pretty boys!

 

[ARose4Heaven]

First time I ever butchered my own! This one was just shy of a year old. AWESOME!

Can't count the number I've butchered. Have had Cornish X birds come out with breast ALONE weigh in at 6 lbs!

 

[Curnow]

I just started doing mine. It gets easier every time. I use the rake handle method and watched numerous youtube videos to prepare myself. Skinning is quicker and easier for me that plucking. Although ours are all kept together....some are pets, some are livestock. If you are a rooster that doesn't get a name at some point...you are livestock! You must fit in to the flock and follow rules...or your out!

 

[HuskerHens18]

Looks like you've gotten plenty of opinions but I'll share mine anyway

My Lavender Orphington rooster, King Zachary, is the best rooster I've ever known. He herds the hens like a sheepdog if he spots one heading off towards the grove of trees, even hens that aren't part of his flock. He's the last one in the coop, at evening time he sits at the door until everyone is counted for, then he goes in. He's children and people friendly, letting us pet and be around the hens without a fuss.
When I had a hawk problem, Zachary would make an alarm every time he saw one and begin running as fast as he could, wings spread out, and chasing all chickens to cover, including the submissive roosters!
I'm fortunate Zachary likes other rooster company and rarely mates, he is the perfect rooster. Without him my hens would die off, and probably have been all dead a long time ago.

It sounds like your rooster would be better off as lunch, he sucks!!

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Oh yeah! And somehow, I don't see hatchery Silkies - or ANY Silkies, for that matter - making good "woodpile chickens!" Now THAT's a funny visual!
I'd love to see a picture of your Phoenix. They're SUCH pretty boys!

My Woodpile Pheonix.

 

[Curnow]

That's beautiful! I wish I had the cojones to process my own meat birds, but I know my limitations ... including "space" which is what I'll blame it on ... {{{Sigh}}}

I am a small woman and an avid deer hunter. I hunt alone. I field dress my deer. I skin and process my own, and sometimes my husband's if he doesn't have time. It finally dawned on me one day that I was just being silly thinking I couldn't process my own roosters! DUH! Hell of a lot smaller and easier than a deer! LOL

 

[Firefoot]

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.

@Shadrach, I loved your responses in this thread. Until not so long ago, I was guilty of just expecting my cockerels to assume their manly duties faultlessly and immediately, and I was upset when they didn't. My first cockerel died at 20 weeks, defending a hen from a fox. My second cockerel was a rescue dumped at the neighbors and was introduced to the flock around 5-6 months? Hard to say, but he was scared of EVERYTHING from weeks of being feral on the neighbors farm, unwelcome by any of his birds and chased by his dogs. So he was a terrible protector for a long time, and then I sadly had to give him away as he was too affectionate with my (too few) ladies. Eventually, though, he did assume his roosterly duties and he was drop dead gorgeous to look at.

My current cockerel I've had since 6 weeks and is now about 9 months and was put in with my older hens around 24 weeks. I see a big difference in how he's matured and how they all relate to each other, being different ages. I got similar-age pullets at the same time as him and obviously he mates them more, but the older birds have certainly taught him some manners. In the beginning, he was pretty ruthless and would mow them down to mate them, then stay on them for a while. Now he is a gentle and delicate flower that occasionally hops on them and quickly off again.

I really expected a lot of my previous roos because I didn't really understand chicken dynamics. But I love having a rooster for all the reasons you mentioned. I see obvious affection between my current roo and his best girl, Sally. He is kind to me and tidbits the girls nonstop, which is sweet to watch and I think the girls like being brought food. He keeps them together as a flock when they're out, which isn't much these days because of red tailed hawks nearby -- which he fought off of my little Ameraucana hen, suffering only a few scrapes and lost feathers. After the attack I watched him very carefully move the girls to the run, letting them all go in before him, and then into the coop for bed. Of course I try not to project emotions on them, but even without emotion it is obvious to see that he is a good rooster in most all capacities, and the older hens, while one still remains more dominant, have taught him manners *and* seem to mostly respect him. He also remains vigilant against predators in the run, and always alerts when the hawks come to sit in the trees and watch them. He is as valuable to me as the hens.

But previously, I definitely just expected them to hit 30 weeks and be professional roosters. With Ollivander (my current one), I have found a lot more compassion and understanding, and also expect he will really hit his stride with everyone this summer when he's a little over a year.

I really appreciate all the comments here because I really didn't want a rooster at the beginning of my chickeneering but have come to love them and appreciate them a lot.

That said, there are certainly bad roosters, of which I've known some, and their purpose seems to be as food rather than company.