Just how useful is a rooster anyway?

[Farmgirl1878]

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.

X2! However, my eight-month old cockerel is doing pretty well for not having a male role model. My seven older birds (all pullets) are eleven-months old and kept him in his place while he was figuring things out. Even though he’s young, he tidbits, dances for them, escorts them, finds good nest areas when they’re free ranging, herds them, watches the skies and for ground based predators, calls when he sees something scary, breaks up the bullying, and is not aggressive with people. It took him a while to figure out the mating part (I laughed at him, I’m not ashamed to admit it), but a lot of the rest of it he started doing by the time he was five months old or so. I’m holding my breath about the upcoming hormone surge in a couple months, but so far, he’s a keeper!

 

[Shadrach]

X2! However, my eight-month old cockerel is doing pretty well for not having a male role model. My seven older birds (all pullets) are eleven-months old and kept him in his place while he was figuring things out. Even though he’s young, he tidbits, dances for them, escorts them, finds good nest areas when they’re free ranging, herds them, watches the skies and for ground based predators, calls when he sees something scary, breaks up the bullying, and is not aggressive with people. It took him a while to figure out the mating part (I laughed at him, I’m not ashamed to admit it), but a lot of the rest of it he started doing by the time he was five months old or so. I’m holding my breath about the upcoming hormone surge in a couple months, but so far, he’s a keeper!

View attachment 1704869

Nice looking cockerel.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Nice looking cockerel.

Thanks! He’s a hatchery BLRW. Got him from Meyer Hatchery here in Ohio. He was one of the “Littles,” my group of eight 8-month olds.

 

[SueT]

X2! However, my eight-month old cockerel is doing pretty well for not having a male role model. My seven older birds (all pullets) are eleven-months old and kept him in his place while he was figuring things out. Even though he’s young, he tidbits, dances for them, escorts them, finds good nest areas when they’re free ranging, herds them, watches the skies and for ground based predators, calls when he sees something scary, breaks up the bullying, and is not aggressive with people. It took him a while to figure out the mating part (I laughed at him, I’m not ashamed to admit it), but a lot of the rest of it he started doing by the time he was five months old or so. I’m holding my breath about the upcoming hormone surge in a couple months, but so far, he’s a keeper!

View attachment 1704869

Handsome guy! He looks very earnest.

 

[Mosey2003]

In my opinion, a rooster is a negative unless you want to hatch chicks. He'll eat more feed, rough up the hens, and unless you find a good one, can take a go at flogging you.

I know people like the idea of roosters alerting and protecting hens. Personally, on my farm, I feel that is MY job, not a chicken's. I keep them secure from attack, so I have no need for a rooster to die trying.

 

[ariri30]

I have two Dutch roosters that I’m desperately trying to keep. My neighbor came to me to tell me he wakes him up 10 to five o’clock in the morning. He’s retired so he doesn’t need to get up so early. I think I’m going to keep my two babies in the garage in a cage for the night and bring him out later in the day to join the girls. What do you guys think? I need to hear from anyone that is doing this or have done that before. Are my little roosters going to be ok? Help!

 

[Molpet]

I have two Dutch roosters that I’m desperately trying to keep. My neighbor came to me to tell me he wakes him up 10 to five o’clock in the morning. He’s retired so he doesn’t need to get up so early. I think I’m going to keep my two babies in the garage in a cage for the night and bring him out later in the day to join the girls. What do you guys think? I need to hear from anyone that is doing this or have done that before. Are my little roosters going to be ok? Help!

@Faraday40 kept them in the garage at night

 

[ariri30]

@Faraday40 kept them in the garage at night

Great! Thanks.

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40 kept them in the garage at night

My neighbors are OK with the idea of roosters, because our kids are in 4H. Our DD has done poultry projects for the past 6 years and now DS is getting started. Although the neighbors are great and very supportive, I want to be polite. My orpingtons do not crow much during the day, so I keep the 2 boys in the garage at night. When they crow away in the morning, it's muffled & barely heard. I made a short box which prevents them from stretching up to belt out their loudest crows. They can stand & walk - but with their head down. It's only for the night, so not a big deal. They also wear crow collars which limits & controls the volume. There's no way to stop them from crowing, but there are some ways to manage it.

After you try a few things, talk to your neighbor & ask if the noise situation is better. Just the fact that you listened and tried to make things better will go a long way. If the crowing still bothers him, you may want to seriously get rid of the roosters. As much as I love our chickens, good relationships with the people around us on whom we rely is more important. I always ask them to let me know personally if something is bothering them. I also bring them fresh eggs, backyard chicken soup, garden veggies, & compost for their gardens and happily let them throw their kitchen scraps over the fence. When we started the flock, building the coop was sort of a fun neighborhood project. That's why I welcome their help. When the neighbors have grandkids visit, our backyard is the fav spot to visit.

 

[ariri30]

My neighbors are OK with the idea of roosters, because our kids are in 4H. Our DD has done poultry projects for the past 6 years and now DS is getting started. Although the neighbors are great and very supportive, I want to be polite. My orpingtons do not crow much during the day, so I keep the 2 boys in the garage at night. When they crow away in the morning, it's muffled & barely heard. I made a short box which prevents them from stretching up to belt out their loudest crows. They can stand & walk - but with their head down. It's only for the night, so not a big deal. They also wear crow collars which limits & controls the volume. There's no way to stop them from crowing, but there are some ways to manage it.

After you try a few things, talk to your neighbor & ask if the noise situation is better. Just the fact that you listened and tried to make things better will go a long way. If the crowing still bothers him, you may want to seriously get rid of the roosters. As much as I love our chickens, good relationships with the people around us on whom we rely is more important. I always ask them to let me know personally if something is bothering them. I also bring them fresh eggs, backyard chicken soup, garden veggies, & compost for their gardens and happily let them throw their kitchen scraps over the fence. When we started the flock, building the coop was sort of a fun neighborhood project. That's why I welcome their help. When the neighbors have grandkids visit, our backyard is the fav spot to visit.

Thanks. Great advice. The main reason why I want to try to keep my roosters quiet in the morning is because I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable in their own home. I tried the roosters collar but I noticed that it was irritating the poor roosters skin and I think that with time that could create a problem for them.or maybe I’ll just put it on them to sleep and take it off in the morning. Or I will try to keep them in the garage or my basement and hopefully that will solve my problem. I have a lot to think about. thanks for the advice.