Keeping a rooster with your flock

[5SweetChicks]

Do you keep a rooster with your flock of girls? If so, how do they act around you? Are they mean? Do they pick on the girls?

 

[Jarrett Dobbins]

Whether or not you keep a rooster in your flock is up to you. If you want fertile eggs, you must have a rooster, however, you do not have to have a rooster in your flock to have eggs. Roosters will begin to act aggressive in some ways in order to protect their hens. They may become braver and may even approach you if it sees you as a threat. Generally, no, a rooster will not pick on the hens. You may see a rooster hold a hen's head down and climb on top of it, but this is the natural way that chickens mate. I hope this information was of some help to you!

edited by staff

 

[Mrs. K]

I think it depends on if you like individual chickens or the flock as a whole. Also if you have enough hens, I really would not advise just a couple of hens and a roo. If you have 8 or more hens, and plenty of space it is ok.

Many people on here like hens as a pet, but when you add a rooster to a flock, they become 'his' girls. I myself like the whole flock idea, I like seeing them interact with each other, and I like how they tend to stick close to him, and him to them.

Some rooster's are rough on hens, and the hens lose feathers off their backs. This generally bother's people worse than it bothers hens. The roo, I had before this one, was rather rough, and most were bare backed, but they adored him, and he was very very good with predator protection. He never ever looked at me with aggression. As I free range quite a bit, I took the bad with the good, until a bobcat got him.

The new roo I have somehow does not seem to ruffle a feather, he has been active with 10 girls, but no sign on their backs, go figure, he doesn't pull the feathers out of the back of their heads either. He just has more technique and he is pretty young, only 8 months old. He is a little more brave towards me, than I would like. I make him back up and get out of my way, I don't let him breed in front of me and so far, he has not attacked me. I don't quite trust him like I did the other rooster.

YOu really should not, (in my opinion) have a rooster if you have small children in your home. If roosters attack people, they generally start out with the smallest people. Many children have been horribly attacked by a rooster that everyone thought was just a pet. This board is filled with bewildered posters who's darling pet became a horrible nightmare in nearly an instant.

Roos are not for everybody, and they do crow, and crow loudly, they can be unpredictable and aggressive, but they can also add a special dynamic to your flock. I like having a roo,

MrsK

 

[silvercat76]

I have 11 hens and no rooster, thinking about getting one but I need to expand my coup first as we are getting ten more chicks on the 27th of this month. I have had three roosters and never have any of them attacked my children but that was mine. My first roo did attack my hubs but it really wasn't attack he'd peck him but he felt threaten Im sure.