Need Help With a Rooster

[Firefox]

I have 7 chickens, 3 of which were unsexed, and 4 of which are sexed hens. One of the three unsexed chickens is a rooster. I really want to keep it but I also want eggs. I also know how aggressive roosters can be and I don't want an aggressive rooster. I've heard about caponizing but don't know where to start or even if caponization is the best option. Any thoughts?

 

[SueT]

Welcome to BYC!
Not all roosters are aggressive, how old is yours? How is he behaving so far? Caponizing has to be done very young, and takes experience to do it safely.

 

[fluffycrow]

You'll have plenty of eggs, doesn't matter that you'll have a rooster around. They're just as abundant, and just as delicious. Not all males are going to turn aggressive

 

[jus10inla]

Having a roo has nothing to do with wanting eggs. It is 100% safe to eat fertile eggs. As long as the hen doesnt sit on them to incibate your good. And if she does its up to you if u want her to hatch chicks or not.

Roos are hit and miss. U may have a good one may have bad one. May be perfect one day then a horny teenager the next. U can either put up with it for a couple months and let the mature hens get him in check or cull it (fyi culling doesnt always mean killing) i dont believe in caponizing / crow reducing… let it live its life or pass it along.

 

[Firefox]

Welcome to BYC!
Not all roosters are aggressive, how old is yours? How is he behaving so far? Caponizing has to be done very young, and takes experience to do it safely.

1 month old, very gentle

 

[Firefox]

Having a roo has nothing to do with wanting eggs. It is 100% safe to eat fertile eggs. As long as the hen doesnt sit on them to incibate your good. And if she does its up to you if u want her to hatch chicks or not.

Roos are hit and miss. U may have a good one may have bad one. May be perfect one day then a horny teenager the next. U can either put up with it for a couple months and let the mature hens get him in check or cull it (fyi culling doesnt always mean killing) i dont believe in caponizing / crow reducing… let it live its life or pass it along.

I never knew you could eat fertile eggs, thanks!

You'll have plenty of eggs, doesn't matter that you'll have a rooster around. They're just as abundant, and just as delicious. Not all males are going to turn aggressive

Awesome

 

[MysteryChicken]

I never knew you could eat fertile eggs, thanks!

Awesome

Yes, fertile eggs are 100% edible. Been eating them for years.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Fyi... there are people that have bought eggs from the grocery store, incubated and hatched chicks. Chances are pretty good you have eaten fertile eggs and didn't realize it.

 

[Mrs. K]

If this is your first flock, and all the chicks are flock mates and you don't have older birds, and if you have children under the age of 6. I would recommend removing the rooster chick from your flock. IMO cockerels take some experience and an all hen flock is a great way to get some experience. Cockerels can go from the darling to the nightmare in an instant, as inexperienced people do not pick up on cues a bird is getting aggressive. This forum is full of those posts. Inexperienced people tend to vastly underestimate how violent an attack can be, and children tend to be attacked first.

If you have young children, and they share the chores with you, I strongly recommend removing the cockerel. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of people.

Mrs K

 

[Firefox]

If this is your first flock, and all the chicks are flock mates and you don't have older birds, and if you have children under the age of 6. I would recommend removing the rooster chick from your flock. IMO cockerels take some experience and an all hen flock is a great way to get some experience. Cockerels can go from the darling to the nightmare in an instant, as inexperienced people do not pick up on cues a bird is getting aggressive. This forum is full of those posts. Inexperienced people tend to vastly underestimate how violent an attack can be, and children tend to be attacked first.

If you have young children, and they share the chores with you, I strongly recommend removing the cockerel. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of people.

Mrs K

This isn't our first flock. We have raised 3 others, all hens, and helped out with a friend's rooster. Of course, if it starts seeming aggressive at all we will remove it. All kids are over 10 and have helped care for the other flocks, but I will take most responsibility of this one due to the rooster.