I’m getting a new rooster today and want to know a few things, I’ve never owned a rooster before and that’s why I’m asking. Will my rooster hurt my hens if they’re younger than him and also a different breed than him?
New rooster owner
- Thread starter Allie❤️Chickens
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He’s not going into quarantine because I know the people that own him and they keep him very clean and check for mites and diseases.
Size difference (larger rooster than hens) is bad.
Young roosters are not exactly desirable either--what you want is an older rooster who knows how to do his job, isn't completely overwhelmed with hormones, and acts like a gentleman towards the girls. In other words, when he wants to mate, he should ask with a courting dance, not chase them down.
Why do you want a rooster? For breeding, younger with more stamina is better. For guarding, a game or RIR rooster is aggressive and fierce. For keeping a watchful eye on the hens and being a good boy in general, I happen to love Leghorns (though I'm currently about to try a Barred-Rock cockerel and see how he works out. They've got good reviews) If you just want a rooster for a rooster's sake, Silkies are very gentle and likely to be low in the pecking order.
EDT: I see from your post that you're not choosing a rooster. Disregard the last paragraph, then.
Young roosters are not exactly desirable either--what you want is an older rooster who knows how to do his job, isn't completely overwhelmed with hormones, and acts like a gentleman towards the girls. In other words, when he wants to mate, he should ask with a courting dance, not chase them down.
Why do you want a rooster? For breeding, younger with more stamina is better. For guarding, a game or RIR rooster is aggressive and fierce. For keeping a watchful eye on the hens and being a good boy in general, I happen to love Leghorns (though I'm currently about to try a Barred-Rock cockerel and see how he works out. They've got good reviews) If you just want a rooster for a rooster's sake, Silkies are very gentle and likely to be low in the pecking order.
EDT: I see from your post that you're not choosing a rooster. Disregard the last paragraph, then.
Rooster lover 98
In the Brooder
- Oct 9, 2017
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i had a rooster one time but it died
Gloryfarm
In the Brooder
- Oct 7, 2017
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Your girls should be fine if they are full grown. A how many hens do you have? Quarantine is a good idea because they bring differ things from the ground and farm (even being clean) that they have become immune to. They might need to build up immunities to what is at your farm. Stress of the move can also trigger things that have been buried in a chicken to rear it’s head, like respitory infections etc.
I love our roosters we have seven. They will be bigger than your hens but you just want to watch for a huge size difference, or over breeding.
I love our roosters we have seven. They will be bigger than your hens but you just want to watch for a huge size difference, or over breeding.
- Thread starter
- #7
I have eight hens and need the rooster to keep an eye on them. Thanks for the advice! The rooster is older and fully mature. The hens are fully mature as well.
- Thread starter
- #8
Really sorry! I have had other chickens but they all died as well.i had a rooster one time but it died
Hello Allie heart chickens,
I highly recommend you quarantine him for the two week minimum, for the health of your hens, but also, so that he can get to know you.
If you plan on letting him run the place and have no problem with him flogging, pecking or chasing you, and, if you feel he is no health risk to the hens...then just pop him in with the hens.
I love roosters, and I really value my "Frito", he patrols the pen, keeps an eye on my girls, and teaches the newbies how to behave. But, not everyone has my philosophy on roosters. I have had 8 roosters of different breeds and personalities. All learned well.
While there are roosters with good personalities, there are some that are aggressive and do take work. The breed will dictate some of this. But, I believe it is the keeper that influences a huge part of the behavior.
With consistent training your rooster will not attack you every time you enter the pen or coop. You will be able to pick up a hen with out being pecked by him, because he will trust you. He'll know that you cause no harm and only good comes from you. He may even chose to spend time with you, like a dog!
You will also have to attend to your rooster's physical needs: spur trimming (to protect hens backs), giving meds when he gets sick, scrubbing his legs if he gets scaley leg mites, etc. Yes, rooster's need attention too.
The first year is really the most tedious when teaching a rooster. His hormones will be running high! Having a rooster is just like taking in a pup. You would take time teaching it many things the first year, so that it can live with the family, right? At least you should learn about a rooster's behaviors before taking one on, then you can say, "Oh, that's why he does this or that."
And no, he won't hurt the hens. If they are older, they may hurt him! LOL! You see there are many dynamics involved.
So, there you go...something to think about.
God Bless!
I highly recommend you quarantine him for the two week minimum, for the health of your hens, but also, so that he can get to know you.
If you plan on letting him run the place and have no problem with him flogging, pecking or chasing you, and, if you feel he is no health risk to the hens...then just pop him in with the hens.
I love roosters, and I really value my "Frito", he patrols the pen, keeps an eye on my girls, and teaches the newbies how to behave. But, not everyone has my philosophy on roosters. I have had 8 roosters of different breeds and personalities. All learned well.
While there are roosters with good personalities, there are some that are aggressive and do take work. The breed will dictate some of this. But, I believe it is the keeper that influences a huge part of the behavior.
With consistent training your rooster will not attack you every time you enter the pen or coop. You will be able to pick up a hen with out being pecked by him, because he will trust you. He'll know that you cause no harm and only good comes from you. He may even chose to spend time with you, like a dog!
You will also have to attend to your rooster's physical needs: spur trimming (to protect hens backs), giving meds when he gets sick, scrubbing his legs if he gets scaley leg mites, etc. Yes, rooster's need attention too.
The first year is really the most tedious when teaching a rooster. His hormones will be running high! Having a rooster is just like taking in a pup. You would take time teaching it many things the first year, so that it can live with the family, right? At least you should learn about a rooster's behaviors before taking one on, then you can say, "Oh, that's why he does this or that."
And no, he won't hurt the hens. If they are older, they may hurt him! LOL! You see there are many dynamics involved.
So, there you go...something to think about.
God Bless!
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