Pros and Cons of Roosters

[Susan Skylark]

The idea of a flock raised rooster turning out the best behavior wise is intriguing, we see the same issues with bulls in cattle. Dairy bulls are notoriously nasty, being bottle raised they have no fear of people and are perfectly happy to kill you for no reason. Beef bulls are raised by the cow in the herd and rarely cause problems if you use basic common sense around cattle. Even bottle raised kittens and foals have issues, the mare has no problem whomping the little bugger when he bites or kicks, but the human foster raiser doesn’t have the heart and you get a cat that bites or a spoiled pony you can’t do a thing with. I think there is a lesson for human parents and teachers as well, without wise discipline our own kids will likewise grow up with issues that affect whole generations and our society at large. We are quickly becoming a society of rogue roosters, wow that’s more philosophical than this post was meant to contain!

 

[redinator]

The idea of a flock raised rooster turning out the best behavior wise is intriguing, we see the same issues with bulls in cattle. Dairy bulls are notoriously nasty, being bottle raised they have no fear of people and are perfectly happy to kill you for no reason. Beef bulls are raised by the cow in the herd and rarely cause problems if you use basic common sense around cattle. Even bottle raised kittens and foals have issues, the mare has no problem whomping the little bugger when he bites or kicks, but the human foster raiser doesn’t have the heart and you get a cat that bites or a spoiled pony you can’t do a thing with. I think there is a lesson for human parents and teachers as well, without wise discipline our own kids will likewise grow up with issues that affect whole generations and our society at large. We are quickly becoming a society of rogue roosters, wow that’s more philosophical than this post was meant to contain!

I think you summed up the 'issues' of nearly a whole generation, lol.

 

[BonnieBlue]

The idea of a flock raised rooster turning out the best behavior wise is intriguing, we see the same issues with bulls in cattle. Dairy bulls are notoriously nasty, being bottle raised they have no fear of people and are perfectly happy to kill you for no reason. Beef bulls are raised by the cow in the herd and rarely cause problems if you use basic common sense around cattle. Even bottle raised kittens and foals have issues, the mare has no problem whomping the little bugger when he bites or kicks, but the human foster raiser doesn’t have the heart and you get a cat that bites or a spoiled pony you can’t do a thing with. I think there is a lesson for human parents and teachers as well, without wise discipline our own kids will likewise grow up with issues that affect whole generations and our society at large. We are quickly becoming a society of rogue roosters, wow that’s more philosophical than this post was meant to contain!

Relating it to cattle strikes a chord, because the now and then beef bull can be mean as hell, just because he is. We had one growing up. When he charged me when I was a teenager, my dad finally decided that was the last straw and sold him, despite his pretty babies.

Mom worked in the juvenile justice system, so that part really sounds like what I heard all my life.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Do you believe nature or nurture is the key driver in a good rooster?

That last part made me laugh.

I think it's a combination. I had a BJG chick chest-thumping me at two weeks. I thumped him back till he quit and he grew into a lovely boy. I was grieved to lose him to a coyote, defending his girls.

The idea of a flock raised rooster turning out the best behavior wise is intriguing, we see the same issues with bulls in cattle. Dairy bulls are notoriously nasty, being bottle raised they have no fear of people and are perfectly happy to kill you for no reason. Beef bulls are raised by the cow in the herd and rarely cause problems if you use basic common sense around cattle. Even bottle raised kittens and foals have issues, the mare has no problem whomping the little bugger when he bites or kicks, but the human foster raiser doesn’t have the heart and you get a cat that bites or a spoiled pony you can’t do a thing with. I think there is a lesson for human parents and teachers as well, without wise discipline our own kids will likewise grow up with issues that affect whole generations and our society at large. We are quickly becoming a society of rogue roosters, wow that’s more philosophical than this post was meant to contain!

Truer words may have never been spoken, though. That's why God invented grandparents, I think.

 

[KRack]

One thing I like about having a rooster is that he seems to prevent bullying between the hens and "mediates" disputes between them.

My roosters are also big boys, and I can tell that in the winter the hens like having a bigger body to cuddle up against. Monroe the rooster is currently helping keep 4 chickens warm on the roost by strategically being located in a corner.

This.

My rooster stands between our old girls and young girls, to prevent fighting. Even in the coop at roost time he’s between them, and it’s so much more peaceful. My flock does free range, and I like having fertilized eggs so my broody hens can hatch and raise their own.

I did have to get rid of 1 human aggressive roo (I have too many littles around to risk that behavior, but he was so great with his girls), and 1 roo that tried to kill all my hens that didn’t immediately submit to him. But finally landing on a sweet gentleman made all the struggles worth it.

 

[BonnieBlue]

I think it's a combination. I had a BJG chick chest-thumping me at two weeks. I thumped him back till he quit and he grew into a lovely boy. I was grieved to lose him to a coyote, defending his girls.


Truer words may have never been spoken, though. That's why God invented grandparents, I think.

Defending against a coyote is a badass rooster. If I free ranged, it would be a no brainer.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Defending against a coyote is a badass rooster. If I free ranged, it would be a no brainer.

It was badass of him, but it was foolish. The coyote got him and 4 of my BA hens. I admire him for it, but he would have done better to have herded them into safety.

 

[Mrs. K]

The best roosters are flock masters. They are a joy to the flock and yourself.

The best way to get a flock master is with a sharp knife. Don't keep a rotten one, the longer you do, the longer you wait for a flock master.

If you cannot cull, do not get roosters.

Mrs K

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Hey @BonnieBlue,
This thread was a great idea! It’s always wise to get advice and opinions on something that can go to either extreme!

I love my pretty boys, and think they are both amazing! However, it’s super important to be picky about your boys, because some roosters seem to just be meant for soup. I have had to weed out many a stupid boy in the past few years.


Protection
Pro:
Roosters are great protectors. Last year, my alpha fought a Perigrin falcon of of his favorite hen’s back, and she escaped by only losing an eye. He also got a squirrel out of my chick pen!
Con:
Because of roosters protective nature, sometimes he will decide that his girls need to be protected from YOU! I had to get rid of an Austrilorp boy who decided that my legs looked tasty, and my baby brother was a threat, and needed to be put in his place… it was pretty devastating the day he turned on me.


Roosters crow. ALL DAY. Whoever made that stereotype that they crow only at dawn was lying. They crow all day, and sometimes at night too.
Pro:
You feel like a real farmer! You can locate your flock every 2 minutes during free range, and you know your bockers are happy.
Con:
This can annoy your neighbors, (especially if you have more than one roo, and they are having a crow-off all day long).
Crowing can even annoy you when he decides to crow at 3:00 am.


Mating
Pro:
It makes great fertilized eggs. (This is especially helpful in the spring/summer when you can give your broody hens eggs instead of having to break them.)
My hens hatched a total of 34 chicks this year!
Con:
Roosters are especially active at dusk and dawn. This can be stressful on hens who are needing to lay early.
Mating can tear up your hens backs, (especially the favorites), and your girls will get muddy from the rainy days.
If your chickens are confined, he will even over-mate out of sheer boredom, and the girls don’t have anywhere to hide.


Integration and pecking order:
Pro:
If you have a good rooster he will make integration a much smaller headache. Roosters love adding more girls to their flocks, and make it much less stressful on the new pullets, as apposed to a female-only flock.
The pecking order is also a much smaller ordeal, because a rooster is dominate, it makes the whole alpha/hen dynamic thing totally different.
Con:
If your rooster is a bad egg, he can actually be the ringleader for picking on the new ones.
The rooster-rooster thing is also something to consider. If you have more than 1 rooster, they WILL fight. At some point. Especially springtime. Sometimes your hens can get caught in the crossfire.
Roosters will knock each other off of the girls backs, and this can tear your hens combs and feathers.

Overview:
Keeping a rooster can be a fun, rewarding experience, but there are many things to consider.
How many roosters will I have?
Am I ready for the extra expense of a non-productive bird?
Am I willing to take the risk of possibly getting a bad rooster? What will I do in that situation?
Am I clear with my neighbors on the topic of crowing?

If you are not free-ranging, and don’t plan on hatching chicks, I generally wouldn’t recommend keeping a rooster.

Thanks for the tag @urlocalcrazychickenlady

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

If there is a good thread, I hope someone will guide me, as I didn't find with a search.

I would like to hear from people the pros and cons of having a rooster. My dad had one with his girls, but they free ranged.

Mine don't/won't free range, primarily because of predators, not the least of which would be my weimaraner who has a strong prey drive. It would be a disaster for everyone. I have a nice sized covered run (16x60) and the chicken side of my coop is 88 sqft. I have two 2.5 year old hens, and six what I hope are all pullets who are 8 weeks old.

If one of this group, or a future group turns out to be a male, I want all the info I can get on pros and cons of having a rooster.

Have at it. Let me know the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Pros:
Guards the flock. My GLW scared away the wild cats and the aggressive hawk
Looks beautiful. Nothing like a rooster.
The hens feel more secure.
You get fert eggs - they sell for crazy amounts these days.
Less than 10% of roosters are aggressive - I have only had one agressive rooster in the roughly 40 I've had.

Cons:
Crowing. This is amaing for me but for most people they hate it.
Aggression. Unlikely put possible.
Ummm...I can;t think of any more. Oh yeah, you can't have them in town.