Pros & Cons of having a roo your input appreciated!!

[Ema]

OK so I have been told several times I should really add a roo to my flock. the ladies around here with chickens tell me its best because they will protect the hens and keep them in line. I want to hear from BYC members who have roos. tell me what you think, what are the pros and cons of having a roo? Is there a breed that is more laid back than others?

I have in all honesty been dancing around the idea of getting one, but I am just so not sure. If I do get one is it best to raise it from day old or get him already grown?

thanks in advance

 

[Cats Critters]

Pros:
Pretty
Possibility for chicks
protect your girls
find food for girls and call them offer

Cons:
can be mean
can hurt, harm hens well breeding
loud

And for you enjoyment:

 

[nuttyredhead]

Con --

Can be mean

Pro --

Will protect your girls
There is nothing like hearing him crow in the morning! Even my neighbor loves it!


I got my roo by mistake, there were all supposed to be girls. I toyed with the idea of getting rid of him. Then he got sick and cuddled in my arms like a baby. Not going anywhere now!

 

[Ema]

Quote:
Great pics!!!! totally love it. Ya see growing up with grams, she had a very mean roo, I really don't want a roo that will be vicious like he was, maybe I might have a better chance if I raise him from day old!!?

 

[Cats Critters]

Quote:
Great pics!!!! totally love it. Ya see growing up with grams, she had a very mean roo, I really don't want a roo that will be vicious like he was, maybe I might have a better chance if I raise him from day old!!?

That doesn't always work, I had two mean roosters who I raised from day olds. But the majority I raised from day olds are nice boys. Unfortunately out of the 6 boys I have currently I need to find homes for 4. But them being nice boys I feel a lot more guilty about it and a lot more worried about them being eaten.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

Pros:
Pretty
Breeding
Protection of the Flock
Keeps the hens 'in line'
Its nice to have a rooster around

Cons:
Noise (depends on where you live)
Can be mean

 

[SkyWarrior]

Pros:

Fertilized eggs (and chicks if you incubate them or have a broody).
Personality.
Pretty to look at.
Some protection of hens, especially if free range.
Some say they keep the hens in line. Mine is hen-pecked.

(One did save me from a bat, though.)
They can be eaten without a drop in egg production.

Cons:

They crow all hours of the day and sometimes at night.

Can be aggressive and snotty.
Hard on the hens -- some have actually made it difficult for them to lay.
Got to trim those spurs.
They will fight and injure each other. Can hurt the hens.

My thoughts? If you're not incubating eggs or breeding for chicks, don't bother. I have 3 adult roosters, 2 cockerels and 1 maybe roo. I'm culling the adult roosters to one. Once the cockerels are grown, they'll be my roos for the flock until I get more. I figure unless I really love the bird, roosters have about a year of life ahead of them before they meet the soup pot. It really comes down to economics. Roos are only value added if they can do something that makes me want to keep them. That means breed and protect the hens and produce viable offspring.

My current roo, Crooked Toes, mates with the hens, but they don't produce fertilized eggs. So, he's a dud anyway. But I wasn't planning on incubating his eggs. His days are pretty much numbered, but I have to decide which roo to bring to the girls.

 

[myminicooper]

I had a rooster (by mistake) for a few weeks so I'm sure not as knowledgeable as others but the things I noticed, before I had to rehome him:

Pros:
Mine was the sweetest of all the birds (I guess I was lucky)
Protective
Help find food
Fertile Eggs (I didn't want any)
Very pretty Birds

Cons:
Very loud
Ate all the hens food
Can be mean
Can be aggressive to the hens


I never really got the chance to see him grow into an adult and protect his girls or be a good man to them, and I'm not sure if he would have gotten more aggressive with age or not but if I didn't live in the city I would have loved to have kept him. He did start crowing almost all day, starting at 530am some mornings, which is the reason he had to go. I wouldn't have minded the crowing if I had a large property for him and the coop was farther from the house. I've also read someplace (maybe here) that turkeys will protect hens too, w/out the aggression but I'm not sure if that's true or not.

 

[Ema]

Quote:
Sheez all the things I do not want ahahahahaha, noise don't bother me just ask my yappy kind Sheppard st. Bernard who never ever stops barking, at birds, the wind, his own darn shadow!!!! I am not looking to breed on incubate maybe in the future I might change my mind but hardly doubt it. By the sounds of the tune most people are singing its just best if I don't bother with one, I really do not want my girls being beaten up or me I should say ahahaha. thank you everyone for the responses!!!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Everyone else has pretty much covered the pros and cons. I just want to add that I LOVE having roosters and I didn't think I would. My first two I raised from chickhood and I totally messed them up. I handled them a lot and babied them. Both of them turned out mean. The ones I left alone as chicks have grown into great roosters. You want them to be somewhat intimidated by you. YOU are the head rooster and they have to be respectful of that. My ameraucana and silkie boys are good as gold, but they are not lap chickens or even chickens that I acknowledge when I am out there. I focus on the hens and expect the boys to get out of my way. Every now and then I pick them up just to remind them that I can and that I am the boss of everything out there.

The plus for me (aside from the reproductive capabilities) is that roosters have a LOT Of personality. Mine all seem to have bigger, grander personalities than the girls. They are funny to watch and fun to listen to. A good rooster is very good to his girls. I love watching mine find something particularly tasty and get all excited about it. They make a very specific sound and all the girls come running to share in the treat. They are great at watching out while we are out free ranging. I worry about them less knowing that the rooster is ever vigilant. I love all the assorted calls and sounds that they make as they tell the girls to watch out, come here, go there and "oh mama, you laid an egg!". They are a blast to have in my coops and I thoroughly enjoy them!

(That being said, there is no reason to keep a mean rooster. If you do have a hateful one, get rid of it and start over. There are so many roosters available you are sure to find a nice one.)