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

[gryeyes]

I love my rooster(s). I shouldn't have so many, but I'm finding it hard to actually take the action to re-home the "extras." I wouldn't mind rehoming one of the Silver Sebrights, though...

My dominant rooster is a year old now, and is a good roo. He's kinda selfish, but he's a good protector and a gentleman with the hens. (Although his favorite hen does need a shawl / hen saddle for her back, because he loves her too much and too often.) He's just a BIG fella.

I have a bantam Buff Brahma rooster I think is the cutest little guy! Today I watched him keep a big crow at bay in the "back forty." Big empty pasture, nothing growing there right now... but Charlie didn't want the crow landing anywhere. He kept charging it. He was nowhere near any of the other free ranging chickens. But it's OUR yard!

I always want to have at least one rooster. I WILL get rid of mean roos. (Luckily, the Sebright brothers have mellowed out a lot, but I don't need TWO of them.)

 

[Prairie Orca]

First and foremost, it depends on the personality of the rooster.

In the couple months that I've had chickens, my lead cockerel has displayed the following traits:

Submissive to the hens
Calls the hens over when he finds food
Allows the hens to eat most of the food
Watches for predators (particularly the old terrier cross who likes to chase them)

The other cockerel is far more submissive, although he likes to sneak in between the other three heads to get some food.

A few times a day the two cockerels will bump chests and squabble a bit, but most of the time they get along fine.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
omg that third pic SOOOO funny! what a handsome boy just stepping out

lots of pros very few cons, I love my boys!

 

[yomama]

I never wanted a rooster, and kind of came upon mine in a moment of weakness. Neighbors were getting rid of some of their's and were taking them to auction. I had just been to the auction recently for my first, and last, time and felt really bad for the roosters. Unfortunately, my husband didn't really talk me out of it, so we ended up taking one of their roos. Because I have some bantams, I decided to get one of their smaller roos. I really got lucky with Rusty. Not only do I barely ever see him mate with the ladies, he is a very good flock protector. We had a hawk in the yard the other day. I didn't know it at the time, but could hear him making a huge fuss all the way up the driveway, about 100 yards away! When I realized he was making some serious noise, I went back to find a hawk going after one of my hens! Rusty was telling all his girls to take cover, and most were hiding. He is also very good at keeping the peace between everyone. He has even chased a mean broody hen away, when she was attacking me! He is very shy, no aggression towards me at all. I got him at one year old, so I didn't raise him from a chick. I did recieve a roo on accident, when I was supposed to get a pullet, in a chick order back in March. I raised this guy from 2 days old. He was the sweetest, most curious chick. When he hit about 4 months old, he turned nasty!!! - hormones kicked in. Attacked us, and tried mating everything, even my duck. Eeeeeew. We rehomed him, no tolerance for aggression. I would say that if Rusty turned aggressive, or was really hard on the girls, I most likely wouldn't keep him. Like most of the other posters have said, there are very many different pros and cons. Depends on what you want and what you are willing to tolerate. I have a problem seeing roos being too aggressive with their hens, or over mating them, so I am really glad Rusty isn't that way. It's funny, because before I got him, the neighbors roos crowing all the time, drove me insane! After having Rusty, it took me a little while, but now it is no big deal. I will say that if you are able to go through all the proper procedures (quarantine etc) you might want to consider going with an adult. You would know what the personality is like, plus once they get past a certain age, they don't always feel the need to share the love, if you will, with the ladies as much, as when they are coming into their sexual maturity. That's just my opinion though. I'm sure many people have older roos that mate their hens alot. Their are many people that have been fortunate to hatch out and raise really nice roos.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Here is our Silkie Rooster who looks like an alien:

He is a lovely pet. He has a very soothing little song for me when he asks for a quiet lap time on the porch swing. He takes good care of our hens and chickies. He settles each lady down to lay her egg. He disperses the hens from squabbles. He lovingly doles out the treats after first checking to see if they appear edible enough for his beloved brood of hens and chickies. He puts on his best "turkey" performance for a good laugh from the kids. He is funny every morning when he hops out of the coop all spunky and chasing everything in site with a great impression of a dragon. THIS rooster has a lovely, baritone crow, but he doesn't do it very often, so its a treat when he does. He is striking, beautiful, with fluffy pants and a beetle-green/blue tail that curves up and over his backside; he is almost shockingly beautiful to see in person.

I guess Roosters are very good for aesthetic quality of life. He adds interest to the painting. His is the love, the life, the carpe' diem. All that color, all that noise, all that love and his jubilant crowing for the sun (or whatever noise he answers - the ambulance, the neighbor kids screaming, whiny brakes on the busy street, etc). There's nothing else on earth like a rooster. Except another rooster. Each one is totally their own.

 

[SkyWarrior]

6chickens in St. Charles :

Here is our Silkie Rooster who looks like an alien:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/25976_moms_phone_6-21-09_129.jpg

He is a lovely pet. He has a very soothing little song for me when he asks for a quiet lap time on the porch swing. He takes good care of our hens and chickies. He settles each lady down to lay her egg. He disperses the hens from squabbles. He lovingly doles out the treats after first checking to see if they appear edible enough for his beloved brood of hens and chickies. He puts on his best "turkey" performance for a good laugh from the kids. He is funny every morning when he hops out of the coop all spunky and chasing everything in site with a great impression of a dragon. THIS rooster has a lovely, baritone crow, but he doesn't do it very often, so its a treat when he does. He is striking, beautiful, with fluffy pants and a beetle-green/blue tail that curves up and over his backside; he is almost shockingly beautiful to see in person.

I guess Roosters are very good for aesthetic quality of life. He adds interest to the painting. His is the love, the life, the carpe' diem. All that color, all that noise, all that love and his jubilant crowing for the sun (or whatever noise he answers - the ambulance, the neighbor kids screaming, whiny brakes on the busy street, etc). There's nothing else on earth like a rooster. Except another rooster. Each one is totally their own.

This is just another example of why Silkies aren't chickens -- they're space aliens!!

 

[Bantimna]

Quote:
This is just another example of why Silkies aren't chickens -- they're space aliens!!

Cute little space aliens!

 

[booker81]

6chickens in St. Charles :

Here is our Silkie Rooster who looks like an alien:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/25976_moms_phone_6-21-09_129.jpg

.

The first thing I saw (mind you it's 5:30am) is "OMG that chicken has earrings!).

I got a straight run of chicks from TSC in April, expecting some to be roos, and some to be hens, ended up with 5 roos out of 12 total. I figured I'd let them choose who went to freezer camp, based on their personality and actions.

The bad ones - anything that did the evil eye and drop wing to my daughter, or even thought about chasing her. No one ever got to attacking her, because I didn't let them take that next step. She loves the chickens, and I'm not going to let a bad one change that. I crated them after they "failed", and they went to camp the next day.

Also bad - I didn't want to deal with hen abuse. Had a nice big SLW boy, and he decided the Light Brahma hen was the coolest girl. The hen didn't get to point of rawness, just started looking pretty unhappy - both in looks and personality. He went to camp.

We are now to two roosters - one is the head guy, a gorgeous RIR. He's 6 months old, and acts very nicely - he stays away from humans - and my daughter - treats the hens well, does the food call, danger call, and stays on alert when they range.

The second is "Buddy" - an, ummm, special needs roo

He's got some sort of deformity thing going on - curled toes, hunchback, just weird looking. He also tries to find the girls things, keeps an eye out, leaves us alone, but he is definately not top dog. The RIR tolerates him, but will occasionally chase him to make him remember his spot.

So, two roosters, 12 hens (I bought more), but no fighting, no bare backs, and everyone is really happy and perky. It wouldn't be the same without Big Red and Buddy.

 

[Sjisty]

Everybody has pretty much gone over the pros and cons. I love my roos. I have two grown and six teenaged roos. The boys are so comical to watch! Like everybody says, my alpha roo, Rocky, protects his girls and finds them the juiciest treats. Of course, he also drives some of the girls away from the treats - he has his favorite harem. I love hearing them crow and watching them strut around. I haven't had any mean roos, although I have Brahmas and they are pretty laid back and calm. I vote yes for roos!

Rocky

Junior

Mel

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I had a bad experience w/ my BO roo. He turned out to be a rough roo. The girls looked horrible --almost like a molt--broken wing feathers, bald heads/necks, missing back feathers.. It wasn't enjoyable hearing them 'scream/squawk' every two minutes.. He had 12 girls but he really "LOVED" four.. He then started to attack our 2yr old grandson, while he was playing in another part of the yard--nowhere near the roo, coop or the girls!! After the third time, I was ready for him to go.. Then I saw him grab a pullet by her neck and flip her over-backwards.. I removed her and she died later that day.. He was given away --to someone who knew all the problems.. He now has 60+ girls, lives in a huge barn w/ horses, goats and donkeys--no kids!