reasons to keep a roo

[benjarmil]

My family is new to chickens and started our small flock a month or two ago with two buff orpingtons and an Easter Egger. We have been speculating on the EE's gender most of its life. This morning he finally crowed. To my disappointment he is a rooster.

My kids love him, my three year old has taken to him, calling him "his chicken". It would be sad to see him go.

I'm on the fence about breeding and with him being a different breed than the hens I'm skeptical that it would even be an option.
Apart from sentiment, Is there any reason to keep this bird?

 

[sumi]

Roosters are useful in more ways than just breeding. A good rooster will look after the hens, raise the alarm when there are predators and some will even fight them off to protect the hens. I've heard of a rooster killing a raccoon once and I've seen my own attack predators that were stalking the hens. A rooster with a nice temperament could also be a great pet for you and your children. My all-time favourite used let my son carry him around, pet him and mess with him endlessly. Not once in the 3 years I had him did he show any aggression to one of us.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The only unreal reason to have a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Others will come up with all kinds of rationalizations but that is all personal preference. Fertile eggs are the only real reason.

Why do you consider it maybe not an option to breed them? Chickens are not bigoted. A rooster will mate with any hen, regardless of race, color, pattern, breed, or anything else. As long as you are not breeding for show, to preserve a specific breed, or for some commercial reason like selling hatching eggs or chicks what difference does it make? Many of us really like our mixed breed mutts.

 

[Eggcessive]

I didn't want a rooster when I first was getting chickens, but I have had several since, and the only thing is I will not tolerate a mean one. We have two wonderful roosters now plus a banty fellow, and they are all well behaved to us and the hens and chicks. Each year when we breed we have to re-home the extra cockerels or allow friends to butcher them. I think it would be boring without them now, and our main guy had warned of many hawks in the area.

 

[benjarmil]

I didn't consider breeding not option, just unsure about wanting to. As this is our first adventure with chicken I'm not sure what the best approach to breeding would be.

My wife and Kids would be thrilled to have chicks again, I'm glad to hear that is still an option.
It is comforting to know that we can breed them despite the breed difference. Thank you!

 

[benjarmil]

Each year when we breed ...

Am I correct in assuming you are able control when they are breeding? How would you do this?

 

[sumi]

If your hens go broody you have a choice whether or not to let them hatch chicks. You can give them eggs to hatch or "break" their broodiness. Otherwise you can incubate eggs yourself in an incubator. Many people prefer to hatch eggs in Spring, when the weather's good, though you can do it all year if you want. If you have a rooster with your flock full time chances are most, if not all the eggs you get from the hens will be fertile. Roosters will mate with the hens every day, sometimes more than once. Unless the hen rejects the rooster's sperm, she will store it and lay fertile eggs for 2-3 weeks after a single mating.

 

[Eggcessive]

Am I correct in assuming you are able control when they are breeding? How would you do this?

Sorry, but I"m just now seeing your comment. Since we have roosters, they are breeding all the time, and most eggs are fertile which of course are no different than non-fertile ones to eat or sell. When we choose to hatch eggs, we just collect them from whichever hen. My two large fowl roosters are separated into two coops of hens and pullets, so we know who the daddy is.