Roo advice needed!

[Jsto]

I have always wanted a rooster. My little girls should be arriving next week and I had originally decided to not get a rooster, regardless of how much I wanted one, because I did not want to deal with fertilized eggs and the thought of eating them tends to freak me out. Well, my neighbor has the most gorgeous roo who often pops over and I guess you could say it's making me 'broody'

I know you can get your roos castrated, but have read that it basically completely changes their mannerisms. The attitude and personality of roosters is what I love best, so if castrating changes the bird, I wouldn't see the point. What are your views on this?

Aside from completely keeping the roo and hens seperate, are there any ways to discourage fertilization?

I so badly want a rooster, but I'm not sure I can deal with what comes with the package. I could sell or give away any chicks that happened to pop up over time and the idea of babies running around is appealing, but I fear I would be unable to get rid of them and end up overrun with chickens. (I have a hard time saying no to animals.)

Thanks for any guidance you can offer

 

[birdlover]

Roosters ARE very cool to have but they do denude the girls backs which is a negative (plus the actual act seems rather brutal to me). As far as the eggs go, they wouldn't necessarily be fertile. Just because he does his thing doesn't mean he's "hitting the mark". I read all the time about people who are frustrated because they aren't getting fertilized eggs from their hens and rooster. Plus, there would be no way of knowing because unfertilized eggs and fertilized eggs look and taste exactly the same. Maybe you could go to a hypnotist that could take away your aversion to fertile eggs! Sorry, I'm really grabbing at straws now! LOL Why not just enjoy your neighbor's roo?

 

[Jsto]

Thanks for the help

Yes, the aversion to eating fertilized eggs is totally a mind over matter thing for me, seeing as how logically I know there is no difference between a fresh fertilized egg and an unfertilized egg.

I think for now I may perhaps stick to just enjoying the neighbor's big guy, as you suggest! I'm secretly hoping he'll visit me even more when he can hear the 'hot chicks across the way' clucking about!

After I've had my girls for a while and am feeling less overwhelmed I may decide I can handle it. For now I'm just being impatient and feeling like I should give in to my want of a roo, which probably isn't the best idea.

 

[birdlover]

Oh, and, by the way, you may end up with a roo accidentally. When they sex chicks at the hatchery,it isn't 100% sure they'll all be girls!!

Mistakes happen frequently! Enjoy your chicks!!!

 

[GoPups]

You can get a rooster caponized. We did, and we loved him! You have to do it early, though, because it is expensive and risky by the time they're fully feathered. He was the coolest rooster we've had. Actually, we named him Mr. Cool. He was very docile, never mean to us or the hens, and he still crowed. He was a bit standoffish, but I think that had a lot more to do with his breed than the caponizing. He was a phoenix, and he had the most beautiful tail feathers!

 

[Hotwings]

First off roosters are cool but they can be Dr. Jykle for a few months and turn into Mr. Hyde the following. When they are cockerels they are pretty easy to manage, but once the sexual urge comes its another story. I have heard alot of bad things about caponizing and I personally wouldn't do it. We are talking about birds not cats and dogs, plus there isn't a whole lot of vets out there that are knowledgable about chickens. If you collect the eggs often you shouldn't have to worry about fertile eggs, or at that early age you won't see anything anyway(I don't think). Why don't you get a bantam rooster, not that he won't be mean but I think he might have a hard time fertilizing the eggs. Roosters are great but you need to understand them and their behavior. I hear some roosters are pretty manageable ie Silkies for one.

 

[Jsto]

Thanks. I've also heard bad things about caponizing which is why I wasn't too hip on the idea.

I think I've come to the conclusion that I will give myself a year or so with my new chicks (since I'm completely new to this) and just see where my head is at then. I know better than to follow into my impulses without thinking it through.

Who knows, I may end up with a little boy after all if the sexing goes awry

 

[Poison Ivy]

I have a delaware roo named Zaxby and he's the best. His temperment is great and he don't crow every few minutes like the bantam I had. The bantam use to attack me & my daughter every chance he got. I sold him after he bit my neice on the leg. But Zaxby is great and I collect the eggs everyday after I get home from work and place in the fridge. I have yet to crack open a surprise in my eggs.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i have a 12-week-old silkie roo who is really starting to feel his oats. He's been crowing in the morning for a week or so. Last couple of days his hormones have kicked into high gear. This former calm guy is now crowing very loud all day long, he was stomping and dragging his wing, grabbing the ladies on the back of the neck. He wasn't sure what to do after that, but his behavior was causing havoc in the pen, so i had to put him in the garage.

i tried bringing him out for a little while this afternoon. Even though he is two pens down from his silkie friends, just the sight of him sent them over the edge. They started running around, and fighting with each other, even though they had been calm and getting along just moments before.

i would think long and hard about adding a rooster. i'm sure they all have different temperments, but it really adds a whole different energy to your flock.

By the way, i ordered female silkie chicks from mypetchicken.com, and one of those ended up being the biggest rooster of all. He had to find a new home many weeks ago.

Where did you order your chicks from?

***After posting this i realized the last post was many months ago. Oops! i had been searching on options for my poor roo, like if castration would help him calm down.

 

[Jsto]

Quote:
Hi there

No matter if the post is old! I'm not sure about castration or anything, but I did inadvertently end up with a rooster...and I'm quite fond of the fella now. I ordered from mypetchicken as well and my female Golden Campine is now Captain Jack, the ladies man!

My rooster is now a big guy and has recently started mating with the girls. The only one who freaks out if he comes near is my little silkie, which is understandable because of the size difference. I'd run too!

His temperment is great, though. The only thing I have to look out for is him doing the mating dance around my pink wellies. Other than that, I can pick him up and give him a cuddle most days.

Since your roo is only 12 weeks he's probably just testing the waters, I'd say, which in turn is probably what's freaking out your girls. I'm assuming they're 12 weeks as well? Give it time, I'd say