Roos....worth the trouble?

[farmerlor]

I think to lower my operating costs I'd like to breed my chickies but I haven't had such great luck with roos in the past. They always seem to get aggressive and scare the kids and then there's the girlie chickens always looking half plucked. So I'm wondering is there a way to mitigate those problems so that I can breed or should I just keep ordering chicks and forget it?

 

[Mahonri]

Make a "roo pen". Leave him with the hens for a month. Get the eggs you want to try and hatch the last week and then pen him up again. When you want to incubate again. Let him out for a month.

 

[JennsPeeps]

why not order fertile eggs and let a broody hatch them?

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I think you should get a roo. I LOVE mine. As long as you have enough hens he shouldn't over-mate them and an agressive rooster can be gotten rid of (I have had to). I even have less hens than is recommended and mine NEVER have bare spots!!!

 

[farmerlor]

I've got 17 girlies, think that would keep him busy? I think part of the problem is that my roos thus far have all been "rare and exotic" extras from mcmurray. Perhaps if I go with a nice EE or Orp life would be easier. But I think if he does start hurting the girlies I'll take the other suggestion and keep him apart.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

17 is plenty of girls to keep him busy.

The recommended number is 10. Mine is a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte and he is just great with his ladies.

Good luck.

 

[lleighmay]

Mine is a Silver Laced Wyandotte who arrived accidentally with my pullets. I didn't want a rooster but I'm glad I've got him. He's got 11 girls and he's great with all of them- nobody's been beaten up or de-feathered. He's got a great disposition and I've never had any problems out of him (he's actually kind of a dork). Besides- he's beautiful! A friend from work has a brown Leghorn roo he says is horrible- he's aggressive, neurotic, and, even with 15 hens he drags them out of the nest boxes by their heads and batters them around (not too long out of the soup pot he says).

 

[silkiechicken]

Just keep it to one roo, and one roo who is a nice roo. Sometimes you have to let them get past their hyperactive teen months too. But if it's mean, out it goes. Pick the best from the group and they will be a protector of the flock. Not all are mean, really. From my expereince though, EE's weren't so good... however, could be just the source the feed store gets them from.

Just make sure you have plenty of girls per roo, 17 is good, and that they have a good amount of space to keep away if need be. A gentleman roo won't beat up your girls, although a few favorites may get a bit thin on the back if the roo you choose is large, ie more than 10 lbs or so.

 

[nightshade]

I love roos they make the most beautiful lawn ornaments. I currently have I think 17 of all different breeds. I let my roos free range and my laying hens are in a coop and pen. If I want to breed I catch the roo I want and toss him in the pen. Other wise I keep them out for the most part. Right now they are coming and going as the please out the coop door when I feed. Not really an issue since I am not hatching eggs this time of year. And never ever keep a mean roo they are only good for stew pots not as breeders or pets.

 

[onthespot]

you could post that you are looking for a "nice" roo in your area. There are a lot of people with "nice roos" that they just don't need or can't use and would LOVE to place in such a nice home as yours, rather than cull/sell.