Rooster Behaviors

[congdon476]

OK-

You all have done it to me again! I keep reading how many people keep a rooster around and I am wondering if maybe I should too. My biggest concern (as is everyone's) how much does the average rooster crow? Some books say at sunrise/set and when "danger" appears on the horizon. I would think that almost anything would scare a chicken... wind blowing a tumbleweed past the coop, a piece of scrap paper in the wind. Or are they smarter than that? Do they make the hens less friendly (less dependent upon you)? We're considering the 4-H route for showing and I would think that would eventually entail hatching and raising pullets for hens to breed with a rooster to get a better bird. What are your personal experiences with having a rooster around the coop? Thanks!

 

[Teach97]

love my roosters...they don't crow all that much but then again I want the babies...know folks with real tame roosters

 

[Farm Frenzy]

I love my rooster!!! He lets the hens know when there is danger, and he alerts everyone when I'm coming to feed. As soon as he hears my car, he starts crowing, and the girls get so excited they start dropping eggs for me. God I love it... Plus, I like having the option of either eating or incubating my eggs.

 

[katrinag]

Just like people some roos are more annoying then others. The 5 roos I have a pretty good, they crow in the morning and then only when they are yelling so to speak at the hens when it is time to go to bed.

 

[CovenantCreek]

How much they crow depends on how their level of dominance -- including with you. My roo used to crow a LOT, especially when my daughter and I were outside. However, since I refuse to let him get the better of me when he'd try to run me off, he no longer crows so much when I'm around. If you can get the Dec/Jan edition of Backyard Poultry magazine, it has a great article on what makes roosters crow.

 

[congdon476]

Quote:
I'll look into that- thanks!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

as a newbie i was really surprised to find my demon-rooster, Fred, crows a lot.. and not just in the morning. mostly he is staking his claim, or he alerts if someone/something is entering his domain. but i wouldnt give him (or the other couple roosters) up. he does a great job of taking care of the hens.

oncemy gander grabbed an older hen and was likely to kill her - before i got there Fred was already on the job. he flew at the gander with all his might in full attack mode.

Fred and i have an uneasy peace.. but he's worth having around.

 

[jforsness]

I'd have a rooster if they were allowed!

 

[gritsar]

Love love LOVE my rooster. He's crowing right now after being mostly silent yesterday. Probably a few of my more airheaded hens have wandered off from his watchful eye. I don't find the crowing annoying cuz I'm used to it.

 

[SterlingAcres]

I love my roosters. They start crowing at 3am.

It's not bad when they're in the barn and it's muffled, but when they're outside.... it's LOUD. Like makes your body rumble loud.

It's awesome.