Rooster help!

[elisenhchicky23]

Hi,

This is our first year with chickens. We've had them since April and suspected that one of our "girls" was actually a rooster. In the last few weeks it is apparent he is in fact a rooster- much bigger than the others, large red comb, and now he is cock a doodle dooing. Our chickens are about 16 weeks old. The Roo is a barred rock. We have barred rocks, rhode island reds, and easter eggers. We did a lot of research and then have been super busy and are overwhelmed with having a rooster and what we should do. Does anyone have advice or can share some links to articles I should read to make some decisions? We really only got chickens for the eggs and to start homesteading. So far everything has been great but I have no idea what to do about this rooster. At present, he is not mean to us, but we have kids and it is a concern. He is protective, one day we came home and there was a hawk in our front yard and the rooster was keeping watch up on a rock with all the girls behind him hidden in a bush. Helpppp.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

To be honest, if the cockerel is overwhelming, then re-homing him would be a good option.
List him on social media, craigslist and even on the rehoming thread here on BYC.

Another option would be processing him for food.

I know some may say keep him, that's up to you, but hens do perfectly fine without roosters.
You may decide later on that having a rooster is for you once you are more comfortable keeping hens and getting your homestead set up.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What are your goals with chickens and how does having a male fit in with those goals? The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Anything else is personal preference. Nothing wrong with personal preferences, I have a few of those myself, but that is a want, not a need.

I typically suggest you keep as few boys as you can and still met your goals. That's not because you are guaranteed problems with boys but the more you have the more likely you are to having a problem. I don't know if the right answer for you is 0 or 1.

It is possible things will be absolutely great if you keep him. He could turn out to be pretty rough on the girls. Typically those kinds of problems are when he is an immature cockerel and they are immature pullets, usually those things sort themselves out when they mature. Typically but they don't always. He could become human aggressive, especially toward your kids, but often they don't. But it is a risk and a kid's eyes are at a vulnerable level.

Your goals are what counts, not mine. But I do suggest you keep as few boys as you can and meet those goals.