Rooster or No Rooster?

[GirlsHuntToo]

Roosters are great protectors and if you want fertile eggs they are necessary.
I recommend getting them with the hens - grow up as chicks together. Then you don't have to worry about hens not excepting the rooster and the rooster not excepting the hens.

 

[SamLockwood]

How do you raise it right? That 7 month old rooster is chasing the hens...some won't leave the coop. He is good with us, the cats, and the dog. Keeps mating with the old birds....just letting him have limited time with the girls...I'm hoping that is a good thing. Like a hormonal teenager....mates and then settles down.

That was a problem for me for a bit, although at earlier ages (starting at about 5 months). I didn't so much train them as the flock trained them out of it.

In my case I had a somewhat large mixed flock of 30+ chickens and guinea fowl that was 8 months old or older before I got the roosters as day-olds.

I'd say the worst problems were around 4 to 5 months: that was the worst chasing and tackling behavior, but even then the relatively mature hens usually wouldn't put up with it. I saw more of angry hens pecking the crap out of roosters than the other way around.

The hens figured out if they were getting pursued they could run into a group of guineas and the male guinea would check the rooster in his tracks. As the roosters established their own pecking order they tend to police each other.

The boys are now 8 months old and while there's still some of that chasing behavior (I think it's actually somewhat normal for them) it's largely absent.

I have found having a water gun or a hose with a "trigger action" a stream of cold water tends to check any aggression without having to risk getting pecked or spurred. As long as the weather is above freezing you're not going to hurt them. When I integrated the young birds into the flock last fall I used that method on a couple hens that tried to take things too far. I only had to use the hose a couple of times, as chickens HATE getting wet.

 

[Momma-Hen-Misti]

I can't have a rooster where I live. I do have a Great Pyrenees that has turned into an incredible protector of our backyard!

 

[Bigbluefrog]

That was a problem for me for a bit, although at earlier ages (starting at about 5 months). I didn't so much train them as the flock trained them out of it.

In my case I had a somewhat large mixed flock of 30+ chickens and guinea fowl that was 8 months old or older before I got the roosters as day-olds.

I'd say the worst problems were around 4 to 5 months: that was the worst chasing and tackling behavior, but even then the relatively mature hens usually wouldn't put up with it. I saw more of angry hens pecking the crap out of roosters than the other way around.

The hens figured out if they were getting pursued they could run into a group of guineas and the male guinea would check the rooster in his tracks. As the roosters established their own pecking order they tend to police each other.

The boys are now 8 months old and while there's still some of that chasing behavior (I think it's actually somewhat normal for them) it's largely absent.

I have found having a water gun or a hose with a "trigger action" a stream of cold water tends to check any aggression without having to risk getting pecked or spurred. As long as the weather is above freezing you're not going to hurt them. When I integrated the young birds into the flock last fall I used that method on a couple hens that tried to take things too far. I only had to use the hose a couple of times, as chickens HATE getting wet.

Getting cold here, I was thinking of culling him but really want to give him a chance. He caused one of my hens to bleed when mating with her. The comb is bruised and bleeding. I put blue coat on but that just left a dark spot.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Getting cold here, I was thinking of culling him but really want to give him a chance. He caused one of my hens to bleed when mating with her. The comb is bruised and bleeding. I put blue coat on but that just left a dark spot.

Also love the idea of a squirt gun... could try in Spring or I could give him away.

 

[0die]

I'm kinda thinking getting a baby rooster.

I have all hens, backyard in the city. Not "supposed" to have a roo but they are in the city. My neighbor has a rooster, well it sounds like one. I DON'T need fertile eggs. But a good protector might be in order.

I have baby chics...one week old at this point. The local feed store does have baby roosters. I could add one to the brooder and see how it goes?

 

[LaFleche]

I'm kinda thinking getting a baby rooster.

I have all hens, backyard in the city. Not "supposed" to have a roo but they are in the city. My neighbor has a rooster, well it sounds like one. I DON'T need fertile eggs. But a good protector might be in order.

I have baby chics...one week old at this point. The local feed store does have baby roosters. I could add one to the brooder and see how it goes?

If you are not allowed to have one in your area it would be smarter to abstain from getting one.

Just imagine you would not be able to free range and would have to have him hidden and silenced all the time. Which would be no life for the poor bird and only add unnecessary stress to your relationship with beighbours etc.

 

[Mrs. K]

Raising a cockerel with flockmates generally backfires. The cockerel gets bigger and becomes sexually active long before the pullets. Without older hen to keep them in line they often become very aggressive to pullets and to people. Inexperienced people vastly underestimate the violence and aggression of a rooster,

People who are animal lovers often have misconceptions about chickens. Being raised together has almost no influence on adult behavior. Another is friendly chicks that readily approach you are loving being with you, That is not true, they have no fear which can make them aggressive.

As AArt, a respected poster here says, “roosters are where the romance of raising chickens meets reality.” Often it is not pretty.

Right now it is hard to imagine how big your birds will be. What is enough room for chicks rapidly becomes not enough room for full size birds. Flocks with roosters need more room than recommended.

Best advice is to raise the pullets, get some experience and then raise up a couple of cockerels and cull to the best one. If you cannot cull a rotten rooster, do not get roosters. There are a lot of rotten roosters no matter how you raise them.

Mrs K

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Raising a cockerel with flockmates generally backfires. The cockerel gets bigger and becomes sexually active long before the pullets. Without older hen to keep them in line they often become very aggressive to pullets and to people. Inexperienced people vastly underestimate the violence and aggression of a rooster,

People who are animal lovers often have misconceptions about chickens. Being raised together has almost no influence on adult behavior. Another is friendly chicks that readily approach you are loving being with you, That is not true, they have no fear which can make them aggressive.

As AArt, a respected poster here says, “roosters are where the romance of raising chickens meets reality.” Often it is not pretty.

Right now it is hard to imagine how big your birds will be. What is enough room for chicks rapidly becomes not enough room for full size birds. Flocks with roosters need more room than recommended.

Best advice is to raise the pullets, get some experience and then raise up a couple of cockerels and cull to the best one. If you cannot cull a rotten rooster, do not get roosters. There are a lot of rotten roosters no matter how you raise them.

Mrs K

Excellent points. I am on my 2nd rooster. We have to cull him for being aggressive with the hens. He is tearing their combs and making them bleed. He is okay with us though. I have separated him. Time outs and then re introduced to the hens. He mounts the older hens. Terrorizes them that they refuse to leave the roost.
My last rooster was attacking people. I gave him 4 chances. And then I was done.
This one is flight risk. Chases the hens mounts then proceeds to tear the combs to bleeding.

Having a nice rooster that is good with the hens and people is the goal.
Our first rooster would grab the neck feathers and several had bare backs. He was good with the ladies. Did the rooster dance waited til they squatted.
This new roo has had 10 chances.
I am done. He is seperated for now. Rehoming- ? Probably just a bad egg. He is pretty though

 

[McChooky]

I had an earlier flock without a rooster, then add some chickens and a rooster, Under both circumstances my flock did fine and produced eggs. I lost my flock to some wild dogs and have rebuilt my flock from new chicks, I'm trying to decide if I should get a rooster or not. My new chickens are now 15 weeks old. Your thoughts please.

My hen only flock was easier to manage but I wanted chicks so I raised 2 of them
in my hen only flock until my young pullets were laying.Cockerels aren't kind to the girls