Rooster question

[awagnon]

Is it OK to keep a rooster separate from the hens and only introduce him when fertilized eggs are desired? If so should he be kept in a parallel run to the girls or keep them out of his sight so he's not frustrated he can't be in with them? I haven't done this yet and don't have a roo since I don't know if this is a good idea or not. I was just wondering if that would be cruel to the roo since chickens are pretty social critters.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I prefer keeping them with the flock. But at the very least if they can't be loose with them all the time, I would keep him in sight of them so that he can still see and communicate with them

 

[awagnon]

ok. I just was considering getting a roo down the road to replenish my flock once they get older but I don't want my eggs fertilized all the time and don't like to see hens with their back feathers missing from an over zealous roo who has free access to them.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I think it would be cruel. Chickens are flock animals and should not be alone.

 

[3KillerBs]

Why would you not want him with the flock at all times?

Fertile eggs can be eaten and used just like infertile ones.

 

[awagnon]

I think it would be cruel. Chickens are flock animals and should not be alone.

that's what I was thinking and why I asked opinions if that would be avoided by having parallel runs, next to each other, of course.

 

[Sussex19]

If you've got the room, it could work to have two roos, kept completely separate from the hens in a small bachler flock.
That way they keep each other company.
But don't let one see the other breeding the hens.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is it OK to keep a rooster separate from the hens and only introduce him when fertilized eggs are desired?

People do this all the time for different reasons. I'm not sure this is what you really want to do.

I just was considering getting a roo down the road to replenish my flock once they get older but I don't want my eggs fertilized all the time

I understand some people don't want fertile eggs for their own reasons. I don't know what your reasons are. They may be religious or based on your world view or they may be based on misconceptions. If you want to chat about those we can, but I respect your right to have your own opinions.

If you put a rooster with hens, the eggs will be fertilized for over two weeks, some likely over three. I don't know what you plan to do with all those fertilized or potentially fertilized eggs. You can't tell which are fertilized without opening them.

and don't like to see hens with their back feathers missing from an over zealous roo who has free access to them.

In real life this doesn't happen all the time, despite some of the stuff you read on this forum. It certainly can happen. Usually this bothers people a lot more than it does the chickens, but it is possible there could be bad consequences from this.

I just was considering getting a roo down the road to replenish my flock

If you hatch eggs you can get a lot of boys. What do you plan to do with those boys? You never know how many eggs will hatch to start with and you never know how many will be girls. It is usually not 50-50 when I hatch.

I understand the desire to hatch your own eggs but from what you said I think you'd be better off not getting a rooster and worrying about managing him. Life will be so much simpler and less stressful if you purchase sexed chicks and raise them when you are ready to replenish your flock. By the time you raise them they will be your girls.

Is it OK to keep a rooster separate from the hens and only introduce him when fertilized eggs are desired?

If I were to do something like this I'd put him in a pen next to the girls. He won't be able to interact with them like he would if he was with them. That's not just mating, finding them treats or keeping his flock peace by breaking up fights and such, the things a flock master is supposed to do. Especially if they have a shady spot you may find they spend a lot of time across that fence in close proximity. I'd consider that a better life for him than being totally all alone all the time. Or you can keep two or more roosters in a bachelor pen so they keep each other company.

 

[awagnon]

People do this all the time for different reasons. I'm not sure this is what you really want to do.


I understand some people don't want fertile eggs for their own reasons. I don't know what your reasons are. They may be religious or based on your world view or they may be based on misconceptions. If you want to chat about those we can, but I respect your right to have your own opinions.

If you put a rooster with hens, the eggs will be fertilized for over two weeks, some likely over three. I don't know what you plan to do with all those fertilized or potentially fertilized eggs. You can't tell which are fertilized without opening them.


In real life this doesn't happen all the time, despite some of the stuff you read on this forum. It certainly can happen. Usually this bothers people a lot more than it does the chickens, but it is possible there could be bad consequences from this.


If you hatch eggs you can get a lot of boys. What do you plan to do with those boys? You never know how many eggs will hatch to start with and you never know how many will be girls. It is usually not 50-50 when I hatch.

I understand the desire to hatch your own eggs but from what you said I think you'd be better off not getting a rooster and worrying about managing him. Life will be so much simpler and less stressful if you purchase sexed chicks and raise them when you are ready to replenish your flock. By the time you raise them they will be your girls.


If I were to do something like this I'd put him in a pen next to the girls. He won't be able to interact with them like he would if he was with them. That's not just mating, finding them treats or keeping his flock peace by breaking up fights and such, the things a flock master is supposed to do. Especially if they have a shady spot you may find they spend a lot of time across that fence in close proximity. I'd consider that a better life for him than being totally all alone all the time. Or you can keep two or more roosters in a bachelor pen so they keep each other company.

well I purchased 'sexed' chicks and STILL ended up with several roosters. They went to my sisters for her freezer.

I got eggs from her and when I cook them up they have a different texture than my unfertilized ones. She keeps a couple of roos in her large flock so the eggs are pretty much fertile on average. I know some will say I am imagining this, but I am not. I actually did a side by side BLIND test with 2 plates and asked my hubby what he thought before I even said anything to him. He said the SAME thing they had a different texture. He thought I was comparing the last of our store bought with ours. The eggs I got from her were about the same age as mine so it wasn't that. She didn't know our girls were laying yet when she brought them over from her afternoon gathering.

It was just a thought I had when I posted this and I was still weighing the pros and cons. I do know I will get a good amount of roos in the hatch so that was a con to it. Plus more $$ for separate run/coop, feed/water containers, and all the other supplies and equipment for another enclosure. I have pretty much talked myself out of it anyway. Plus if I change my mind on the breed I want, I would be stuck with what the roo and current hens were. Seems like more cons than pros for just every 4-7 years for fertile eggs, since I wouldn't be raising meat birds to sell. thanks for all y'all's input tho.

 

[Sussex19]

I got eggs from her and when I cook them up they have a different texture than my unfertilized ones. She keeps a couple of roos in her large flock so the eggs are pretty much fertile on average. I know some will say I am imagining this, but I am not. I actually did a side by side BLIND test with 2 plates and asked my hubby what he thought before I even said anything to him. He said the SAME thing they had a different texture. He thought I was comparing the last of our store bought with ours. The eggs I got from her were about the same age as mine so it wasn't that. She didn't know our girls were laying yet when she brought them over from her afternoon gathering.

Just a thought, are you sure that its not something that she feeds them, or some other factor?
I'm just asking because all our eggs are fertilized, and I've never noticed any difference.