Rooster question??

[Kwalz07]

Good morning everyone! I posted here earlier in the week questioning if my chicken was a hen or rooster and from the responses I got he is a rooster. He is 14 1/2 wks and a week ago is when he crowed for the first time. He then crowed for the next 4 mornings(my hubby heard him when he was up) but the past 2 mornings we have not heard him. Wondering if we are sleeping thru it? He's acting fine..eating..drinking and making all his other regular sounds and active.There are not any other roosters in our area. Should I be concerned?

 

[fried green eggs]

It doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about. Your rooster is young and just learning what his job is. I have several roosters and the young ones mimic the older ones. When one crows it will start them all - no matter what time of day it is.lol

 

[Kwalz07]

Ok phew!! Read some scary things online that had me nervous lol. This is our 1st flock and rooster..esp bc he was supposed to be a SHE. So naturally when it stopped I was wondering if those crows were a fluke lol. I know roosters get a bad rep but he's awesome so far..always so nice to anyone. Let's us pet him n pick him up and he wasn't overly aggressive to the new younger hens we brought in last week.

 

[roostersandhens]

Sometimes after a rooster firsts starts crowing they will stop and then re-start. My rooster Scribble started crowing then didn't crow for a week and now he crows again! (He is 4 months old)

 

[fried green eggs]

Congrats on the new hens. Keep a eye on your roo as he gets older if you have small children as some roosters get very protective of their flock. I had a RIR rooster that would go after my grand-daughter if, I wasn't there to let him know she was off limits. We kept him in the run if, she was visiting. He would run head on into the fence if she was close to it. He would slam into the fence so hard it would ring his bell and knock him down. Needless to say he made wonderful soup. I have a BR rooster that eats out of her hand and has always been a true gentleman.

 

[Kwalz07]

Wow thanks for the info guys!! Good tips! We have a 16 month old daughter and we are very cautious with her around him. You can see when she goes outside with us to feed n water them her energy puts him on alert but hasn't gone after her.Knowing he's still young that can change but hope he still remains ok with her

 

[donrae]

Oh please don't let your little girl around that rooster. Separated by a fence is fine, but even if you're right there with her, he's much quicker than you are and he can spur her before you'll be able to react. She's of the age where her little eyes and face are right at the level he'll hit when he flies up to spur. Just don't chance it, we've seen way too many here end badly with littles and roosters.

Since roosters are not as large as other livestock, folks forget they have just as much testosterone (in proportion to their size, of course) as a bull or a stallion or even a ram. They're intact male livestock and really don't make good pets. He's been fine so far because he's just now hitting puberty, but once those hormones start flowing he can do a complete 180. I know it's hard when you've raised a bird from a cute little chick, but please keep an open mind about his future at your home. You didn't plan to have a rooster, you don't really need a rooster, and if he's problematic with your child, you don't need to keep him.

 

[fried green eggs]

Oh please don't let your little girl around that rooster. Separated by a fence is fine, but even if you're right there with her, he's much quicker than you are and he can spur her before you'll be able to react. She's of the age where her little eyes and face are right at the level he'll hit when he flies up to spur. Just don't chance it, we've seen way too many here end badly with littles and roosters.

Since roosters are not as large as other livestock, folks forget they have just as much testosterone (in proportion to their size, of course) as a bull or a stallion or even a ram. They're intact male livestock and really don't make good pets. He's been fine so far because he's just now hitting puberty, but once those hormones start flowing he can do a complete 180. I know it's hard when you've raised a bird from a cute little chick, but please keep an open mind about his future at your home. You didn't plan to have a rooster, you don't really need a rooster, and if he's problematic with your child, you don't need to keep him.

X2 Your daughter is much too young to have anywhere near a rooster! Most hens are happier and lay better without a rooster bothering them.

 

[aart]

Oh please don't let your little girl around that rooster. Separated by a fence is fine, but even if you're right there with her, he's much quicker than you are and he can spur her before you'll be able to react. She's of the age where her little eyes and face are right at the level he'll hit when he flies up to spur. Just don't chance it, we've seen way too many here end badly with littles and roosters.

Since roosters are not as large as other livestock, folks forget they have just as much testosterone (in proportion to their size, of course) as a bull or a stallion or even a ram. They're intact male livestock and really don't make good pets. He's been fine so far because he's just now hitting puberty, but once those hormones start flowing he can do a complete 180. I know it's hard when you've raised a bird from a cute little chick, but please keep an open mind about his future at your home. You didn't plan to have a rooster, you don't really need a rooster, and if he's problematic with your child, you don't need to keep him.

X3

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I agree with the others on little ones around roosters. I have a rooster, and he acted quite fine and gentleman like around 1 1/2 and 3 year olds. We usually go outside after to lunch to let them out, and said little ones always stand by the run door and watch them run out. One day rooster jumped at 3 year old. I was thankfully quick enought to save 3 year old from any injuries, though I can't say the same of the rooster!!! The 3 year old is now very scared of chickens, where as she used to love them. I know keep rooster in the pen whenever little kids are around. It is not worth it. And, believe me, I was really hoping it would work out!