Rooster Reserve Corps

[FortCluck]

Roosters start crowing around 12 weeks. The roosters won't even be big enough or experienced enough to defend your flock. I get what you're trying to do but get a Great Pyrenees, they're a good guardian breed. Look for a chicken swap in your area they usually have guardian dogs for flocks. You can get a lot of different ideas from chicken breeders too plus learn about guardian dogs that they use.

 

[aart]

Predators are a fact of life for free range chickens.

Just like culling males is part of hatching.
I prefer to get some meat and stock out of them.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

The problem with your plan is you assume that the roosters would die, but in the process scare away whatever predator is trying to kill your hens. Most likely, the predator wouldn't stop just because a rooster sacrificed himself trying to fight it. Your hens would be just as bad off, rooster or no rooster.
Also, you assume every game rooster would be willing to try and fend off a coyote... The truth is, most of them wouldn't stand up to something like that. Yes, even game roosters.

 

[ShannonR]

Do whatever you want, sacrifice your extra roosters or get a guard dog or whatever. I get the feeling I would be arguing with a brick wall to say much else. If your mind is made up, fine, but Don't then go asking for other people's opinions.

P.S. San Jose is not a suburban area. That's as urban as it gets, lol

 

[Wilrausure]

I already have laying hens that lay more eggs than I can use. My goal now is to try to keep as many of them alive as possible!

I think a lot of people are misunderstanding me... I KNOW THAT regular barnyard roosters can be hit or miss. That's why my plan is to go for the "gamest" breed I can find, so they'll fight any bad guy that bothers a hen, even if it's much bigger than he is.

I live on an acre and had 55 chickens. When I came down with cancer I had 11 rooster all in with their own flock and area to roam with in a fenced setting or they would have killed each other. I had one rooster who was HUGE was still killed bye a red tail hawk along all the other ruooster). I have driven in rebar along the fence line to keep the coyotes out and built what I call a play pens for the remaining chickens and roosters I have inherited. This pen is a 10' W x 10' L x 6' H 1 1/2 PVC and strung wire along the top using screws as guides of the pen so rain, snow can get through without collapsing the roof I have no more predator issues from the ground or the air. My neighbors who runs a chicken business has adapted my method to her farm and has not lost one bird to eagles, hawks or coyotes. They like their area and have their own ladies and I do not have to play guard dog or go out and find one dead.

 

[SarahGfa]

Roosters start crowing around 12 weeks. The roosters won't even be big enough or experienced enough to defend your flock. I get what you're trying to do but get a Great Pyrenees, they're a good guardian breed. Look for a chicken swap in your area they usually have guardian dogs for flocks. You can get a lot of different ideas from chicken breeders too plus learn about guardian dogs that they use.

I tried to do some research on the guardian breeds, but it looks like anything big enough to tackle a coyote needs a lot of space to roam. Would a Pryenees be happy on only half an acre? A dog is a big commitment, and if things don't work out I can't just cull him and turn him into stew.

None of the chicken keepers I know in this area use livestock dogs, that I know of. But everyone I know has had predator loss at some point, except for the people who use covered runs (but that defeats the purpose of trying to have free range chickens).

 

[SarahGfa]

Just like culling males is part of hatching.
I prefer to get some meat and stock out of them.

I understand that, and I can cull and dispatch if I have to. I just thought it would be a better life for a rooster to have a shot at leading his own flock, even if he has to wait his turn. I did not realize that would be so controversial :-(

 

[SarahGfa]

The problem with your plan is you assume that the roosters would die, but in the process scare away whatever predator is trying to kill your hens. Most likely, the predator wouldn't stop just because a rooster sacrificed himself trying to fight it. Your hens would be just as bad off, rooster or no rooster.
Also, you assume every game rooster would be willing to try and fend off a coyote... The truth is, most of them wouldn't stand up to something like that. Yes, even game roosters.

Okay, thank you this is the kind of feedback I am looking for. If getting spurred in the face is not enough to make a coyote back off, then my plan is not going to work.

ETA: I thought that the flogging would at least make the coyote think twice, and seek an easier meal, the next time it gets hungry.

 

[aart]

I have never had a dog before

Then probably best to stick with your 'rooster crew'.

 

[slordaz]

I love my old roo, even though when he molts I wanna feed him Midol. he's 5 going on 6 years old and still producing gorgeous chicks and a good flock protector and people friendly, he's getting older though and starting to think of a replacement one but he is here until he's no longer as my girls would accept another one for mating but would probably die of sadness he's been with therm so long and so good to them too.