Roosters Pros and Cons

[emma p]

Pros: Can help protect your flock. Can be very sweet if handled correctly. CROW!
Cons: If you do not handle them right then they can become aggressive.

Over all I love them!

 

[chicken110]

What breed is he?

 

[CountryGeorge]

I have an EE rooster that was one of the 'bought as a pullet' types of critters. He was really mellow and used to hop on my knee to eat from my hand while I was sitting on a milk crate and treating the girls to scratch. He had a son that we incubated and that was when he started to change. As his son grew older and started to show interest in the hens the old guy got super protective, even to the extent of spurring me a couple of times if he didn't like what I was doing with the girls. I had to get rid of the son for he was not good to the hens and since that time the original roo seems to have calmed down and now tries to avoid conflict with me instead of attacking the second I entered the run. I don't want to fight with him and want to keep him so I have not tried our old hop on the knee to eat trick, if he stays calm maybe I'll try it again sometime. They sure are different from hens!

 

[SharkmanDan]

Well, we too, are new at this and learning. My wife thinks I'm being lazy, and to a degree, I am. BUT, I try to spend a goodly amount of time, every week, just observing our birds. I'm learning a lot, about their behavior and habits, and how to handle them, and get them in the coop, WHEN I WANT THEM IN THE COOP.
We have 14 layers, 2 cockerels, and 3 pullets, nearing their maturity level, where they should start laying soon (though, they are novelty birds, and not intended for either breeding, or egg production. 2--White crested Black Polish, and a Black Frizzle. Plus-3 more younger Polish pullets, growing out. They are simply because my wife wants "interesting" looking birds, in our flock). We also have 9 turkeys, and 8 (mature enough to free range) guineas, plus 65 more chicks (15 of which, were bought as 'straight run), and 10 keets, currently growing out. We have a very eclectic flock, as we are looking for a good amount of jumbo eggs, for us, and then plenty of other, medium to XL, eggs, for sharing/selling. The plan is to build two large pens, one for the Narragansetts and one for the chickens.
As one might expect, one of our roosters, is the Alpha, (<1 year old Black Australorp) the other (7 month old Rose Comb RIR) WANTS to be an Alpha, but knows he came into another man's castle. He tries to get busy with the girls, when he thinks he might get away with it, but, usually, he gets caught. And the Australorp, runs him off. So, we are hoping as some of these chicks grow out! we can build a separate coop! and run, for Red and his girls.
Anyway, enough with my limited background. I am in favor of the Rooster, for the sake of the safety of the hens, AND the fact, that if my Alpha rooster doesn't pay close attention, his girls will stray, then he calls them home. He generally knows where each one is located, and what she's doing, because he's as watchful over them, towards the Red Roo, as a good father would be, over his 17 year old daughter. He helps get them penned up at night, and is a ton of help, keeping the flock from scattering, much. I say get that rooster, and consider a few more hens, because, he WILL wear those girls out, on a daily basis. That ten to one ratio, sounds about right. My rooster, is "in the mood", at least 3-4 times an hour, during daylight. And even with 14 girls, he could handle another 14, pretty easily.

 

[gimmie birdies]

if a roo gets close to me I pic him up. He knows the only reason to come near me is to be picked up. if he doesn't want to be picked up he stays away. when he does get picked up he gets cuddled. which he likes.

 

[OnceInALifeTime]

I have 71 chickens (not including chicks) and i
Must say ive never had an aggressive rooster. I currently have a SLW, an EE, two Brahma, a cochin, a silkie and a game rooster and they all take care of my hens and let me know if anything i happening that shouldn't be. My roosters dont fight and there very very sweet.

 

[gimmie birdies]

if raised together they can be good pals too.

 

[birdlady79]

After reading some more, I have 1 more question... My hens, well 3 of them are pets... They eat out of my hands and all that fun stuff... With a rooster, say an aggressive rooster, can you still feed the hens out if your hands? I've read on here where a rooster will attack during feeding.. What do you do? How do you put the food down?

 

[PrairieChickens]

Roosters are a lot like people. Some are sweet and friendly, some are standoffish and shy, and some are horrible brutes you shouldn't turn your back on. I would estimate that I have about 50-70 roosters right now, ranging in age from teeny tiny chicks to a 2 1/2 year old fella, and none of my boys are people-aggressive. When we first started keeping chickens, we ended up with a surprise roo that we called Milton, and he was a horrible creature. The next year, we ended up with Elvis, who was just as bad if not worse. Since we removed them from the flock, we have had only one other problem roo, and he shaped up after a stern talking-to (he rushed me, and I pinned him to the ground. No more problem) So while our initial impression was that roosters are more likely to be more trouble than they're worth, we've since learned that the majority of roosters are pretty mellow guys who are perfectly happy to share their world with people.

If you're not interested in breeding, a rooster serves two main purposes: To look pretty and to take care of his girls. Not all roosters will perform the latter equally well, and a rooster who is people aggressive won't necessarily defend his girls from real danger. Milton, the savage spurrer that he was, would flee at the first sign of a real threat, and we lost half of our flock the first year to predators he ran away from. Elvis was even worse at his job. Meanwhile, our Easter Egger rooster Gryffindor has never so much as given us a dirty look, yet I've personally witnessed him stepping up to defend his girls from any perceived danger--even a black hawk helicopter! His one weakness: Cats. They scare the doodoo out of him. Good thing they don't have any interest in eating the chickens! lol

The crowing can be a plus or a minus depending on your feelings towards the sound. I for one find it a comforting sound, and far more pleasant than a barking dog or loud motorcycle going down the street. Others don't care for it. It's a matter of personal preference.

One big minus would be when roosters mate, they can pull feathers out of a hen's back and the back of her head/neck. It makes the hens look scruffy, and could even result in an injury if it's not managed. You can buy lovely little chicken saddles to protect their feathers, though, so if you don't have a huge flock, that is an option.

 

[Devon07]

Well, im not real sure to be honest. When I got him I was getting the BA/RIR mix....at the last minute while trying to catch my last pullet the rooster came up and they caught him and asked if I wanted him....I liked him and went with it. (knowing nothing about troublesome roos) so, to be honest...I have no clue. Here is his pic. Im sure he is a mix of a BA and ?? I feed only organic feed, they FR and they get scraps from our left overs or cooking cut offs. If he ever gets grumpy I wont have a problem searching for another. He has been perfect since we got rid of a cockerel I didnt realize I had. I dont handle him at all....he is not a pet to me like the girls are, I enjoy him and feed and water him is all...the girls get cuddled and hand fed etc. I may toss him goodies but dont get close as in petting etc. When they all come running to me he comes too BUT stands two to three feet away and just chills.