ROOSTERS - pros vs cons

[Chickbemine]

Is it beneficial to have a ROOSTER ?

I was told to have chicks and to protect the hens. I also was told that the feathers of the hens become bad cause the rooster is always on the hen

And if good what’s the best rooster to get

Any suggestion

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Is it beneficial to have a ROOSTER ?

I was told to have chicks and to protect the hens. I also was told that the feathers of the hens become bad cause the rooster is always on the hen

And if good what’s the best rooster to get

Any suggestion

Unless you are planning to hatch eggs from your own flock, it's not really beneficial for most people. Not every rooster is going to protect hens, most will save their own skins if given the option.

Roughness also is a factor, some make hens bald, some don't. Some hens are going to be bald no matter how gentle the male's are

 

[DemeterAD9]

That all depends on what the keeper wants from their flock. A roo is necessary if you wish to breed your own replacements and/or raise your own birds to butcher. That's the only necessary reason to keep a roo. Protection from a roo is minimal, he may sound the alarm but not all that many will die to defend their flock.

I personally like having the natural dynamics of keeping hens and roo(s) but I also haven't been keeping poultry for very long. I've enjoyed watching the cockerels dance and find food for the girls but I've seen some not so enjoyable behaviors. My first pullet is just starting to lay but I've already gone through 5 cockerels, hoping to be rid of 2 more and keep the remaining 2 for breeders.

If you want to keep a roo then be sure you know what you are in for. It can be hard to find a good roo that is good to the hens and non aggressive to people. Breed doesn't much matter IMO, a "friendly' breed can be be just as mean as any other. Be prepared to go through a few to find Mr. Right.

 

[Shadrach]

There are many reasons for keeping a rooster with your hens. However, what people understand/believe is protection isn't high on the list. A good rooster can't do what roosters are best at in a confined setting. If one keeps ones chcikens mainly confined then a rooster may be nice for the hens (yup, hens do like their roosters usually; it's the keepers who don't) but won't be able to do much more than breed them which fine should one want chicks and have broody hens but otherwise he doesn't get the opportunity to do what roosters do best.
If one free ranges; I'm not talking about a small back yard, I'm thinking in acres then yes, I highly recommend a rooster. If one keeps the chickens confined then many find the problems they have with roosters often due to their confinement more trouble than they are prepared to tolerate.

 

[FrostRanger]

A good rooster can be an asset as he can help maintain harmony among the hens. However, not all roosters are good, some are just OK and others are outright garbage. Even if you have a good rooster, there's no guaranteed that he'll help out with flock dynamics.

As for protection, you play a far bigger role in keeping your flock safe than any rooster. Roosters can be helpful in sounding the alarm and occasionally you'll hear about one killing a hawk, but those are the exception rather than the rule. In general there's only so much a 5-10lb bird can do against a threat. Meanwhile, you are smart enough to learn predator behavior and build structures to keep them out. Not to mention a 100-200lb human is capable of doing far more damage and is far more intimidating than a 7lb rooster

So in short you heard correctly that you only need a rooster if you want fertilized eggs. Only other reason is if you just plain want a rooster. Some people just like having them around even if they don't need them

 

[rural mouse]

I'm with @Shadrach on the roosters. If you're ranging them (coop at night and spread over an acre+ with trees/shrubs/brush during the day), you NEED roosters (plural) for lookout duties with the hens. If you're expecting them to drive off foxes, dogs, bobcats (or larger), hawks, etc....you're destined to be disappointed at the very least.

Shad has written an article called Understanding Your Rooster. I recommend reading it before getting roos just to help make the decision.

Also bear in mind that standard "petting" of the hens (like for a dog or cat) is "mating" behavior, so if you have roos, don't pet THEIR (yes the hens belong to the roos) ladies like that.

 

[skeeeter]

If, after all that, you do decide to keep a rooster, let me make a suggestion.
Get pullets first, grow them out, let them lay.
When, they are mature in the next year and one becomes broody, give her fake eggs to set wait 3days then order st rn chicks, or pullets and a few cockerals to put under her in 3weeks time. Place the chicks under the hen at night, removing the fake eggs. Let the hen raise the chicks and pick one of those for your rooster.
Hen raised roosters are much better than hand raised ones because they know they are chickens and you are NOT.
If that process seems too long for you, get your rooster from a farm where hens raise the chicks or the chickens aren't exclusively pets.
Don't worry about taming him... just pop him into a dog crate and feed, water and talk to him and he will be your friend in no time. Then put his crate in your hen house for 2 weeks before you let him integrate.

 

[Chickbemine]

Unless you are planning to hatch eggs from your own flock, it's not really beneficial for most people. Not every rooster is going to protect hens, most will save their own skins if given the option.

Roughness also is a factor, some make hens bald, some don't. Some hens are going to be bald no matter how gentle the male's are

Thank you. If I should get one what’s some suggestion (types) to get?

 

[Chickbemine]

That all depends on what the keeper wants from their flock. A roo is necessary if you wish to breed your own replacements and/or raise your own birds to butcher. That's the only necessary reason to keep a roo. Protection from a roo is minimal, he may sound the alarm but not all that many will die to defend their flock.

I personally like having the natural dynamics of keeping hens and roo(s) but I also haven't been keeping poultry for very long. I've enjoyed watching the cockerels dance and find food for the girls but I've seen some not so enjoyable behaviors. My first pullet is just starting to lay but I've already gone through 5 cockerels, hoping to be rid of 2 more and keep the remaining 2 for breeders.

If you want to keep a roo then be sure you know what you are in for. It can be hard to find a good roo that is good to the hens and non aggressive to people. Breed doesn't much matter IMO, a "friendly' breed can be be just as mean as any other. Be prepared to go through a few to find Mr. Right.

What 2 types are you keeping ? Considering maybe getting one

 

[Mrs. K]

Depends on your relationship with the hens, depends on the space you have, and it should depend on if you can cull a rooster that does not turn out.

If you love your chickens as individual birds, and keep pets I would not recommend a rooster, or if you flock is small - less than 5. It is not so much the number of hens - but rather that people with 5 birds tend to have small set ups and IMO roosters take more room than hens.

Having a rooster will dramatically change your relationship with the hens. Where as in a hen only flock, the hens come to and depend on the human. Add a rooster, and they will look to him, hang on his every cluck. He often will tend to keep between you and the hens. He lives with them, and they adore him. You just become the feeder.

not all roosters are good, some are just OK and others are outright garbage.

A lot of roosters can be very aggressive to either people, or hens or both. If you get one, you need to be able to cull them. I am pretty firm in the belief, that there is no perfect way to raise a perfect rooster, it is the luck of the draw.

Get pullets first, grow them out, let them lay.
When, they are mature in the next year and one becomes broody, give her fake eggs to set wait 3days then order st rn chicks, or pullets and a few cockerals to put under her in 3weeks time. Place the chicks under the hen at night, removing the fake eggs. Let the hen raise the chicks and pick one of those for your rooster.

This however, I think tends to give you a bit better edge on getting a better rooster - but again, people that tend to do this, tend to have flocks of a dozen or more, and the space to keep them. They often free range in real pastures. This is more of a farm way of keeping chickens, and these people are more comfortable with the possibility of loss, the ability to cull if needed, and so while it might look like they get perfect roosters, the truth is, they have removed the others.


Mrs K