Should i add a rooster advise needed.

[34Fam]

Hi Friends. Wondering if I should add a Roo to my flock. I have some unique question I would like opinions on. I have 11 hens. 20 weeks old. None laying yet. Cochin, Barred Rock, orpington, brahmas delaware, favorelle. All raised from day old and super people loving.They are in a huge natural run with lots of hiding spots. We have 6 foot chicken wire walls with a welded wire apron. The run is under a massive Oak tree for Visual coverage from hawks and shade. Coop is solid as a rock and they are locked up at night. We live in South Carolina and have Red Fox, Racoon, Hawk and Bobcat. Recentl,y a Red Fox has been eating my neighbors chickens (they free range). I am considering a rooster for added protection and for alarm purposes. But I have concerns beyond what I can find on line. Will you all weigh in with your thoughts please.
1. I do not want a rooster to tear up the backs of my hens and have them looking so used up and horrible. Is there such thing as a "gentle" dude who wont "over service them".

2. My girls are super sweet lap chickens. Will a rooster change the relationship they have with people?

3. If I find "the right rooster" should I look for a "same age rooster" maybe one who has no "prior experience"?

4. Am I just going to screw up the harmony my flock has. ie.My dog comes in the run, I have 2 boys who play with the chickens. All my girls are happy.

 

[Kessel23]

If everything is going alright then don't try to add a rooster. Roosters all have very different personalities and you won't know how he will act or what he will do to the hens until you get him. The only predator that a rooster is useful for is raptors IMO. Roosters have a special warning call that was developed specifically for raptors and it works excellent for warning the flock. Roosters can provide other minor benefits but they can also cause trouble, they could be aggressive or be to rough on the hens. I don't think you need one. If you start having hawk problems then maybe get one. Those trees actually could help a hawk hunt if he decided to perch up in one. I had a cooper's hawk who would sit up in the trees behind my run and wait for me to let the chickens out, his favorite ones were the bantams because he could grab them and fly off with them before I could get to them. Unfortunately for him, a Great Horned Owl got hungry and ate him.

 

[Delaneygraces]

If everything is going alright then don't try to add a rooster. Roosters all have very different personalities and you won't know how he will act or what he will do to the hens until you get him. The only predator that a rooster is useful for is raptors IMO. Roosters have a special warning call that was developed specifically for raptors and it works excellent for warning the flock. Roosters can provide other minor benefits but they can also cause trouble, they could be aggressive or be to rough on the hens. I don't think you need one. If you start having hawk problems then maybe get one. Those trees actually could help a hawk hunt if he decided to perch up in one. I had a cooper's hawk who would sit up in the trees behind my run and wait for me to let the chickens out, his favorite ones were the bantams because he could grab them and fly off with them before I could get to them. Unfortunately for him, a Great Horned Owl got hungry and ate him.

X2
If you’d re worried about non-flying predators a Great Pyrenees will help keep them away, all my friends that have had problems have some, and they do their job well.

 

[34Fam]

X2
If you’d re worried about non-flying predators a Great Pyrenees will help keep them away, all my friends that have had problems have some, and they do their job well.

Ok question on the dog....does their dog stay outside all the time. Isnt that mean to not let the dog inside the house?

 

[Delaneygraces]

Ok question on the dog....does their dog stay outside all the time. Isnt that mean to not let the dog inside the house?

Mostly, but no, it’s not mean, as long as they have a building (barn, garage, shed, etc) or a dog house to get out of any weather. Plus access to shade. Most Pyrenees are in a fenced in area (in the run/yard, chickens are penned in to) or on a long cable where they can wander and scare of predators, but not be able to go chasing after one, and get lost. I’ve never seen anyone leave them loose without a fence or tie of some sort, but you might be able to let them roam, as long as you believe they won’t take off.
As I’ve seen, most Pyrenees do better at guarding if they aren’t overly pampered. You want them to have a good relationship with you and like people, but making them too comfortable and pampered could cause them to ignore predators.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...
1. I do not want a rooster to tear up the backs of my hens and have them looking so used up and horrible. Is there such thing as a "gentle" dude who wont "over service them".
More mature roosters (not cockerels under a year) tend to be more patient. But that doesn't mean he won't have favorites and ride them more.
The trouble with introducing a single bird is that you'll have to keep him in quarantine for a while to make sure he isn't bringing in an illness. That means as far from your flock as possible, for as long as possible. Tend to your birds first each day before the new bird and wash up between.
2. My girls are super sweet lap chickens. Will a rooster change the relationship they have with people?
Yes and no. A true flock protector may not appreciate that close relationship between his hens and anything not chicken.
3. If I find "the right rooster" should I look for a "same age rooster" maybe one who has no "prior experience"?
See answer 1.
4. Am I just going to screw up the harmony my flock has. ie.My dog comes in the run, I have 2 boys who play with the chickens. All my girls are happy.
That's the biggest potential problem with your plan.
Roosters will attack predators, predators move fast and mess with hens. It is too much to ask of a rooster to differentiate between a fox and a dog or two children running around picking up hens. I don't see that ending well.
I've always had lots of roosters and never had a problem with them but I don't treat my hens as lap pets. If I did, I'm sure the situation would be different.

Expand the above quote to see my responses.

 

[Delaneygraces]

Edit: also, if it is Teri Lydia windy/stormy, hot or cold, then of course you could bring the dog inside, keep him in a seperate room like a mud room or bathroom, or inside another building outside.

 

[lazy gardener]

1. I do not want a rooster to tear up the backs of my hens and have them looking so used up and horrible. Is there such thing as a "gentle" dude who wont "over service them".

Your best bet would be to get an older proven roo who has a good track record of treating the ladies well. But, even then, no guarantees. IME, roos are breeding machines.

2. My girls are super sweet lap chickens. Will a rooster change the relationship they have with people?

Possibly.

3. If I find "the right rooster" should I look for a "same age rooster" maybe one who has no "prior experience"?

See answer to #1. Cockerels (males less than a year old) have a rep. for being overly aggressive in their breeding habits.

4. Am I just going to screw up the harmony my flock has. ie.My dog comes in the run, I have 2 boys who play with the chickens. All my girls are happy.

IMO, if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. Put a cover over your run, or at least put some cover IN the run. A goo roo will not be aggressive to your dog or children. That being said, I would not trust any type of livestock animal (roos included) around children unless I am there to supervise. IME, the only reason to keep a roo is if you want to hatch his chicks.

Ok question on the dog....does their dog stay outside all the time. Isnt that mean to not let the dog inside the house?

No it is not mean to keep a LGD outside. That is what they are bred and trained to do. It would be mean to try to keep a LGD and try to make a house pet out of him. A LGD should always be provided with adequate shelter, but that does not mean that shelter should be in the house. Just for the record, i do not have a LGD. But, I have found that even my sissy pet dog is beneficial at helping keep predators away from my flock.

 

[Susan12]

The rooster can't protect from a fox.i love my roosters.thry are pretty.warrn hens of hawks.buff orpingtons are usually gentle.you want a rooster that won't tear up thrbacks get a bantam.they will be too small to tear them up.they can still breed.plus it's funny watching them with big hens.love my Cochin bantams.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I am going to be in the minority and say yes get a roo. That said- find one who's a mature boy (so you know his temperament) and preferably from a breeder not a hatchery or choose a private rehome so you can ask about the temperament. Choose a breed known for docility as well. A polite roo won't tear your hens up, you might even consider a bantam. Roosters raised in a flock with their father or another mature bird to show them manners tend to be better behaved.

I love my boys. They're better companions to me than hens and I bond closer to the boys- also, they live longer since they don't have reproductive diseases like egg binding plaguing them. Don't get me wrong, my tiny lil gals are perfect angels but my boys are so devoted to me and such characters.