Should I buy a rooster for my free-range hens?

[ChickenCanoe]

As usual, @Ridgerunner gave complete well reasoned advice.
I tend to be more concise and maybe not nearly completely cover the issue.

Much of the answers depend on what breed/s of chickens you have and what breed of rooster you could acquire. All hens and rooster breeds were definitely not created equal.
Personally, I love having at least one good mature rooster running with each free range flock

If a rooster runs with your flock, there's a 95% chance the eggs will be fertile but unless you incubate them or a hen sits on them continuously, you will never know it.

I've been attacked by a couple roosters but none of the last 200 + roosters I've had were human aggressive. Again, that is partially a breed specific thing.

The breed of rooster you choose could be useless as a predator protector or could be stellar. As was said, all chickens are vulnerable at night due to night blindness and the predators' ability to see at night.

What I haven't heard discussed is that if you bring in any bird, rooster or otherwise, you will need to quarantine as long as possible and as far as possible from your birds till you determine it doesn't carry disease or parasites.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You must have missed the symbol(~) that means approximately.

Clear as mud @aart and really helpful. Come on, you are better than that nonsense.

 

[Mrs. K]

I still think the big issue is how much space the op has, and one DOES gain experience from an all hen flock, not just reading a book.

But I have never had a lead hen do anything for day time predation, and I started without a rooster. A mature rooster does a lot for me.

So if you have about a dozen birds, if you have sufficient space, not thinking that free-ranging a couple of hours a day can let you cheat, and a little experience, try a rooster.

I am not touching the "~" thing at all. haha
Mrs K

 

[roosterhavoc]

I say get a rooster and see if you like having one around. There’s only one way to find out.
I’ll spare you the long winded pros and cons since you’ve already gotten enough of those. There’s more than one way to raise chickens.

 

[Shadrach]

As roosterhavoc notes, there is only one way to find out.
This article notes what I've observed in the keeping circumstances I have. There will be variations in behaviour depending not only on breed, but your keeping circumstances and more importantly, your attitude.

My view, right or wrong, is that the confidence of the keeper plays a vital role in successful rooster keeping.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[aart]

Clear as mud @aart and really helpful. Come on, you are better than that nonsense.

If the discussion had been about wanting to incubate eggs, I would might have gone into more detail. You didn't know about the approximately symbol, didja?

 

[BaaKaaawk]

I still think the big issue is how much space the op has, and one DOES gain experience from an all hen flock, not just reading a book.

I agree fully with this, I have zero issues with an all Hen flock- what I was saying is you can't get your own, personal "rooster" experience without a Roo, in my humble opinion.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I must reiterate, just using the term rooster, ignores the differences in breed characteristics.
To equate the behavior dynamics of a Silkie rooster or expect repeatability to be anywhere close to that of a Minorca, Game or Cubalaya rooster is naïve at best.
I'd like to know what breed/s the OP currently has.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If the discussion had been about wanting to incubate eggs, I would might have gone into more detail. You didn't know about the approximately symbol, didja?

Aart, I'm an engineer, retired. I understand math symbols. I understand that when it comes to storing fertile eggs to eat, approximately 100 F is not a safe temperature. How many people are going to read that and realize that approximately 100 really means in the 80's at most whether they are familiar with math symbols or not?

I've said what i wanted to say and I tried to say it with respect.

 

[aart]

approximately 100 F is not a safe temperature.

I know you're a sharp guy, most the time, but you again missed my point. Not like you to take multiple shots at me, usually it's one at a time.
I didn't say ~100°F was safe temperature for storage, I said.....

As for fertile eggs, they won't start to develop into chicks unless you keep them at ~100°F for a few days, so gathering eggs daily should take care of that.

Geesh.