Should I get hens for my rooster?

[RominaGoldie]

Hello!
I rescued a special needs rooster a week ago. He’s a very good boy and likes company. He probably went from living on a busy farm to being the only member of a flock of one. He follows me wherever I go and does everything he can to spend time inside the house. He even “cries” when I leave for work. So my question is, should I provide him with hens? I wasn’t going to but I also don’t want him to become depressed. What would you do?

 

[Debbie292d]

Awe, that's sweet!

Well, the trouble is, if you get him a couple of hens, he'll then not want you around the hens and he won't be your little buddy anymore.

Will he be happier? Probably. The other thing, are you going to be able to find him a couple of adult hens or would you be raising chicks which would take about five to six months to be able to be bred, give or take depending on breed.

 

[aart]

I rescued a special needs rooster a week ago.

What are his "special needs"?

He probably went from living on a busy farm to being the only member of a flock of one.

Where did you get him?
Do you have other chickens?

 

[RominaGoldie]

Awe, that's sweet!

Well, the trouble is, if you get him a couple of hens, he'll then not want you around the hens and he won't be your little buddy anymore.

Will he be happier? Probably. The other thing, are you going to be able to find him a couple of adult hens or would you be raising chicks which would take about five to six months to be able to be bred, give or take depending on breed.

That’s what I worry about. My backyard is small and I’d rather not end up in a situation where my rooster chases me out of my own backyard.

 

[RominaGoldie]

What are his "special needs"?


Where did you get him?
Do you have other chickens?

He’s blind in one eye and is overall a spazz. Other roosters were picking on him where he lived before.
I got him from the guy that sells me eggs at the farmers market. We’ve become acquainted so he’d be giving me two adult hens if I asked him. I don’t have any other chickens, only a cat.

 

[Closing Time]

Our chicken keeping journey began similarly to yours. We had a cockerel (maybe 6-7 months-honestly just guessing here) show up at our front gate and he followed me everywhere, even waiting in the garage for me if I went inside the house. We offered him a home and told him if he wasn't a jerk, then he could stay. He has been a good boy since. We got him some older pullets a month later, 3 to start. He's been with the girls for 6 months now. He has matured in to a lovely guy. Takes care of his ladies, fluffs their nests, and is generally good natured. I only have 2 hens in with him right now, one of ours is in the hospital ward and so far he hasn't been over-mating the other 2. We are working on expanding the flock for him.

He still has yet to be a jerk to us, I wasn't sure what would change when spring hit and hormones started raging. We've been lucky so far, hopefully that will continue. It definitely can be hit or miss. Good luck in whatever you decide and thanks for taking in your special needs boy. Sounds like he got lucky with you.

*He's the fancy guy in my avatar, that pic was taken the day he showed up here.

 

[Seaslug]

This may be crazy, and I have absolutely no experience with it, but has anyone tried either stuffed animal buddies with single adult birds or different species friends with singletons? I know that both are sometimes tried with chicks.

 

[RominaGoldie]

Our chicken keeping journey began similarly to yours. We had a cockerel (maybe 6-7 months-honestly just guessing here) show up at our front gate and he followed me everywhere, even waiting in the garage for me if I went inside the house. We offered him a home and told him if he wasn't a jerk, then he could stay. He has been a good boy since. We got him some older pullets a month later, 3 to start. He's been with the girls for 6 months now. He has matured in to a lovely guy. Takes care of his ladies, fluffs their nests, and is generally good natured. I only have 2 hens in with him right now, one of ours is in the hospital ward and so far he hasn't been over-mating the other 2. We are working on expanding the flock for him.

He still has yet to be a jerk to us, I wasn't sure what would change when spring hit and hormones started raging. We've been lucky so far, hopefully that will continue. It definitely can be hit or miss. Good luck in whatever you decide and thanks for taking in your special needs boy. Sounds like he got lucky with you.

*He's the fancy guy in my avatar, that pic was taken the day he showed up here.

I like your fancy guy!
Thank you for the feedback. I guess I will have to give this flock expansion a try and see what happens. If my rooster changes personality, I’ll give the hens back to my friend.

 

[RominaGoldie]

This may be crazy, and I have absolutely no experience with it, but has anyone tried either stuffed animal buddies with single adult birds or different species friends with singletons? I know that both are sometimes tried with chicks.

It’s an idea!

 

[Mrs. K]

Getting adult hens is a wonderful idea. And it is a lot of fun to watch them. They will be hard on your backyard plantings, if they are out all day.

This is step 2 in chicken math, more is better... it is a dangerous slope. How much space do you have?

Mrs K