Should I have a rooster in my flock

[roseplum2006]

I have a friend getting rid of 3 roosters. She has offered me one of them. I was told that someone had to get rid of their rooster after finding that al the eggs had blood in them. Who wants to eat bloody eggs?? I have 20 hens, and as far as I know I do not have a rooster. I was told that they were 3 wks old when I got them April 10th, and 3 of them are laying eggs, unless one hen can lay more than one egg a day.......does anyone know for sure.

 

[karlamaria]

You can post picture of your chickens here ad they can tell you, or you can wait for the crowing to happen. You do not need a rooster, if eggs is the only thing you want unless you want more chicks .

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Roosters have no effect on the eggs, except to fertilize them. That said, you don't NEED a rooster unless you plan to incubate your own eggs. If your hens have started laying, most likely, you would have noticed if any of them are roosters by now. I've been fortunate to have mostly pleasant roos, but when you get one that is excessively aggressive, it is not fun.

 

[blefky]

You have more than one (or two) hens laying. The blood in your friend's hen's egg was not caused by the rooster. Do you need a rooster? No. They can be useful as a flock protector if you free range your birds, and, obviously, are necessary if you want fertile eggs from your flock. Roosters can be quite loud, they are often (though not always) aggressive towards people, and animals, and many communities are not zoned for them - you'll need to check your town's zoning laws. Good luck, and

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
Roosters have nothing to do with bloody eggs from a hen. A blood vein has torn along the line producing an egg is all. It happens. You don't need a rooster unless you want fertile eggs.

 

[jen5680]

and

from SW Ohio.
Roosters would not cause eggs to be bloody. Something very strange going on with that!!
Onyl reason you would need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs so you can hatch your own chicks or if you feel your girls
might need a little protection.
A bird can lay more than one egg a day but I am pretty sure that really isn't to common.
Also they shoudl be old enough to tell if you have any males by now.

 

[gryeyes]

Well, I wouldn't keep a flock without a rooster, but I like the sound of crowing, I like the control the rooster maintains in the flock, and I like little chicks hatching under mama hens (but that only happens if there is a broody hen or two to hatch 'em).

My flock also ranges freely, so the rooster is good at alerting the flock to danger.

 

[JodyJo]

Everyone above said it all...I have 16 pullets, and 2 roos. One is the dominant roo and makes sure the girls are safe, calls them to food and watches out for them.
I didn't think I wanted any myself till I read a few stories about roosters actually giving their own lives to save their hens, taking on hawks etc. Now I am glad I have a few of them.
Mine free range all day, so that is a consideration for you as well.

 

[monkeemakr]

Agree with gryeyes but I'm with you too. I have five roos that I use to breed, and they all free range. I put their girls with them. But my layers for my eating eggs I keep in a separate coop with no roos. I'm just weird that way. When I was a kid, I cracked open an egg and there was a little chick inside that fell into the frying pan. I wouldn't eat eggs for years. LOL

 

[wowmanacat]

For the most part it takes about 25 hours between eggs form a chicken. Blood in an eggs has nothing to do with having roosters from what I have heard, but I am not 100% sure on that. It don't bother me if there is a spot of blood in the egg.