I had hens years ago and loved them. Am ready to keep chickens again and just got 13 SR Dominiques and, a Buff Orphington pullet and two SR Rhode Islands. Although my plan was to get pullets only, by chance I ended up w/SR chicks b/c I bought from a 4-Her. My original plan was to get a couple new pullet chicks every year. So now I'm debating, should I keep a rooster or two or give them all away? (I don't have a problem with eating them generally, I just don't want to have to eat guys I've raised myself and I don't want to go through cleaning and plucking them!) Now that we have them, my husband thinks he'd like having a rooster here crowing and of course I'm thinking it might be neat to let a hen raise some chicks next spring... Chickens are really a slippery slope!
The only roosters I've ever been around were aggressive. I like my hens to be healthy and happy, and I have small children. So my question is, are there "nice" roosters? I can tolerate bossy and in charge, just not attacking and making all the hens (and me!) cower. If such lower key, "nice" roosters exist, how old do they need to be to determine what their personalty is like?
Thanks in advance for any and all opinions and information you can offer.
The only roosters I've ever been around were aggressive. I like my hens to be healthy and happy, and I have small children. So my question is, are there "nice" roosters? I can tolerate bossy and in charge, just not attacking and making all the hens (and me!) cower. If such lower key, "nice" roosters exist, how old do they need to be to determine what their personalty is like?
Thanks in advance for any and all opinions and information you can offer.