Tell me why you keep Roosters...

[Demosthine]

Has anyone ever convince the city to let them keep a rooster if you live on a half acre lot with no backyard neighbors The police came to our door yesterday to tell us to get rid of our rooster but he was our pet and we do enjoy him. We think the complainer is someone not near us but with nothing better to do than to Tell on people who are bleakking the rules , such as Motorhome's and driveways etc.

Have you checked your local laws? In most jurisdictions that I am aware of, a police officer has no right to tell you to get rid of an animal. There is a due process requirement, including warnings and citations before the courts will tell you to get rid of it.

I remember one similar case where the local animal control office was pursuing a woman for having a rooster in a non-agricultural residence. The problme was, it was a laying hen who had taken on the protective duties of the rooster and crowed occassionally. It is a fairly common thing in a roosterless flock. Ultimately, she won her case, but it goes to show many, including law enforcement officials, do not properly know all the laws for their area.

 

[chycknFun]

here is an article I really liked on the topic of rooster aggression. I have to admit I have a problem area with my roo... while he will sit on my shoulder and nap he is quite a blister when I am carrying anything he thinks might be food for HIM. he tries to knock it out of my hand and has even acted like a punk sometimes. I'm gonna keep him, they're worth while, but I think they just take more work than the hens! besides it's really cute when he gets excited over treats, and calls the hens to eat stuff he finds for them!
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_stop_a_rooster_from_attacking

 

[TweetyNPetey]

I keep my boys because they protect the rest of the hens.

 

[woodsygal]

My rooster has earned his stay. They free range most of the day and he stays alert and protective. I love the dynamics with him in the flock, he's much nicer to the hens than they are to each other. P'Diddy breaks up fights, gives them all his treats and isn't aggressive about mating. Plus, I enjoy my relationship with him. He talks to me, loves to be picked up and rubbed and will peck on the door if I've been indoors too long. He keeps us entertained.
I did have to establish dominance during his initial hormonal phase. It took several weeks but he accepts me as the yard boss now and is very respectful.

 

[FairWillow]

I got my first roo a week ago. My husband has always said "no roosters." Go figure he is the one who brought him home along with 3 pullets.

He is a 5 wk buff silkie roo named Napolean.Our total now is 10. Interested in how things play out. All his girls but one will be bigger than him. I think he will be up to the challenge tho.

 

[WelsummerChris]

Hi. The first egg I ever hatched turned out to be a rooster. He's a Welsummer and the neighbours get on with him just fine. I put him away each evening in a darkened box and let him out after 7 to keep the neighbours happy. If people can see that you're making an effort to raise your birds in a sensitive way, you'd be surprised how they cope. Whilst not everybody is the same, I know some owners have the attitude that it is there right to keep cockerels and everyone else should just accept the nuisance. We have a cockerel nearby who crows at 5 each morning. It's not an issue for me but some people get very annoyed by this. Personally, i'd rather get rid of my entire flock before I'd let my cockerel go..

 

[Micky B]

This is how I started my flock: 4 point of lay hens, a rooster and 22 chicks - which were all supposed ro be females. After losing 60% of the chicks in the space of 2 months I was left with 9 roosters and 3 hens. I felt schnizered by the breeder I bought from. Although I had this many cockrels in my brood, Hitler (the rooster) had no obvious problems with them. They all knew to keep their distance from him. He was a real mean piece of work concerning humans, yet he was a fantastic protector. He died suddenly a few months ago and I still miss him a lot. The new 9 roosters where all very eager to become the new ruler of the coop, but that didn't go so well. They fought constantly (although nothing violent), but this high rooster ratio affected my hens and their egg production. I ended up removing 8 of the cockrels to a different camp, but they started bullying Felcony, who has been blinded in his left eye as a chick due to an eye infection. So I returned him to the coop. The new rooster, Titan, is much larger than Hitler, but not a good protector. 3 hens have already been killed under his "protection".
But as far as addind chicks to an existing flock, they should be safe from the rooster.

 

[backyardkenosha]

Rhode Island Red

 

[Kaela23]

Wow! He is beautiful

 

[Fancychooklady]

I have a blue partridge silkie roo that is so besotted with his hen, that he is brooding with her. I go in and shoo him out but he just goes back in and sits with her. Yesterday I found him sitting on an egg

. This is them. Bonnie and Clyde.