Tell me why you keep Roosters...

[Chrystal Dawn]

I have a silkie roo and he is very quiet but does anyone know of any breeds of roosters that are especially quiet. I live in town and am not supposed to have any but would like some for hawk protection.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

To protect the flock but for their beauty. For instance our Spitzhaubens have such a gorgeous Rooster. I couldn't imagine chickens without roosters.

 

[cubalaya]

because roosters (or cocks) contribute half the genes and i breed and raise chickens. cubalaya and asil hens don't slow down laying after 2 years like some of these production breeds and sexlinks. it is easier to keep the best hens and breed them year after year and keep only the best 1% or less of cocks for breeding. crowing doesn't bother me at all and the cocks protect the hens and they look good in the yard.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

because roosters (or cocks) contribute half the genes and i breed and raise chickens. cubalaya and asil hens don't slow down laying after 2 years like some of these production breeds and sexlinks. it is easier to keep the best hens and breed them year after year and keep only the best 1% or less of cocks for breeding. crowing doesn't bother me at all and the cocks protect the hens and they look good in the yard.

 

[Tednchickens]

I'm new to chickens. Our 1st too was a BO, and he was dreadful. We rehomed him, but that experience made me look harder at our Serama too. He and his mate don't free range with the others, and don't mix with them, but I've realized what a goo little fellow he is. He's pretty, he treats his mate well(she never screams and tries to get away as the BO's hens did), and his crow sounds like a rusty hinge. It's so cute!

 

[KilnChick]

Sebrights are so smart, and so pretty.
Thanks for showing.

Those are beautiful, thanks, now I'll be looking to get some of those too!!

 

[cubalaya]

a few reasons:

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

a few reasons:

you have 5 really good reasons right there!

 

[cubalaya]

thanks ccc

 

[LibRat]

I love reading everyone's stories about their roosters and I also hate it. I hate hearing that roosters are going to be killed. I do understand how roosters can turn mean though. B.J. the son of BUFF my rooster, was the sweetest thing. I would hold him like a baby and carry him around. Lots of the time he fell asleep in my arms. Then all of a sudden one day, he jumped out of my arms and attacked me. I got him back in the coop but things were never the same. I was very crushed, especially since he was the son of a rooster of mine that passed away. It was like a part of my BUFF was still around. Plus the fact B.J. is beautiful. Not sure why they change like that. People say it happens when they get older but I would think they would get calmer when older, when the testosterone lessens. So I still see B.J. every day and feed him, BUT I carry around a spray bottle full of water for protection. Most roosters seem to hate water. Please don't hit your roosters with brooms or sticks, it only makes them worse. I've raised three chicks, all turned out to be roosters. Two have since passed but my LUCKY just turned 3. In fact he's about 4 feet away from me in my bedroom, sleeping on a roost I made for him. Poor guy has had bumblefoot for over a year. Never fully heals, will be that way the rest of his life. He's home recovering and on antibiotics. The vet pulled a plug out of one of his feet this week. Usually have to have at least one foot done every 6 months it seems. Not cheap $80 vet bill. It was $130 the last time when he had to be knocked out, vet had to dig the infection out of his foot that time. Like I said I hate hearing about roosters being "culled", nice way of saying murdered. But it bothers me more when chicks are killed just because they are males. Roosters have such personalities, moreso than hens I think. Every night at the coop, I put my LUCKY up on his roost. He will actually wait for me before going to bed. Some nights he lowers his head to mine and we touch, his comb to my forehead. And we just stay like that for awhile. Roosters are like any other animal, they love backrubs and wattle and comb rubs.(well, the nice roosters, that is). LUCKY now recognizes the sound of my car alarm(if he's paying attention), and will crow when I arrive at the coop. Today when I came home, my room mate said LUCKY started crowing when he heard me set my car alarm. I love my LUCKY. A photo of us was voted on and picked to be in a chicken calendar in 2012. We were "March". A photo of my other two roosters(when still living) was picked to be in book called "HENHOUSE". I enclosed a few photos of LUCKY. His closeup profile photo I just entered in another contest. The second photo was our "March" photo published in the Chicken Rescue calendar. I would love to start a Rooster Rescue. I keep trying to win the lottery to no avail. P.S. I wish this freakin' BLING RING commercial would stop popping up in the middle of my reply. Backyard Chickens, do you really need the advertising money that badly? You still have plenty of ads on your site. He is a beautiful rooster! My Pigpen will put his beak to my nose and just sit there. People ask if I'm afraid he'll poke my eyes. Nope lol and he sleeps with his head on my shoulder. Big baby...