They Already Know

[33yardbirds]

When the #1 adult roo gives the alert all the chicks head for the coop ahellin'. They can't pack in fast enough. Minutes later little chick heads are peeking out the chicken doors.

 

[rancher hicks]

Seems to me if you can have a rooster it's always good to keep one that does the job of watching out. Glad things are going well.

rancher

 

[JodyJo]

I started with chickens last year, bought what I thought was 9 pullets, they all ended up being roos...so got rid of them, now I have 16 newbies...3 of which are now roos..not bad odds, my question..is keeping one roo a good idea? I really only wanted eggs, but I read stories like this one and think I should keep one...what say you?

 

[33yardbirds]

Quote:
I wouldn't be without a good one. The one I have now never lays down and has an eye cocked to the sky. He also crows when a car pulls in or a person is bicycleing or walking by. Right now I have 10 layers and just got 25 Heritage Breed RIRs and 25 Heritage Breed Dels. Depending on # of hens I get for each breed will depend on how many Roos I keep. If for no other reason I would have a big American Roo just to watch him strut.

 

[bryan99705]

A rooster's warning growl is universal. I've had duckling, goslings, and turkey chicks hide instantly when they heard mine give warning.

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
I wouldn't be without a good one. The one I have now never lays down and has an eye cocked to the sky. He also crows when a car pulls in or a person is bicycleing or walking by. Right now I have 10 layers and just got 25 Heritage Breed RIRs and 25 Heritage Breed Dels. Depending on # of hens I get for each breed will depend on how many Roos I keep. If for no other reason I would have a big American Roo just to watch him strut.

Thanks...that was my thinking too....I have 13 pullets, of varying breeds, and will be getting 3 more EE chicks this week, to make up for the 3 EE roos I have! So my roo will be an EE...now to decide on which to keep? They are only 9 weeks old...2 are feathered out more then the one, 2 have combs one doesn't yet, that is why we thought he was a she...but "she" is crowing and everyone on this site told me roo...."she" seems to be the most aggressive...not sure that is what I want...guess I need to watch them more closely?

 

[debducttape]

I have 2 generations of chickens right now, about a month apart. At first they didn't integrate very well, but now they all understand that Tony (the roo) is in charge. He is always on alert, and the hens seem like they are lost without him. He calls, and they all hide, or go to the coop. At first, I thought that I didn't want to feed a "useless" bird, but as it turns out, none of mine have been eaten since he came into his roosterhood. (That is really saying something, considering we live in national forest. We have hawks, eagles, crows, coons, possums, coyote, bear, etc) So, I am starting to think that a rooster might just earn his feed by keeping track of my girls.

 

[BooBear]

Lester has become so dependable that even the wild birds, squirrels, and rabbit pay heed to his warnings with everyone else. Everyone runs for cover except the 3 Silkies that stand at attention, but freeze to their spot. I think they are pretending to be garden gnomes.

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
lol.....

 

[greenSearcher]

Yeah, silkies seem to have lost a few brain cells when they gained their cuteness.

I will have roosters because they do keep order in the flock. My oldest is nearly 2 years old, and I can give him young birds, about 3 months, male or female and he will teach them the ropes. I added 6 nearly POL pullets to his coop a few days ago, and the newbies now know the bedtime routine, no more chasing them to put them to bed. He will take them foraging when I let them out in a few more days, after I am imprint the coop and yard on them. My other two coops have good roosters, that watch for predators and call the girls when I come with treats. In the yellow coop, Red Fred an EE takes care of his ladies and the silkies. He will go and chase down the silkies when they start to wander too far and scold them all the way back to the yard. He even watches them mate so that they don't hurt his girls. His girls show very little wear and tear, just a little baldness on the back of the head, probably from the silkies struggling not to fall off. There are no bantam girls for them.

Punkit, the old man may have his harem, but if the other boys are falling down on the job, he reports. He is also the only rooster that goes into the garage to check out the babies.(I brood the babies in a covered wire brooder 4x6x3' He will go in there and talk to them. Spends more time on them than any hen ever does. He is really a gem.