Thinking of Getting a BA Rooster

[iwiw60]

As some of you know, I have 4 BA pullets...yes, the 'one' I thought just might be a rooster turns out not to be! Anyways, now that the brunt of bringing up babies to the stage they're at now (about 7-8 weeks), turning them out to their coop (no more brooder box...YAY!

) I sit out there and wonder...should I be thinking about the possibility of getting a BA rooster for the 'future'? I know that Australorps are notorious for being broody, which in my mind is a good thing (I don't want to go through the brooder box thing ever again!)....

If I do decide to pursue this, when would be the best time to do so? Now? Wait a while? Never? What's the best way to purchase a BA rooster...where I live the pickings are very slim..to none. Any and all replies most welcome to my query...have a wonderful rest of your day!!

 

[iwiw60]

Anyone with ideas/comments????

 

[Devon07]

I'm new and was hesitant for a roo at first and when I got mine I weakened and got a roo.....soooo glad I did, he is worth his keep x 2 ......the girls aren't laying eggs but he is working from day one taking care of the girls. I was amazed. Mine are a X of BA and RIR .....I didn't know about them being so broody like you say. As far as best time, I would think the sooner the better! I really feel like the roo keeps order and the girls love it. Mine is not aggressive and caters to the gals. He just started mating and even then has manners. Today he was acting weird and my worried escalated because if I lose him my work increases. Good luck

 

[3riverschick]

Hi!

What's a BA?
Thanks,
Karen

 

[Michael OShay]

If you're going to get a BA rooster, you need to get some more BA hens. The recommended ratio of roosters to hens is 1 rooster for every 10 hens. Any more roosters than that can quickly lead to aggression, fights, feather plucking, and over-bred and battered hens. I have already replied to four posts today where new members were having these kind of problems because they had too many roosters. When you really get down to it, the only reason you really need a rooster is to fertilize eggs for hatching. I currently have 25 hens (including 7 BAs), no roosters, and I get loads of eggs without feeding any non-egg laying mouths, without the aggression, fights, crowing in the middle of the night, and over-bred and battered hens that frequently goes along with having roosters (especially too many of them). As roosters go, BAs are very docile (it's one of the good characteristics of BAs in general), but even with a BA rooster, I would strongly recommend at least 8 hens.

 

[Michael OShay]

Hi!

What's a BA?
Thanks,
Karen

BA stands for Black Australorp.

 

[Devon07]

Good points BUT I think a rooster offers much more than just fertile eggs....I am glad my roo is here, he has saved my girls twice that I seen, not to mention the times I havent seen. once a dog was running to them while free ranging and he seen it and alerted the girls ....they ran/flew to the safety of the coop while he went to fight....I had to run and get him and chase the dog away. No doubt in my mind would that dog of had chicken(s) for dinner. Once he alerted for a hawk and I have no idea how he seen it before me.....so, again in just two months of me having chickens my roo has earned his keep...he loves his girls and it seems will save them at the cost of his own life.....fertile eggs arent anything I want but hens need the roo IMO. Oh, he may not be as smart as I thought but Imy wife seen him ON a coiled coppehead snake pecking at it....I dont understand that. Im amazed at how he keeps the girls somewhat together when freeranging ....if one gets out of the group just a little to far he runs her back to the others......he lets them get out just far enough that I start to question safety and he takes charge as if he hears me.

 

[Michael OShay]

Good points BUT I think a rooster offers much more than just fertile eggs....I am glad my roo is here, he has saved my girls twice that I seen, not to mention the times I havent seen. once a dog was running to them while free ranging and he seen it and alerted the girls ....they ran/flew to the safety of the coop while he went to fight....I had to run and get him and chase the dog away. No doubt in my mind would that dog of had chicken(s) for dinner. Once he alerted for a hawk and I have no idea how he seen it before me.....so, again in just two months of me having chickens my roo has earned his keep...he loves his girls and it seems will save them at the cost of his own life.....fertile eggs arent anything I want but hens need the roo IMO. Oh, he may not be as smart as I thought but Imy wife seen him ON a coiled coppehead snake pecking at it....I dont understand that. Im amazed at how he keeps the girls somewhat together when freeranging ....if one gets out of the group just a little to far he runs her back to the others......he lets them get out just far enough that I start to question safety and he takes charge as if he hears me.

These things happen occasionally with good roosters, particularly with some of the more aggressive ones like game roosters, but with the docile layers that I raise, roosters have been pretty much worthless in these cases. Predators are just as apt to get the hens whether I have a rooster or not, and sometimes it is the rooster himself who gets snagged by the predator. Also, having a rooster hasn't seemed to make any difference as far as the hens getting back into the coop for the night, and in the cases where the hens are confined in runs rather than free ranged none of these things are issues anyway. But as they say, "to each his own."

 

[Devon07]

To me it's a no brainer. Two months having chickens and it was a first lesson for me. I can film stuff this guy does on a daily basis that warrants keeping him. Guess I was lucky.