thinking of hatching a few chickens for the first time and....

[beakmaster]

I need some info as I have never hatched any. I have raised over 100 quail and they are fairly quiet. Is there a breed of roosters that will not make loud noise? thats most likely a stupid question but figured I would try. I would like fertile eggs but can't have all that noise.
Also, I am planning on just letting the hens run around freely in the backyard and was wondering if I need to build another pen for them or can I just make a small nesting box for them to sleep in. Do you think they will leave my backyard? Its about 120x80', so they will have plenty of room and its fenced.
How many weeks before any roosters could be culled and eaten?

 

[SA Farm]

I need some info as I have never hatched any. I have raised over 100 quail and they are fairly quiet. Is there a breed of roosters that will not make loud noise? thats most likely a stupid question but figured I would try. I would like fertile eggs but can't have all that noise.
Also, I am planning on just letting the hens run around freely in the backyard and was wondering if I need to build another pen for them or can I just make a small nesting box for them to sleep in. Do you think they will leave my backyard? Its about 120x80', so they will have plenty of room and its fenced.
How many weeks before any roosters could be culled and eaten?

I think some breeds are better known for being loud than others, but all roosters crow. Your best bet would be to give away the young roosters as soon as you confirm that they are, indeed, roosters. (I don't know what the optimum age for slaughter is...for me it's when they get too loud or take up too much feed/space)
If you want to keep a roo, you would have to test each one to see if they are loud crowers, frequent crowers, etc... Personally, if I couldn't have the noise, I would just buy fertile eggs, preferably from a local source.
Pen-wise, I would recommend having something for them. Even if you don't think you have a lot of predators in your area, you're probably wrong and you really shouldn't risk it. (I lost a chick to a great horned owl this summer...they hadn't learned to go in on their own yet and I was lax in teaching them since they had a covered run...the owl got through and ate one.) Something solid enough that they can be locked in at night would be best. If your backyard is fenced and they are well fed, they are very unlikely to leave.