Thoughts on Roosters??

[Peggsblueinc]

I've only had bareback hens to the point I was concerned about the rooster's claws cutting the hens' backs once. Some feather loss is not a problem, it's when they lose enough to be exposed to their claws that I get concerned. I had one rooster and eight hens. I solved the problem by eating those two hens, which left one rooster and six hens. No more serious barebacked problems in that generation or future generations.

I take the spurs off. They grow back but it helps. I saw a u tube video on removing them. Just make sure you don’t hurt them. If done right. It’s the way to go. Make sure you have some styptic powder on hand they bleed alittle. But worth it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I take the spurs off. They grow back but it helps. I saw a u tube video on removing them. Just make sure you don’t hurt them. If done right. It’s the way to go. Make sure you have some styptic powder on hand they bleed alittle. But worth it.

The next time you have a barebacked hen look at the male's legs. How many spurs do they have on each leg? How big and sharp are those spurs. Then look at their claws. How many do they have and how sharp are they? What are they standing on and gripping with when they are on the girl's back? After looking at it, do you think you'll do more good taking a spur off or might it be more effective taking the sharp point off of the claws. Of course you can do both.

Most of the stories I read about on this forum about bare backed hens are about fairly young boys and girls, not fully mature hens and roosters. A lot of those males don't have any size of spurs to mention. Just take a look and decide yourself what is really causing the problem.

 

[Peggsblueinc]

Is there something besides oyster shell to give them that will harden shells. I have one that won’t eat oyster shells and has been laying soft which makes a mess when the others come sit on top. Please help someone.

 

[Taffy57]

I've had chickens now for a few years, but never a rooster. I have a beautiful roo that I am thinking about keeping, but I'm honestly nervous that he's going to end up being aggressive and be more of a headache than he's worth. The main reason I'd keep him is to help protect against predators, but I'm not convinced it will make that much of a difference. Those that have or have had roosters, what are your thoughts on this?

Hi, it really depends on the rooster in my experience. The last two that I had were fantastic with the hens and would even pick up pieces of food and drop it in front of the hen and would even stand guard at the door of the coop when a hen went in to lay. If any bird flew overhead or a cat came anywhere near the garden then the roosters I had would let out a warning call & the hens would either run to the rooster or run straight to the coop. So in my humble opinion a rooster is worth keeping as long as you can control the crowing early in the morning.

 

[Data]

I have old hens that do more to protect my flock than my roo. He's a total wus and first back in the run at any sign of danger. I've found randomly fertilized eggs a downside. I have family members that want to let one of my broody hens set so we can have even more chickens than the twice what we need and not a one has hatched, but a lot of bad eggs because of it.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I've had chickens now for a few years, but never a rooster. I have a beautiful roo that I am thinking about keeping, but I'm honestly nervous that he's going to end up being aggressive and be more of a headache than he's worth. The main reason I'd keep him is to help protect against predators, but I'm not convinced it will make that much of a difference. Those that have or have had roosters, what are your thoughts on this?

It really depends on the breed and temperament. I have an Americauna roo I love dearly. He's sweet, docile and a bit of a gentleman with the hens. His contrast is an Ayam Cemani roo. He's drop dead gorgeous. However, he has the mating etiquette of a drunken frat boy and with assault any perceived danger with his 'shank feet. The dudes dangerous. Where as the Americauna would just puff out his chest and delay a predator by volunteering as tribute.

I also have Silkie rooster and a Millie Fleur. They fight amongst themselves and would likely throw their competition to the predator.

Honestly, my big beautiful Lavender Orpington would likely take of running and leave the hens to fend for themselves.

 

[ECrow]

I’m pro-rooster! Banty roosters are always my go to choice, because they’ve small so they don’t do much damage to the hens, and mine have always been really nice to the hens and nice to me. From my experience with raising roosters over the past ten years, if you don’t try to hand raise them, they won’t try to be your boss. If you decide to keep your rooster, I hope he ends up being great!

 

[darmstrong1]

My first thoughts are to ask what has been your history with predators? How many chickens have you lost and, if you know, to which predators? Do you free range or are they penned? Is this really a problem? If you did keep a rooster what would change in the way you would manage them?

You can never tell if a cockerel or rooster will turn human aggressive. They can be fine until they are not. People have been keeping free ranging roosters with their flocks for thousands of years. If a lot of them were going human aggressive on a regular basis chicken could be extinct but they are not. But some do go human aggressive. If you are willing to eat him, sell him, or give him away if it goes bad you probably haven't lost much by trying. But if you can't get rid of him when it is time but just let it drag on you are at more risk.

In my opinion a rooster doesn't add much to the safety of the flock. Some might attack a predator, maybe a hawk, but that's not going to do any good against a fox, dog, coyote, bobcat, or most other predators. They certainly do not stand up to hawks every time even when they are present. Some of my hens sometimes scatter out so they are not all with the rooster all the time anyway and he cannot protect them if he is not around. Same thing is true with a livestock guard dog. If a LGD is not with the flock it is not doing much good.

When a threat is detected my roosters tend to try to lead the flock to safety instead of fighting a rear guard action. I've had two different dog attacks lost 8 and then 5 more chickens. In neither case did the rooster lose a feather.

Some roosters tend to be a lookout, especially against flying predators. He can warn them if he spots a danger. But many times in a flock without a mature rooster the dominant hen does a lot of looking and alerting.
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One thing I notice. If something concerns them the rooster will often get between whatever they are worried about and the flock. He kind of checks it out which does put him in danger. A humorous example, I can walk around with a bucket in my hand without a problem but if I am holding a small camera that they are not familiar with they go into this alert formation where he is between them and my camera. But if the threat turns out to be real he is putting himself in danger.

To me any additional safety a rooster brings to the flock is pretty marginal, especially if you have a dominant hen doing most of these things anyway, but there can be times having a good rooster can help.

My friend's chickens just got attacked by a pack of dogs (possible feral). The chickens who went to hide behind their rooster were protected. He said that he saw the dogs come around the truck, see the rooster, and double back immediately. Only the hens running around frantically were hurt.

 

[Ponypoor]

I chose “No” as far as predator protection. I have a splendid Roo, my hens adore him, they groom him, hang around him, my silkie hen will beat the snot out of me if I so much as try to pick him up. But he is only one Roo, who can’t be everywhere with all the hens, and not much protection from wolves, coyotes, bears, etc

If you had asked is a Roo worth having at all, I would have said “maybe”. Depends on the Roo I love my Roo, he is perfect

 

[Ponypoor]

I take the spurs off. They grow back but it helps. I saw a u tube video on removing them. Just make sure you don’t hurt them. If done right. It’s the way to go. Make sure you have some styptic powder on hand they bleed alittle. But worth it.

You know that the spur has bone root, right?