Thoughts on Roosters??

[fluffycrow]

Roosters protect the hens?

Depends on your definition of protection. The hens usually depend on the males for warning calls. That's how they protect. If a hen is caught by a predator, the male will step in, but sometimes at the expense of his own life

 

[MaeM]

12 hens here, every single one needs to announce they just laid an egg, every day. I think the rooster issues are with roosters crowing all hours, day and night, and the early, early (4:30-5 am) wakeup crowing. That's where I think the neighbors get angry.

I don't understand this, mainly because people who complain about roosters usually have dogs that bark the hell out of themselves at all times. I've found that even cats, when they're not kept indoors, are super noisy at night.

Sure, roosters may crow at any time of the day, but it is one or two crows, and then they shut up. Dogs can bark constantly for half an hour, even at 4 am if there's a cat wandering around, and no one cares.

Serious question tho, do you even HEAR your rooster's crow if you're sleeping? I heard him the first, second time he crowed, not every single morning in my life (unless I was already awake). When my boyfriend stayed the night, he only heard him the first, second time, too. Same with my neighbor as far as she told me. It's like people's brains learn to ignore the crowing, unless, I guess, you have insomnia or very light sleep?

 

[featherhead007]

Thoughts on roosters?
I love my rooster, I don’t give it another thought.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Update on Quin my broken cockerel. He must have read what I said the other day!
He found his crow! It's hilarious, deep, and sounds like an 80 year old heavy smoker.

For me his purpose is to fertilize eggs for hatching. He was an accidental addition since he was purchased as a pullet. As long as he remains well behaved he can stay since roosters ARE legal here.

I don't expect a flock protector out of him nor do I expect him to sacrifice himself to save the hens.

 

[fuzzi]

My cockerels are just four months, still maturing. But 30 years ago when we got our first chickens I learned a little about rooster behavior. In the morning when I would open the coop door the rooster would be the first and only one who exited. He'd look around the enclosure, then call to his girls. They'd stampede out of the coop once he apparently let them know that it was safe. In the evening he was the last one up the ramp and into the coop, after all the hens. And when he found something tasty he'd chuckle and his hens would come running. He'd then hold out the treat in his beak, offering it to the first one to reach him. "Ping" was a good roo.

 

[fuzzi]

Update on Quin my broken cockerel. He must have read what I said the other day!
He found his crow! It's hilarious, deep, and sounds like an 80 year old heavy smoker.

For me his purpose is to fertilize eggs for hatching. He was an accidental addition since he was purchased as a pullet. As long as he remains well behaved he can stay since roosters ARE legal here.

I don't expect a flock protector out of him nor do I expect him to sacrifice himself to save the hens.

I posted a couple short videos of their early attempts at crowing:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/post-26898211

I shouldn't have laughed...

 

[DonyaQuick]

I don't understand this, mainly because people who complain about roosters usually have dogs that bark the hell out of themselves at all times. I've found that even cats, when they're not kept indoors, are super noisy at night.

Sure, roosters may crow at any time of the day, but it is one or two crows, and then they shut up. Dogs can bark constantly for half an hour, even at 4 am if there's a cat wandering around, and no one cares.

Serious question tho, do you even HEAR your rooster's crow if you're sleeping? I heard him the first, second time he crowed, not every single morning in my life (unless I was already awake). When my boyfriend stayed the night, he only heard him the first, second time, too. Same with my neighbor as far as she told me. It's like people's brains learn to ignore the crowing, unless, I guess, you have insomnia or very light sleep?

I hear my roos every morning; they start my gradual wakeup process even if I'm not wide awake after the first crow. They are also right smack next to the house though, so not exactly placed for a quiet morning for me lol. If I sleep through it somehow, it basically means I'm coming down with something. I'm a very light sleeper; used to have terrible sleep back when I used to live in the city and shared walls. Best I can do with most noises is learn to only lightly wake up and then go back to sleep.

 

[3KillerBs]

He found his crow! It's hilarious, deep, and sounds like an 80 year old heavy smoker.

I love that "teenage" crowing voice.

When Ludwig was first learning to crow all he could manage was "Awww". It took him a couple months to manage a proper crow.

 

[Ponypoor]

I don't understand this, mainly because people who complain about roosters usually have dogs that bark the hell out of themselves at all times. I've found that even cats, when they're not kept indoors, are super noisy at night.

Sure, roosters may crow at any time of the day, but it is one or two crows, and then they shut up. Dogs can bark constantly for half an hour, even at 4 am if there's a cat wandering around, and no one cares.

Serious question tho, do you even HEAR your rooster's crow if you're sleeping? I heard him the first, second time he crowed, not every single morning in my life (unless I was already awake). When my boyfriend stayed the night, he only heard him the first, second time, too. Same with my neighbor as far as she told me. It's like people's brains learn to ignore the crowing, unless, I guess, you have insomnia or very light sleep?

I love my Roo, but yep I wanna wring his neck at 04:30! And now I have his son (10 weeks old) who started crowing at 3.5 weeks of age, crowing at 04:30. I am a light sleeper, it’s an age thing…

Of course once I am awake I enjoy listening to them both, the youngster learning how to crow properly and his Dada giving him pointers

Did I mention I have an 8 wk old and at least 3, 6 week old cockerel still to start crowing???


Going to get fun soon! Freezer camp for the lot (except the 10 week old he’s my little man).

Rico @ 9 weeks

 

[Ponypoor]

My cockerels are just four months, still maturing. But 30 years ago when we got our first chickens I learned a little about rooster behavior. In the morning when I would open the coop door the rooster would be the first and only one who exited. He'd look around the enclosure, then call to his girls. They'd stampede out of the coop once he apparently let them know that it was safe. In the evening he was the last one up the ramp and into the coop, after all the hens. And when he found something tasty he'd chuckle and his hens would come running. He'd then hold out the treat in his beak, offering it to the first one to reach him. "Ping" was a good roo.

Awwww that’s wonderful What a good boy