To have a rooster or not

[sammin71]

I'm sorta new at this chicken thing Do i have to have a rooster what are the advatages and disadvantages.

 

[BoltonChicken]

Number one benefit is the possibility of having more chickens.

Number two benefit is that some breeds have very, very protective roosters, kind of a
one dude hen house Rambo police force.

Number one disadvantage is more food, but no eggs.

Number two disadvantage is the possibility of 2:00 A.M. crowing.

I, personally haven't made my mind up yet.

 

[Bi0s]

rooster is great if you free range they will protect the hens.. if you going to hatch eggs need a rooster.. i just like roosters alot they are nice looking protect there hens.. i always have one with my flock..

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
We have roosters because, people keep giving us free roosters! If you want to pick up a free rooster, in Northern Indiana,I'll give you one! If you don't want to commit to rooster ownership, I bet we could find somebody near you who will loan you one, so you can find out if you like having one.

The big advantage is a good roo will stand between your girls and predators. He is the first line of defense. I want to hatch my own chicks and I'm not interested in paying a lot of money for hatching eggs so for me, having a roo around at least part of the time is a no brainier.

Possible disadvantages...
The crowing... Turns out we like it and the neighbors have never complained.

Roosters are sometimes rough on the girls! Even the polite ones are a little rough.
Start with a mature roo if you can find one. If you get one who isn't polite house him separately for a while. Not being with the flock can teach some of them manners in a hurry.

My advice
Try it without for a while then try it with. See what works for you.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
yes, exactly...
and, to me, the crowing is an advantage also... I love the sound... to me it is very comforting. On our first trip to Hawaii we arrived late at night and woke the next morning to the roosters crowing... unexpected... but it felt just like home from then on!

 

[crazyhen]

Advantages, chicks, protection for the hens and the crowing. Disadvantages some roos are too protective and will fight its owner, or other people and children. Also they will break the feathers on the backs of some of the hens. You may need to buy some chick aprons to prevent this. Some roos are rough on their hens heads and others are very gentlemanly. It all depends on your roo. Try to get a roo that is about the same size as your hens. A very big roo over a smaller hen may hurt her considerable. I love to hear them but have had both kinds of roos. Its a wait and see kind of thing. You will not know until the hormones kick in whether they will be good or bad. I have had the sweetest roos turn mean at that time and others be shy and sweet later. Some breeds seem more prone to aggressive behavior than others too. Like production reds. Gloria Jean