To keep a rooster or not...

spiderlady

In the Brooder
8 Years
Jan 23, 2012
57
0
31
North Pole, Alaska
Reasons why I would like one: They are pretty, I like the crowing, and I will want to hatch fresh chicks every spring.

Reasons why Im not sure I should get one: An extra mouth to feed and clean up after thats not making eggs, they can potentially become mean and I have a small child, and I have a dog to chase off predators and look after chicks.. Im thinking him and a rooster might not get along so well.

So whats your thoughts? Worth it to try or not? I could in theory buy hatching eggs every year from other local. Breeders. I have a mixed flock so I dont neccessarily need to find a certain breed. But it is additional cost and hassle.
 
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I've always had roosters in my flock, and wouldn't have it any other way. There are the good, the bad, and the ugly! I've had all kinds, and have zero tolerance for anything but polite behavior. Nice birds are so worth it, in eye candy, and flock behaviors. Mary
 
Our rooster was friendly, until he wasn't. Sunday he was friendly. Monday he attacked my daughter. Tuesday he attacked my wife. Wednesday he was living someplace else.

I'm not saying don't get a rooster. But if you have small kids, be very cautious. Mean roosters don't scare me much, but they can do a lot of damage (if not physical, emotional) quickly to small ones.
 
I run 1 useless RIR rooster with my flock. By useless I mean useless; he's too old to breed the hens, rarely crows, too tough to cook, can't hardly see and can hardly walk. I don't pet him but he will eat corn from my hand. His only purpose in life is to scratch around in the pasture with the hens, looking pretty with his tail feathers blowing in the breeze. A flock just doesn't look complete without a rooster.
Far as feeding him, I feed about 50 hens & pullets anyway so what's 1 more mouth to feed. I figure it costs about 10 cents a day to feed him.
 

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