I'm going to put in my first order for sexed chicks. I'm debating about adding one cockerel. I like the looks of a rooster and it seems like an authentic farm thing to do.Hoping that if they all grow up together, there will be minimal aggression. But...I'm hesitant. What do you think? To roo or not to roo?
The first time I ordered chicks, I thought the same thing. It would be really nice to have a roo I asked for one, and ended up with three! Sexing is not entirely accurate, so in spite of not asking for one you just might be surprised. I had eight hens between two standard roos and one banty roo, it was way too much.
I guess that would depend on where you live, how many hens you will be keeping and if you want to reproduce any of your flock? Here's a consideration...you don't have to refrigerate your eggs simply because they are fertilized. They will not grow into chicks on your counter...think about how much heat~and how long it has to continue~needs to be added via incubator or hen in order for those fertilized eggs to grow into chicks. If you only have 10 or less hens and you are not free ranging, then it is probably more trouble than a roo is worth to keep one~he will ride them quite a bit and it's hard on the hens and they can't get away from him in a pen/run situation. A roo comes in handy in a free range style of husbandry to warn the hens of birds of prey, to keep them close to shelter from the same and to keep disputes to a minimum among the flock. If not free ranging, you really don't need one. If you live in a neighborhood where people will complain about his crowing, I wouldn't go there. If you want to reproduce your own flock and want to do it naturally, then a roo is a good idea but it probably won't happen with sexlink hens~they aren't real known for broodiness. It can happen but isn't as likely as with other breeds. Last but not least, if for some reason you can't stomach killing a chicken, then you will find it hard to kill your roo if you no longer want him and sometimes it's just as difficult to get someone else to take him off your hands~even for free. It really depends on where you live if you are going to be able to unload an unwanted roo, particularly if he happens to be aggressive. I didn't vote because there are more variables that needed to be considered before voting/giving advice!
You will most likely get a roo by accident. Sexing baby chicks is inexact. I'm also prejudiced since each of the three accidental roos that we raised carefully from babies, in three separate episodes, turned mean and eventually had to be killed so we and/or our visiting grandchildren could walk around our land without worrying. I know some people have nice roos but it seems to be a luck of the draw thing. I need a "no roos" smiley. Or I guess that would be a frownie. Never again, unless I have a full pen setup for breeding purposes. No roos wandering around. From damselfish, who is currently hoping very hard that the ten new "pullets" in the brooding room are all actually pullets.
