Want to add a rooster to my flock - need some advice

[Mrs. K]

You will want to look at the open eggs as you cook, keeping track of the number of fertilized eggs, when most of them are fertilized, then fire up your incubator.

There are clear pictures on here showing what a fertilized egg looks like. Some roosters are more fertile than other roosters, and recently I read where sometimes a hen refuses the sperm???? Anyway, check your eggs, and when you are getting a large percent, then go for it.

Mrs K

 

[adgcountrygirl]

I have had 3 roosters, and two were good, and one was human aggressive. I don't know if this true, but someone posted that when the roosters are younger than the hens, the older hens teach him some manners. He will be at the bottom of the pecking order for a while, and work his way up through the ranks.

That when the roo is the same age as the hens, he out grows them faster, and he tends to be pretty aggressive when he starts mating. Now I am not sure if this is the case, but the roo I had to get rid of, was raised in a flock of hens the same age as he was...... the two I liked, were raised up from a chick under a broody hen, within the flock. So were always exposed to older hens.... chicks raised by a broody hen are a little more skitish of people, as you don't have the need to handle them, anyway those two roosters never acted aggressive to me, and their hens adored them.

Mrs K

It doesn't always have to work out this way. My dominant male, Beakman and the rest of my starter flock are within 3 days of each other. (Same hatch) He has been the biggest and the boss of the flock from the first week. I only handled them 1-2 times a day while they were in the brooder. Mostly to photo-document their growth and changes in feathers. He is actually the friendliest rooster I have towards humans, the most protective and alert when free-ranging with the hens, and the most submissive when it comes to doing something I don't want him to do. (He chased my niece and as I pulled her behind me to protect her, I gently popped his chest feathers with the back of my hand. He never chased her again.) By gently "popping" his chest feathers, I do mean GENTLE! My hand pushed his feathers together towards his chest, but I did not pop his chest. I have used this technique with the other roo his age and that one bit me. Beakman actually attacked the other roo for biting me and that roo has not bit or pecked me since.

Long story short, you also have to take into account how docile the breed is and how they were raised. Some people say if you handle roosters too much as chicks they are more aggressive. Others say if you don't handle them enough they become aggressive. IMO: It matters more HOW they were handled more than how much they were handled.

 

[chicken farmer]

Post pictures of him when you can

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Any aged rooster will do...unless he is really old because then his fertility won't be as good!
I have a young rooster ( has only just started mating ) with hens older than 1 year old. They will mate with anything.lol.
You can also just put him in, he will change the pecking order around a bit but they just sort that all out themselves!

 

[anderson8505]

I love having roosters. Words of caution: young roos can be relentless breeders until they settle down. The backs of your hens may become feather less so watch out for that. It can also be difficult to see your favorite girls be taken--sometimes roughly--by a roo.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I have just put a new light sussex roo in with my hens. King Henry is a little too keen, ( if you know what I mean ). The hens hate him. So they are hiding from him, laying eggs everywhere but the nest box. He really has upset the status quo. He nearly pulled one the girls combs off.
I'll give him a month to pull his socks up, if he doesn't it 'll be " hit the road jack "

 

[chippysmom327]

I have just put a new light sussex roo in with my hens. King Henry is a little too keen, ( if you know what I mean ). The hens hate him. So they are hiding from him, laying eggs everywhere but the nest box. He really has upset the status quo. He nearly pulled one the girls combs off.
I'll give him a month to pull his socks up, if he doesn't it 'll be " hit the road jack "

One of my first chickens ever was a light sussex roo. He was terrible. He was so rough with my hen, and she was this shy, timid little hen. She hated him. He was such a jerk and a bad rooster. He never let her eat first, and never really took special care of her. Except for one time. A hawk tried to swoop down and snatch a chicken, but the rooster fought him off. Then he started attacking me and everyone in the family, jumping at everyone's faces. And he was HUGE, so he had no trouble jumping up to my face and I'm 5' 3". My mom babysits kids, and we free range. So he was NOT a good rooster. We culled him, and my hen totally blossomed. She laid so many more eggs, and is such a cute, funny-personalitied gal. I'm so glad I got rid of him. I don't know if it's just him, but I've heard of lots of light sussex roos being similar.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Well I have 15 Roos and not a nasty one amongst them. But I have a sneaking suspicioun that Henry may have a go at me. The older hens just avoid him, but my little" prinny "is presenting to me when I enter the pen.

 

[Papalote Roos]

I have been trying to rid myself of 3 BR and 1RR. But I live in south TX. They are around 20-22 wks old. Free. Just gotta pick em up.

fyi:I bought them @TSC. I don't know what hatchery they're from.

 

[mpgo4th]

I just added a 6 week old roo to my flock of 15 week old pullets. They are beating the crap out of him. I keep him in a wire dog crate during the day when I'm not home with his own food and water. When I get home I let him go out in the run with the six ladies. He spends his time running from them and hiding but at dark he still follows them up into the coop. They won't let him roost so he goes to sleep on the floor. After they are all down for the night I put him back in the cage and into the garage for the night. It's been a week now and I hope they accept him soon. Am I doing this right?