What rooster do I need?

[Farm life101]

Hello,
I have a cousin that lives in Colorado Springs on a nice piece of property. It’s 5 acres and has lots of pine trees. She’s been wanting chickens for a while but, she also has other birds, squirrels, raccoons, coyotes, and the occasionall bear. So I’ve got 2 questions, 1.can she have free range chickens during the day and just put them up at night? And 2. Would a Jersey giant, and a Brahma rooster be able to fight off some of these pedators? She would have about 15 hens and a Jersey giant rooster and a Brahma rooster.

 

[centrarchid]

1. yes
2. no

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Other birds are a no-no, especially if the other bird is a hawk, eagle or great horned owl. Coyotes, foxes, bobcats, lynx, badgers, bears etc are also verboten. And with the coyotes, bobcats, bears etc your cousin needs a coop that is as strong or stronger than a garbage dumpster.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I agree with yes and no.
A good rooster will rarely actually take on a predator, though it sometimes happens. If they do, they often loose their lives to the cause. Mostly they're just ever vigilant and get the flock out of harms way and in bed on time, picking up stragglers and tucking them into the coop. Very good if you have the right setup for preventing bird attacks from my experience.
Even with all that, she could free range during the day with minimal losses, but at night her coop has to be a tank. Raccoons will undo simple latches and pry open doors. Bears will just rip right through anything. I feel like with bears the only safe location is one inside an electric fence, but I have little personal experience with bears. The other predators are difficult enough to suppress losses from.

 

[varidgerunner]

A good hen will take on a predator, there should be no question of a rooster taking on a predator. But Brahmas or Jersey Giants aren't going to do much outside of providing snacks.