When to get rooster?

[Kgudie]

I am going to give this chicken thing a try. I am getting ready to order from a local hatchery and do not want to worry about more chicks for a while. Would it be easier to get a rooster now, or introduce one later?

 

[CowgirlPenny]

Are you hoping that your chicks will grow into hens and hatch more baby chicks?

Because if you are just hoping for eggs from your chicks you don't need a rooster at all. Hens don't need a rooster to supply you with eggs.

 

[pontoosuc]

are you ordering "straight run" from your hatchery or having them sexed?

your straight run has a good chance of a rooster or two, or three or.........

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
this is good and around here every one has a rooster on craigslist and often times they are free

 

[Kgudie]

I am ordering pullets and planning just eggs for now, but if everything goes well, I hope to hatch some eggs for more chicks. Just wondering if it is difficult to introduce a rooster later or just get one with the pullets?

 

[gryeyes]

I liked that I got mine with my pullets as an "accidental" rooster. He was supposed to be a pullet... and he grew up with them all.

It's not all that hard to introduce a rooster because the end result is always that the rooster will be the boss of the flock; that's just the Chicken Way. However, the pullets/hens may not like him much, especially at first.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other... But I like the idea of having him grow up with his flock.

 

[KWAK]

i would get one now... you dont have to let them hatch eggs,,,, him growing up withthe hens is better than adding him later,,, less fighting,,, les blood lol.