Why do you keep a rooster...

[schellie69]

A hen will go broody with or without a rooster just depends on the hen. As long as you collect the eggs everyday there won't be any chicks.

 

[scbatz33]

Some hens will go broody. You might not be able to prevent that. But by collecting eggs everyday, you will lessen the likelihood.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

Quote:
Really? I enjoy hearing mine in the morning and again in the evening but today one in particular has crowed atleast 20 times. Someone about a quarter mile down the road got some chickens and these ridges carry their echos and I think they are hearing them.

 

[EELover]

They are good for breeding and protecting. Also, in case you haven't noticed, there are people who post asking why their hens aren't laying. If you have roos and your chickens become sexually active it makes your hens mature faster so you get eggs faster. My hens started laying at 22 weeks but my friend's hens didn't start laying till 36 weeks. She has no roosters and I do. You can't tell the difference between fertilized and unfertilized eggs unless you neglect the eggs for several days. I collect mine every morning. Not all roos are bad as long as you show them who's boss. Although, if you live in the city, your probably not allowed to have them. I live out in the middle of nowhere so the crowing is not an issue. It's fun to see the look on visitor's faces when they come over and here them crow.

 

[2DogsFarm]

My guy was an I-TOLD-You-NOT-To-Be-A-Rooster.
I got two 3day-old chicks from a friend, hard to sex them that little.
By the time he was 3mo old I knew I had a rooster.

He's about 7mo now & is very pretty but still growing his tail & doesn't have spurs, just bumps.

My big hens - 2yo now - keep him in line.
He's tried mating them & they shake him off then chase his butt all over the coop.
I've seen him chest-bumping with a couple of them too. These girls don't take any lip from his teenaged self.

He's just now starting to behave like he might want to be in charge of this flock & take care of hens.
I've heard him making the Treat Sound to his "sister" & he always lets her eat first.

I pick him up every morning and carry him until he settles down & stops squawking.
So far he's minded his Ps & Qs with me too.

I only have 6 hens, so gathering eggs will make sure I won't have any chicks hatching unless the girls decide to hide a nest from me.

 

[QCFChicks]

Quote:
BUMP! I love hearing them sitting next to the run with a cup of coffee and just watching them do there thing something kinda soothing about it.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Was going to post my reasons for keeping a roo... but... ALL OF THE ABOVE!

They are beautiful...

They protect their girls from predators... even giving their life if need be...

They call their girls to give them special treats...

They bring them in to the pen/coop in the evening...

They break up fights between the girls...

I love to hear them crow...

AND, if you do decide to hatch a few, well, they also make that possible!

ps: and a broody is a broody with or without a roo and fertile eggs.

 

[19hhbelgian]

A hen will go broody whether you have a rooster or not. Depends on the breed of hens too, some will set on a stone if you let them, others will never set. Roosters are excellent watch dogs for your flock, and my boys have done their job multiple times. If you don't want chicks simply remove the eggs from the nesting boxes on a daily basis - problem solved

I also keep the boys around simply because I enjoy them

They are amazing to watch interact with the girls.

 

[chickenX]

because there will be a special place in chicken heaven for you if you give a roo a home. that's why.

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

We've got an Orph girl who is broody EVERY winter. She's 2 1/2 now, and lord has she been a nutter. We've had lecture after lecture about how middle of a Nebraska winter is not a good time to raise a clutch. Then the roo came along, but he's been a burned out bulb and errm, girls? I dance and sing, do I do anything else? So she went broody on eggs that weren't fertilized again last winter. We had more lectures on such behavior. Then she went broody this winter, and was getting the lecture but lo and behold, out popped 5 little chicks.

Now in normal broody season, nope, she has not interested what so ever. Winter is when we must sit on our eggs and winter only.

Plus hey, the roos are just beautiful! Those beautiful flowing tails are just wonderful, plus they can have flashier colors. Plus, sniff the pic is gone, but having a 5 y/o carrying around a Jersey Giant roo like a baby with a doll bonnet tied on his head? Yeah right, how can you beat that for cute factor? Said roo has also tolerated such abuse as to be put in doll stollers and pushed around. While wearing a bonnet. And at one point a doll's dress.