Why Have a Rooster?

[DParker75089]

To say roosters become aggressive is misleading. Some do but alot don't.

What the post you're calling "misleading" said:

"some roosters become aggressive"

They're not all bad like everyone says.

It's not even remotely true that everyone says that all roosters are bad.

Here all you read about is the bad ones never the good ones.

That is also not even remotely true.

 

[celicakitten]

Like the others said it’s a personal choice but not necessary to have a rooster. However, if you do choose to have one it is advisable to get more hens, a minimum of 8-10 hens per cockerel. My mother in law learned the hard way with her 4 hens and 1 Rhode Island Red rooster that he was too much for them. They ended up ratted looking and bare backed, some with open wounds from over mating. She got rid of him after a year of trying to make it work.
I ended up having a rooster in my order of “all female birds” but so far he’s shown no aggression and appears to have a good social life with the girls, but he has 22 to choose from. He does a good job of alerting them to threats and keeping order all around, plus he doesn’t crow much (at least compared to my neighbors 2-3 roosters next door ha!). As long as he stays non aggressive towards me he can stay and maybe I’ll try hatching some of his offspring next spring.

 

[CoopBoots]

Here's why I added one:

1. My pullets had no adults to help teach survival skills, and a mature rooster can help out in this area. A rooster was unlikely to upset their pecking order and, in fact, he's only ever tried to ingratiate himself with them. Total win in this area.

2. A really great rooster is willing to die protecting them. Even if he only gives me a little more time to respond in an emergency. Laying hens are hard to replace compared to roosters!

3. Reproduction

There are untold side benefits if you like your rooster, like their big personalities, watching them court the ladies, the crowing.

One huge pro/con to how I acquired my rooster: I adopted a pet who was advertised as a few years old. That was actually based on advice from here--if someone loved them enough to keep them around that long, they are likely good tempered! I found this to be true. However, you may not get complete honestly around health, breed, and age when someone is desperate to rehome. Mine is apparently ancient and too old to, uh, do more than dance around my hens clumsily lol. He still is pretty great in my book and the girls love hanging out with him anyway.

There's no wrong decision. But agree that you need a few more hens to split a rooster's attention appropriately.

 

[sdm111]

I would increase the number if you want a male. 3 hens may not be enough for him.

Only 100% reason is because obviously if you want to hatch your own chicks, the hens need a boyfriend.

I keep them together unless they're an extra that isn't staying or if I have to kennel birds for their safety

Yes, well.... I don't because I'm lazy. But yes.

All day, every day

Roosters can be iffy. They aren't all mean, but they're certainly not all nice either. And don't get a bantam because they're smaller. They may be less than a pound of angry, but that pound of angry can get airborne quite easily.

This again is misleading. I have pairs one rooster one hen, and trios and they are fine together and the male doesn't mate all day every day. This requirement you hear of, of 8 or 10 hens minimum is a lie. Are their roosters that do over mate? Sure but it's not the rule

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I

This again is misleading. I have pairs one rooster one hen, and trios and they are fine together and the male doesn't mate all day every day. This requirement you hear of, of 8 or 10 hens minimum is a lie. Are their roosters that do over mate? Sure but it's not the rule

Said MAY not be enough

 

[Shadrach]

Hello, I am new to chickens. I only have three hens. Is there a reason to have a rooster? If you have a rooster do you keep him with all the hens, or do you have to separate them? Do you still collect eggs each day? How often will the rooster be mating with the hens? Any advice on the advantages to having a rooster vs not having one is helpful? Thank you!

It's all about whether you have the keeping conditions a rooster can do what roosters are supposed to do in. Apart from mating a confined rooster doesn't get the opportunity to demonstrate just what his role is in life.
I hope nobody will take offence but very few people get to see a roosters natural behaviour so don't really know about what they do.
So the really important question is how do you keep your chickens?

The next most important point is a rooster in the group will completely change the dynamics of the group and you, the keeper, are included in that group as is every other person/creature that comes into contact with the chickens.
It's the change in dynamics that often throws people when they introduce a rooster to their chickens.
There is one rule which if you follow will help both you and the rooster; the hens are no longer yours, they are his. All good rooster relationships pretty much depend on accepting this.

Silly though this may seem it's important to understand that a rooster is not a male hen. This catches a lot of people out as well.

If you are free ranging as in out of the coop all day and roosting in it at night then there is a question of how much room does one need to maximize the chances of successfully keeping a rooster with a group of hens. I've been asked this a few times and there is no measurement for it. My answer now is, as much room as it takes for you to have to look for your rooster. With the right environment this can be achieved with surprisingly little space.

There are always exceptions but taking the above as a guideline is likely to help.

The best reason for keeping roosters ime is the hens like them.

 

[Bonkerelli]

Hello, I am new to chickens. I only have three hens. Is there a reason to have a rooster? If you have a rooster do you keep him with all the hens, or do you have to separate them? Do you still collect eggs each day? How often will the rooster be mating with the hens? Any advice on the advantages to having a rooster vs not having one is helpful? Thank you!

Everyone has mixed opinions about roosters. It is all about personal preference.

Roosters are great protectors and if you want to have chicks in the future.. you need one as well. One rooster can service up to 12 hens and you can let them be with your hens. They mate any time they want but in the winter they don't do it as much. Over bred hens look beat up and have missing feathers. Hens naturally will follow a rooster and will 90% of the time keep close.

I love having roosters... currently have 3 and they get along great with each other. Since my chickens are free range, I appreciate them looking after the ladies. Not all roosters are aggressive but it depends on how much you handle them.

 

[Geena]

To say roosters become aggressive is misleading. Some do but alot don't.

I would think that your odds of having a human aggressive rooster are very low considering your birds have been selectively bred for many, many generations.
The vast majority of people here have hatchery chickens and the odds where hatchery roosters are concerned are more like 50% good/50% turd. Apples and oranges

 

[DParker75089]

This again is misleading.

"Again"? It was already pointed out multiple times that your claim that...

""some roosters become aggressive"

...was misleading was itself quite false (you even proceeded to say that "some do" yourself). Now you're trying to claim that...

"3 hens may not be enough for him"

...is somehow misleading., when it is nothing of the sort. Had the statement been, "3 hens will not be enough" then you might have a point. But it didn't, so you don't. Perhaps slow down and read a little more carefully before launching accusations.

 

[630004]

We have one Rhode Island Red rooster and 17 hens (9 Austrolop, 8 Rhode Island Red). The chickens free-range in our yard. If it wasn't for the crows and our rooster, I'm sure the hens would have all been eaten by critters now.

With that being said, I should be clear, the rooster is very observant and sounds the alarm for the hens to run inside. I do not see our rooster fighting to the death to save a hen