Why have Roosters

[WV_Chicken]

Just curious as to why I should have a rooster in my flock of hens? It seems to me that you would only have one if you were interested in breeding your hens. If I'm not interested in breeding, should I have a rooster?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

A good roo will:

Find all tasty treats, call the girls wildly and feed them first before himself.

Watch for enemies and call danger warnings to the flock so they can escape.

Find safe and comfy places for the girls to lay, encourage them and then sing along with pride.

Watch over chicks and share meals with them. My roo will also snuggle with the chicks when mom decides she has had enough.

Keep the peace in the flock, settleing arguements between the girls and scolding young cockerels.

Dig dust holes and encourage bathing.




While they give no eggs, a good roo is worth his weight in eggs.

 

[chkn]

I raised only hens for many years and eventually acquired some roosters by mistake. Some were mean and I had to get rid of them. Then I happened on a nice one, a rhode island red, and found that my hens seemed happier with him around. I've had good luck with the RIR roosters. The barred rocks and the others were mean as sin, some beat up on the hens, some beat up on me or both. Believe me, you don't need a mean rooster. If he's a good rooster, he'll offer some protection and encourage hens to forage. Plus, they can be amusing, like the hens. Now, especially, with this depression thing going on, you never know when you might need that rooster.

 

[mypicklebird]

Ditto what Horsefeathers said, plus they are pretty to look at....

 

[chkn]

Another thing, if some varmint gets in the chicken house at night, nobody will make more noise then that rooster!!!

 

[dieselgrl48]

Welll you don't Need One.Hen's are going to produce an egg a day.Like commerial Layer's.Roo's are Just AWESOME to have around.Roo's alert hen's to food and often predator's also.What if your Alarm clock break's??? Yea most of mine are on worlwide time but hehe.I don't care.

 

[Crack N' Egg]

HorseFeatherz NV wrote:

A good roo will:

Find all tasty treats, call the girls wildly and feed them first before himself.

Watch for enemies and call danger warnings to the flock so they can escape.

Find safe and comfy places for the girls to lay, encourage them and then sing along with pride.

Watch over chicks and share meals with them. My roo will also snuggle with the chicks when mom decides she has had enough.

Keep the peace in the flock, settleing arguements between the girls and scolding young cockerels.

Dig dust holes and encourage bathing.




While they give no eggs, a good roo is worth his weight in eggs.

Ditto

Ditto

and

Ditto!!!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I'll tell you, I had a Buff Orpington rooster that was about 2 months old in with his 19 girls. I took him to the feed store and gave him away, because I was afraid of him eventually turning mean.

When I got home, the hens were terribly depressed. You could have heard a pin drop in the run. To this day they don't look as happy. I am going to get them another BO rooster.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

My Orps and Orps crosses are the sweetest boys.

I can sit or lay on the ground and the guys are gentle around me.


ChickensAreSweet - if you were closer, I would have a cockerel for girls.

 

[kla37]

If you are in a place where you are allowed to have a rooster, it would be a good idea to keep one. For all the reasons already mentioned above! I'm not supposed to have one where I am, and wish I could keep the one I accidentally ended up with. He's sweet, for now. Only 17 weeks old. Don't know what kind of bickering will erupt when he goes....