Things you always wanted to know about Roosters but afraid to ask.

You are thinking about Chickens but you have heard so many stories about roosters and you are confused on weather or not Roosters are right for you or your flock. You are going to get chickens and maybe you have some questions about Roosters you are afraid to ask.

You are in luck, we are here to guide you all things rooster and finally give you some answers you are looking for. You will be confident, after reading this article, in making a decision on weather a Rooster or two are right for you and your flock. Let’s get started.

Ask anyone in the Chicken business, and they will tell you the number 1 question we get asked all the time is “Do you need a rooster for my hens to lay eggs?”

I know to some people this may seem like a silly question. For others that are asking, this is a question worth answering, and the answer is no. You do not need a rooster for hens to lay eggs, but there are many benefits to having roosters in your flock. That would be the next question “Why do we need a rooster?” The main reason that roosters might be beneficial would be to fertilize eggs.

Maybe you want to someday hatch your very own baby chicks on your farm, or backyard feathered family. Well the only way those eggs are going to hatch is if you have a rooster around to fertilize them. That’s how babies are made after all. Moving on!

Another reason a rooster would be beneficial would be to protect your flock. Roosters will take on the sole responsibility of protector of the flock (as should any husband)… I have seen roosters make just one call and all the ladies run for cover while he stand with Courage and ready to take on anything wanting to hurt his ladies. So Brave!!

Some of us want to get chickens for the sole purpose of make sure our freezer is not empty. If that is the case then you should know that roosters get bigger then hens, and therefore more meat for your freezer.

Lastly, we believe overall having a rooster around makes a flock of any size much happier. Who doesn’t want a big strong brave man around the house anyway?

Now if you have been looking in to chickens for very long you have probably already have heard of horror stories about some roosters. In fact that was our third most asked question we are asked is “Are roosters mean to humans?” The answer I would have to give is it depends on the rooster or breed. I have seen some mean roosters and some very sweet calm roosters. Temperament is everything on your farm. One way to make sure that you have sweet and darling roosters, is to hand raise them. We have found that hand raising our chicks is the best part about getting to know them and used to them being handled by us. Even though, we handle and raise them to be the best Rooster they can be, sometimes, we get that one that is well is just plan aggressive. Truth be told is we do not allow that on our farm.

Another story you have probably heard about is Roosters fighting each other. Yes it is possible that you can have roosters that like to fight. Typically, if they are old enough to mate they will probably want to be the Biggest and Bravest one on the farm, Unless, there is enough of the ladies to go around. We found Roosters will stake claim to about 8-12 hens, if you have more then that per Roo then you should prevent some of the squabbling. There will be times though roosters will think the other roosters girls are prettier and will try and steal her away. Good news is they usually work it out. If they were hand raised together helps also, they work out some kind of agreement with one another and could live in harmony with one another.

On the other hand if you only want roosters for meat purposes. Roosters can live together without fighting if the whole flock were male and there is no other hens around anywhere they can see.

Another complaint we hear about roosters and one of the reasons that roosters get a bad wrap, is that they can be noisy. Cockle doodle dooing all day long, not just the morning. Truth be told yes this one is true, but they do not crow until they are sexually mature. You can get away with having them until they are ready for some wives. Someplaces in the USA, that are close to cities, will not allow chicken owners to have roosters. If you live in or near the city limits in some areas check with local authority to find out if this is the case for you.

So in conclusion, Roosters, like owning any kind of animal, have their good points and bad. So decide for yourself if a Rooster is right for you and your flock. If you have any questions feel free to contact us. Good luck!