Will a Rooster be helpful to my flock?

[chrissynemetz]

I couldn't imagine my flock without at least one rooster dancing around for the ladies. I've been lucky with my boys, they've been good protectors. I even had one kill a ferel cat that got in the coop many years ago

 

[Cherry67]

Like Chrissy above said..you can get lucky with a rooster. I got lucky with mine too and wouldnt trade him for any amount of hens. Hes respectfully of my girls, he does not mess with babies or smaller hens (like my silkies), he trees squirrels if they are too close to his girls and I've got a video of them when it started raining and everyone was going back to the coop and he actually stopped and waited for a girl that was lallygagging around..lol
I've no doubt my flock is better with him and he would defend to death if he had to.
On the flip side..I've got 7 1 yr old boys in a pen that are showing "their true colors" lol

 

[aart]

Not really looking to have one to fertilize the eggs though. But curious to your thoughts on if a Roo would be helpful to my flock. Meaning help in protection in general and just overall quality? Right now I have 6 hens 2 turkey and two ducks that are all about a month or so old.

Thanks in advance!
Jbum

I'd wait...you may have one amongst those 6 'hens'.
A cock/erel may help with predation, and to break up fights,
but they can also be a big PITA.
Get thru your first year and winter with what you've got,
multiple species is enough of a learning curve.


FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[RollTideChicken]

Roosters add a certain dynamic that just isn't possible otherwise. I enjoy having a rooster, they are fun to watch. And they do put chickens in your eggs so it's easier to replenish your flock when the time is right.

 

[DuckWhisperer06]

It actually happens all the time, you can probably find several stories of roosters fighting or even killing predators.

Our cockerel ate a snake when he was very young. The snake was almost a foot long.

He found it while he was scratching around in a bush and ran away from all of the hens to gobble it down.

Our other cockerel wasn’t too happy about that, he’s no longer our favorite.

 

[Fairview01]

If I had a rooster that had a 1/4 of the brass described here I could pick up my traps, hang my snares up and retire my Ruger .22 Hornet.
At least my 6x expert Marine marksmanship award has served me well through the last 4 decades.

 

[Fairview01]

It actually happens all the time, you can probably find several stories of roosters fighting or even killing predators.

Yup stories like these abound but when it comes to these stories if there isn't a picture of didn't happen. Amazing how smart phones seem to be surgically attached yet no one has one available to take pics.

 

[Jbum]

So I need to be looking out for one like this? Just trying to be clear lol

 

[DuckWhisperer06]

View attachment 1741490 So I need to be looking out for one like this? Just trying to be clear lol

Pretty much!

 

[Roo5]

Well it could be because their panicking and worrying about getting the predator rather then record and watch the animals fight.

Yup stories like these abound but when it comes to these stories if there isn't a picture of didn't happen. Amazing how smart phones seem to be surgically attached yet no one has one available to take pics.