This all depends on what you are looking for and where you live. Make sure to check your city/county websites and check your local ordinances to find out if there are any limitations. So the real answer is it depends…
Flock Protection
Do you have a guard dog or other guardian animal to protect your flock? If not you might benefit by having a good rooster to guard your girls. A good rooster will put itself between danger and your hens. Having a rooster in your flock gives a better chance of your hens being watched over. There is a reason they have those spurs and are known to attack their owners or be aggressive. This is a good behavior for them to have to protect your hens from anything they deem a threat. They also keep an eye out and alert the flock of any danger they detect.
What to Expect
Be prepared if they become aggressive and for the crowing. Any rooster can become aggressive once they grow up enough to become sexually active with the hens. I was honestly worried about this for Peach once I heard the crowing begin with him. I thought “oh no he’s going to get mean”. Soon I realized he kept his friendly demeanor and actually doesn’t crow as obnoxiously as I had anticipated. It worked out really nicely for me. However, be prepared for a juvenile yodel of a crow to manifest into the booming glory of a mature crow.
It is indeed obnoxious when it’s right in front of me while I’m in the run doing my daily chores. But also adorable when he finds a nice treat and lets the ladies know he found something yummy to share. It sounds like a short staccato of bck-bck bck-bck, and the girls come running for a treat. They will do the same if you call out every time you bring some treats out for your chickens.
If you’re not sure how obnoxious a crow might be, here is a video of Peach Crowing below. It also shows about as loud as hens get too. Orange felt like being a tad chatty here:
Sustainable Breeding
Do you want to have chicks? If you have a rooster and some hens you will eventually have some chicks. A broody hen will hatch out some baby chicks by having fertilized eggs. Whether you raise your chickens for meat or eggs, having your own chicks can be very wholesome and fulfilling. It is great knowing that you have a sustainable food source. Your laying hens can give you eggs fertilized by your rooster. More chicks will keep a reliable amount of eggs coming in when the older ones stop laying.
See my post about chicks basic care here. Before you think about getting them or if you are wondering about them.
Keep in mind that this will mean you getting additional roosters. Chickens have a 50% chance of being male or female. If you have too many roosters for your hens this can cause some problems. These could be overbreeding and fights between the roosters. Fights are a serious thing to consider especially depending on what breed you have. A good ratio to keep in your flock is 1 rooster to 5-10 hens. Depending on your plans and their personalities. So it is important to have a plan for your extra roosters if you breed them.
What if Roosters don’t work out for you?
I knew when I got a couple of straight-run (unsexed) chicks, that one of them could end up being a rooster. This ended up being Peach, my current and only rooster. I also knew I could rehome one if I needed to at a local chicken swap. You can find groups on Reddit or Facebook for chickens. In my area, it would cost me $5 to rehome him to a local group. That way I knew he wasn’t going into someone’s stew pot or freezer. I did know there was no way I could end his life, so I had to figure out what I wanted. Because he was an absolute sweetheart, and I had also grown way too attached. I kept him since that was an option available to me.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help or offer them up on craigslist or other media posts as well. Be aware of what they might do if you don’t want him to be eaten, or used for fighting. Be explicitly clear and check in to make sure he goes to a place you want. If you have concerns you can deliver him. See what kind of environment he will be going into, or ask questions about what they plan on. Make sure that environment aligns with what you want for their future.
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Meet Rose:
I am a 29-year-old woman persistent to learn to live a healthy lifestyle (as much as possible). Fitness and nutrition to gardening and chicken keeping. I am here to share and learn along the way.
Thank you for joining me on this journey and you can find out more about me Here.
