The Pros and Cons of Roosters

There's a constant battle between my husband and I about whether we should keep a rooster or not. I know I've mentioned in a previous post that I've been flogged multiple times by roosters so, I have a bit of a grudge against them. As for my hubby, he absolutely loves them! If it were up to him, we'd have roosters running around everywhere. What better way to settle this debate than to write an unbiased, informational blog post all about roosters.
 PROS
There's no denying it, roosters are stunning! Their bright red combs and their long colorful tail feathers are just eye candy wandering in your yard.

                                                Our Sussex roo, Big Daddy, is stunning

Okay, that's all I've got for pros. I'm kidding roosters have plenty to offer. The fact of the matter is, your hens won't lay or live forever. So, at some point you'll need to replenish your flock. Of course, you can always go out and buy new chicks or hatching eggs but, with a rooster you have the benefit of gene selection. By this I mean that you can pick out your best layer with the greatest personality and hatch her eggs with the hopes of passing those characteristics down to the next generation. This is exactly what a good breeder does. Now if you're like us and have an open run or your chickens free range, a rooster is a must. One of their most basic instincts is to protect their flock! I have read many stories of roosters giving up their own life just to keep their hens safe. They'll also find the best foraging spots and if they come across something delicious, like a cricket, they'll call the girls over and give it to them.
CONS
If you live in the suburbs a rooster is a definite no, no. Crowing is unbelievable loud and your neighbors will loathe you! I know some people probably think roosters just crow as the sun is coming up and as cute as that would be...it's completely false. They crow ALL DAY LONG!

 

   A video of our Polish Tophat roo crowing

 As I just mentioned roosters are very protective of their girls and sometimes they'll confuse you for an enemy. This is when they fly at you with their extremely long spurs directed at your face! Ahhhh! Now, my husband swears that you can over dominate a rooster by spurring them back and showing them who's boss. If you're brave enough, go for it. As for me, I just run away screaming. If you're trying to run a low cost homestead having a rooster might not be they way to go. Roosters can get quite large, depending on the breed, and these big birds require a lot of food.

                                                   Our Langshan roo is an eating machine!

 

All feelings aside, roosters do have a lot of great characteristics. Whether to keep one or not really depends on each homesteads specific needs. As for my husband and I...the battle continues. Let me know your feelings on rooster in the comments below. P.S. I'm over at The Prairie Homestead for the Barn Hop, make sure to click on the link and check it out. Happy Homesteading!