For those of you who might have missed it, while The Girl and I were out of town last week the HH got rid of our roosters. Yep. My husband gave our two roos to the Hunter up the street, who then gave them to the couple down the road who keeps chickens.
Yesterday while I was out running errands, I actually spotted our roos outside roaming around the {very large} chicken run at the house down the road. How cool is that?
Part of me wants to do a commando mission and get my birds back under the darkness of night. But then I think about my hens, and how happy them seem now that those pesky boys are gone.
Their feathers haven’t looked this vibrant for weeks. 
I’m guessing their stress levels have gone way down and get this, the hens seems to be laying MORE EGGS now that the roos are gone. So, in hindsight, maybe the HH did a good thing.
But I’m not going to tell him that obviously, because HELLO, I would never hear the end of it.
Do you have roosters? Do you think your hens like them, or would rather live without them?
Mavis wants to know!
Gerrie says
Multiple roosters are a bad idea. Too hard on the hens and they will fight. But having one rooster is very helpful, they watch out for the flock. Our Rooster has fought a hawk and coyotes to protect his hens and lived! Sadly all the hens did not but he tried and was badly injured protecting them.
Karen A. says
I have twenty- five ladies and one very exhausted roo named Rod Stewart (his peppered white feathers standing straight up on his head make him look very much like the real spiky haired singer!). He is kept busy running around our property all day checking on his ladies and doesn’t seem to have much time for “romance” which the ladies seem to like. I’ve had multiple roosters at times, but they tend to get very territorial and end up fighting with each other. I do need one rooster to be around to protect and warn his girls of hawks and other predators since they all free range during the daytime and that alone is priceless to my flock 🙂
Bethany James says
I’m keeping one rooster named McClane. We’ve never bothered with one before, but I’m hoping I’ll get a setting hen to raise some chicks for me if I have one for fertilization. He’s pretty cool for his own sake too. Very protective of the “ladies”.
Oregon mom says
We have had roos in the past, but the girls always seem glad to see them go. They lay better and are actually friendlier with my kids when the boys are gone.
Delores says
I had not made the connection, but this post makes me wonder….Our hens had not been laying for a very looooonnnnng time. But the rooster died a few weeks ago and now we are getting eggs. Maybe there is a connection!
Teena says
I had multiple roosters once but not by choice, it was way too stressful on the hens; one in particular was targeted by all of them and she was terrified and would try to run away from then, plus their egg production went down. I got rid of all but one rooster for protection, however, he didn’t even try to protect the hens when the hawk came, hawk got three at different times though I saved one from dying because I was so close and saw it happening. The rooster, he was hiding under a bush with the other hens, I have seem them run to the same bush when a hawk flies over and he is usually the first one there so as a protector he is somewhat useless except for when humans go near his girls and then he gets nasty and attacks.
Desi says
No roos for us. We’re ok with that. They make lots of noise and can be very aggressive.
The Smallest Acre says
I thought for sure you would be posting plans on how to build a man size doghouse! It might be worth mentioning, innocently of course, how wonderful the hens are doing…now that the men were kicked to the curb…ahem. Hee hee
Susan says
As sad as it was to re-home our rooster, the girls are definitely less stressed.
Elaine says
My girls actually stopped all the in fighting for the pecking order when I added a roo the mix.
Cecily says
My rooster is non aggressive to people and our pets but he keeps vigilant watch over his girls (he even stands out in the rain while the girls hunker down under cover). I had another rooster and the girls were definitely not happy with all the squabbling. I rehomed him and they started looking healthier. I have had an increase in eggs too, but that is likely due to the increase in daylight hours rather than the other rooster being gone.
Jeannette says
I might have a rooster. I was given two chicks last spring (silver laced wyandottes), one is clearly a hen. The other larger one has a slightly different shaped comb – so we are an the fence if it’s a rooster or not. If he is a rooster, he isn’t aggressive, hasn’t made any noise and the rest of the hens appear indifferent. If he/she doesn’t crow, he/she can stay.
julie says
our girls are definitely happier, less stressed and I think healthier. Since we just want eggs and no babies, we are very glad we found a new home for the boys.
akaGaGa says
I’m with the smallest acre. Build that doghouse!
Katie B. says
We got 10, redstar crosses about 10wks ago and last week we figured out who the roos were. Although, it was pretty clear by their colors and size. Figuring out which ones are going to “freezer camp” and going to keep one for protection of the hens. We will be adding to the flock this spring. The foxes got 5 of the 10 redstar crosses a few weeks back. Sadly I think it was most of the hens out of the 10 we had. We have 5 older hens (3 red star, 2 white leghorns) that are great layers and we free range them.
Lisa says
Mama Hen had 12 chickens 3 years ago, 6 were Roos! 4 became dinner, we kept the nicest Roos. At first I only wanted to keep 1 but my daughter begged us to keep both. They get along very well. One is very protective and the other is a big goof ball. Typical first-born, 2nd born dynamics : ) Mama Hen still bosses them around. I love their morning wake-up calls, but we live in the sticks so it’s okay. At times, tho, I think the hens are noisier than the roosters.
Lorinda says
We had a great big White Rock roo who was a wonderful mate but liked to attack us. We ate him.
Last Summer the girls really liked one of the Straight Run roos but I was worried about him turning on us too. We settled on a Bantam Porcelain Mille Fleur. He’s not a great protector but he’s never come after us and the 16 hens don’t mind him. He doesn’t tear them up like the full-sized roo. There’s still a chance for Sprung chicks since he gets the job done. It’s the perfect balance!
Patty P says
I like to keep at least one rooster. Right now I have three. I love hatching eggs (my son can’t wait to do this every year, and we did this every year when I was a kid…so I guess it’s a tradition now). Some years I get lucky and I don’t have a lot of roos hatch. Last year I had 15! Ugh. I let them grow for quite a while, until they started vying for territory and then most of them went to the freezer. They were small, but good! I know what I have fed them and how they were raised, so that helps a bit! I did grow up on a farm eating beef that I had hand raised from a calf, so I’m used to that part of it. As long as these roos play nice they can stay, if they start being nuts, they’ll make their way to the freezer. We always keep our old guy, Brutus. He’s not that old, just older than the others. 🙂
Jen L A says
Ugh…roosters! We haven’t had a nice one yet. Love hearing them crow while working the garden…but when they attack from behind or bite the hand that feeds them we make a pot of soup. I do think the girls are happier without!
Kim says
What do you do with your empty feed bags? I’ve been turning mine into recycled shopping bags!!
Susan says
Me, too! There is also an easy outdoors apron you can make. Google or check Pinterest to find the pattern.