# Roosters



## DeEtta (Jan 14, 2022)

I recently finished my chicken coop. The pen will be fine soon. 
 I used to raise chickens 15 years ago. I'm excited to have my chickens back. They are more than just barn animals, they are spoiled pets.

They will be Free Range also. I do have to lock them up when I'm not home as I have a resident hawk. My dog has kept her at bay for now.

I would like to get a rooster I have one girl that makes a nest in the hay everyday. I think she will be broody and give me some chick's. What is the best way to introduce a Rooster to the flock?

I have 5 Amaracanas, 2 Austrolorp and 2 Buff Cochins.
















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Conversation info​Participants2Replies1Last reply dateToday at 9:15 AMLast reply fromDeEtta
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## Baymule (Jan 14, 2022)

Put him in a small cage with food and water, in the coop. That gives them time to get acquainted. After a week, open the door, but leave the cage in the coop. He may want to return to the cage for a few nights. When he goes to the roost with the hens, you can take the cage out. 

Real nice coop! Have fun with your chickens!


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## Alaskan (Jan 14, 2022)

DeEtta said:


> I would like to get a rooster I have one girl that makes a nest in the hay everyday. I think she will be broody and give me some chick's. What is the best way to introduce a Rooster to the flock?



It might be easiest to wait until she is fully broody, then buy some fertilized eggs for her.

Eggs are much less likely to have diseases or parasites than a grown rooster.  And...  chicks raised up in the flock are more likely to be well behaved (hopefully,  maybe).

Other option....  if you decide you want an adult... First, make sure the rooster is completely disease free and pest free.

Even if you are sure you got a "clean" rooster, it is best to quarantine him for at least a couple of weeks.

Ideally you would find someone who is in the city, and had an excellent rooster that they need to rehome due to noise.

Or.... if someone who bred for personality, raised up a huge number of males, and was selling one of those.

Personality is strongly genetic..  a rooster that is human aggressive, will likely have sons that are also people aggressive. 

Roosters are a dime a dozen...  you should have your pick, most of which will probably be free.  So take your time and pick a good one.  If the first one doesn't work out, eat it.... and try again.


I would pick a smaller sized rooster...  one that tid bits for the ladies, and has ZERO human aggression.


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## Alaskan (Jan 14, 2022)

Oh. And Baymule gave great advice for the actual integration part.


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## Finnie (Jan 15, 2022)

Alaskan said:


> It might be easiest to wait until she is fully broody, then buy some fertilized eggs for her.


This is a really good option, because you know there will be boys among the eggs that hatch, and you can keep one of those for your future rooster. And there will be no need to integrate an outside rooster into your flock.

If I were adding an outside rooster, I would look for a very young one, and then he could grow up among your hens, and hopefully they would teach him his place as he grows.


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## DeEtta (Jan 15, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Put him in a small cage with food and water, in the coop. That gives them time to get acquainted. After a week, open the door, but leave the cage in the coop. He may want to return to the cage for a few nights. When he goes to the roost with the hens, you can take the cage out.
> 
> Real nice coop! Have fun with your chickens!


Thank you for the info.  I have a medium size dog crate that will work just fine.  Works it be better to get him while they are this age or a little older?


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## DeEtta (Jan 15, 2022)

Alaskan said:


> It might be easiest to wait until she is fully broody, then buy some fertilized eggs for her.
> 
> Eggs are much less likely to have diseases or parasites than a grown rooster.  And...  chicks raised up in the flock are more likely to be well behaved (hopefully,  maybe).
> 
> ...


I have a friend who raises a few breeds.  She will give me fertilized eggs. I'm looking at the leggbar or a Maran. Can't decide.  Which breed is friendlier? And are the hens gentle. I've never owned these breeds before. 
I like the idea of getting a young rooster.  I'll see if she had any with a non aggressive personality


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## DeEtta (Jan 15, 2022)

Finnie said:


> This is a really good option, because you know there will be boys among the eggs that hatch, and you can keep one of those for your future rooster. And there will be no need to integrate an outside rooster into your flock.
> 
> If I were adding an outside rooster, I would look for a very young one, and then he could grow up among your hens, and hopefully they would teach him his place as he grows.


I have an americana hen who is in charge.  I'm sure she would put a young rooster in his place. 
But I think I do like the idea of putting eggs under a broody hen,  thank you


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## Alaskan (Jan 15, 2022)

DeEtta said:


> I have a friend who raises a few breeds.  She will give me fertilized eggs. I'm looking at the leggbar or a Maran. Can't decide.  Which breed is friendlier? And are the hens gentle. I've never owned these breeds before.
> I like the idea of getting a young rooster.  I'll see if she had any with a non aggressive personality


Marans, in my experience,  tend to be pretty mellow.

But, they eat a bunch of food, for not many eggs.  The males are pretty heavy, so even a well manered male might damage some feathers on the backs of girls with softer feathers.

I have zero experience with Legbars.  But, I think they are part Leghorn?  Leghorns are flighty,  but have great feed to egg ratio.  I greatly enjoyed the males.   However, I think from my first crop of leghorns, out of 10 males, maybe 4 were good, 6 were human aggressive. 

Of course I only kept and bred the good ones.


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## DeEtta (Jan 16, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Put him in a small cage with food and water, in the coop. That gives them time to get acquainted. After a week, open the door, but leave the cage in the coop. He may want to return to the cage for a few nights. When he goes to the roost with the hens, you can take the cage out.
> 
> Real nice coop! Have fun with your chickens!


Thank you


Alaskan said:


> Marans, in my experience,  tend to be pretty mellow.
> 
> But, they eat a bunch of food, for not many eggs.  The males are pretty heavy, so even a well manered male might damage some feathers on the backs of girls with softer feathers.
> 
> ...


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## DeEtta (Jan 16, 2022)

DeEtta said:


> Thank you


Doesn't sound like i want Marans. I've always wanted to try legbar. I'll definitely get hatching eggs this spring.


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## Finnie (Jan 16, 2022)

DeEtta said:


> Doesn't sound like i want Marans. I've always wanted to try legbar. I'll definitely get hatching eggs this spring.


My first rooster was a Cream Legbar. He was great. I kept a crossbred (Easter Egger) son of his, and he was great too. And they were pretty. Right now I have a Black Copper Marans cockerel. He went through a stage where I thought he was turning into a jerk, and I put him on Craigslist. He didn’t sell, and he has behaved himself as he has grown, so for now I’m keeping him. That’s not a big sample size to go by. But my Cream Legbar and Easter Legger roosters made pretty mixed breed offspring. All you will get from a Black Copper is black chicks with a lot of red leakage. And feather legs. Other colors can come out in the following generation though.


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## Baymule (Jan 16, 2022)

I vote for a young rooster.


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## DeEtta (Jan 17, 2022)

Finnie said:


> My first rooster was a Cream Legbar. He was great. I kept a crossbred (Easter Egger) son of his, and he was great too. And they were pretty. Right now I have a Black Copper Marans cockerel. He went through a stage where I thought he was turning into a jerk, and I put him on Craigslist. He didn’t sell, and he has behaved himself as he has grown, so for now I’m keeping him. That’s not a big sample size to go by. But my Cream Legbar and Easter Legger roosters made pretty mixed breed offspring. All you will get from a Black Copper is black chicks with a lot of red leakage. And feather legs. Other colors can come out in the following generation though.



The more I hear about the legbars the more I like them.  I'm looking forward to eventual cross breds with my americanas. I will have to wait till spring to get hatching eggs.  I do not have an incubator,  just heat lamp for chick's. 

Sounds like a rooster teenager.


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