A question about keeping hens...?

A very good question and the jury is still out on it. There is one main advantage to having a rooster and that is for protection of the flock. A GOOD rooster will spend his days watching out for the hens. They are always on guard for preditors and will alert all if danger is present.

Roosters will fertilise the eggs, there is no doubt about that, and you hen will end up with a bald patch on the back of their head in some cases, but this is natural. Wheather you have or not a rooster your hens will "clock" (go through a cycle of sitting on the nest, at the end of their laying cycle) You can leave the nest empty, in which case the hen will just sit there for 3 or 4 weeks. If you place eggs under her without a rooster in the flock after about four weeks the eggs will be gone stale. If you have a rooster and place eggs under her she will sit for about 3 weeks until the chicks hatch and then begin raring them.

Depending the the hens you may not have eggs the whole year round - normally a hens laying period lasts 2 - 3 month before she being to "clock".

I've had both situations, no rooster, 1 rooster, 2 roosters :-( (not a good plan) and in all cases the hens have lived out a very good life of up to 12 years.

If you need more information on how to care for your feathered friends, I've answered this on another query, if you just have a look on my profile. Question was: Advice on keeping chickens in my garden.

Best of luck with your developments, either way you should have a very successful outcome.

The hens will have a happier life if no rooster is present. There is no good reason to include a rooster unless you plan to raise some baby chicks. They peck the feathers off the back of the hens and also cause them stress which will result in blood spots in the eggs.

You don't need a cockrel (rooster).

Do you already have a hen house and run?

I have an Omlet Cube and it is fantastic - and fox proof. I get 10 eggs a week from 2 hens - but I have three more POL pullets on order from a local breeder. If you buy from a breeder you can be sure your new girls have been checked over and have had the innoculations they need.

Hens make great pets but like all animals are a responsibility so you need to make sure you are willing to take on that responsibility before you get your hens.

Feed your hens layer pellets - that has everything they need to keep them healthy.

www.omlet.co.uk

is a great site and has a club for you to ask questions. Good luck.

No you don't need a rooster, your hens will lay eggs just fine without one.

Also hens sometimes lay too many eggs which deprives their bodies of calcium so make sure that you buy some crushed oyster shell at the feed store to give to your hens.

I grew up with hens living in the back garden for several years, and at no point did we ever put a male in with them. And they were as happy as Larry without one - gorgeous fresh eggs every morning. So, no, you don't need a rooster, in my experience.

Just one word of warning though - make sure their coop is VERY secure. On more than one occasion we woke up to find we'd lost a chicken to the local fox.

I've noted a couple of sites below that may help.

Good luck, and enjoy those eggs!

There is no need to get a rooster at all. They will lay just as well, and be just as happy (if not happier) without him.

Roosters have a tendency to tear up the hen's backs through overmating if there aren't enough of them.

I'd say that the choice is yours really. Having a rooster would be Good to provide eggs and breed with your chickens.

On the other hand, they can be irritating to other neighbours who are trying to get peace and quiet, and this is for your chickens, so my advice to think of what advantages and disadvantages having a rooster with your chickens have would be a good idea.

This is your idea, we are just advisers.

Your hens will be fine without a rooster!

I have had hens since i was little and we only once had a cockerel, and this made the hens broody anyway!

i have hen's myself and i have had with and with out ,a good reason for having a rooster is he will stop the hen's from fighting, but you don't need one for egg's.

There is no need to have a rooster.

My chickens are quite happy and lay well without one.

Roosters make lots of noise and will fertilise the eggs.

Mine roost fine, i have the wings of my chickens clipped now and they live in a ground based roost. I used to have then in a loft roost but the had a nasty happit of roosting on the roof at night.