Even though we have 23 chickens we weren’t considering introducing a rooster to the flock anytime soon.
That is until our neighbors offered us their pair of turkeys, one male, and one female. We gladly accepted them as we haven’t raised turkeys before but have been wanting to try our hand at it.
Because Henny, the female turkey, laid eggs consistently and Tom, the male, fertilized them they offered to let us borrow their incubator as well to try to hatch our own turkey eggs! And along with their incubator, they let us borrow their rooster too!
With the rooster and the incubator, we could give a shot at hatching our own chicken eggs and turkey eggs. How exciting!
Honestly, after we drove over and pick up the two turkeys and rooster, we just dropped them into the same pen as our chickens that same day. When our neighbors had them, they were all in the same pen as their chickens as well, so we thought it would be fine.
We didn’t give any thought to the list below when introducing a rooster and because of that everyone suffered for a few days. The new birds stayed in the back of the fenced area away from the chickens and our chickens appeared extremely stressed.
But more on that in a bit. Let’s get started on what to consider when introducing a rooster…
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Time of Day
When we dropped our rooster into the pen with our chickens it was the early morning. And, it wasn’t the end of the world but after we did it we realized nighttime might have been better.
Our chickens were freaked out when we added the rooster. They flew all over, stayed away from the rooster, and were out of sorts all day. Our nesting boxes even broke because so many of them tried to hid inside of them at the same time!
Consider introducing the rooster into the coop at night when your chickens are already settled in. You can close the coop door to force them to get to know each other. It will be a gentler experience.
Related Post: 7 Chicken Books You Need To Read To Start Your Own Backyard Flock
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Breed
The next thing to consider when introducing a rooster is the breed that you are introducing. Is it the same breed as your chickens or different?
But most importantly, how will the rooster respond? What is the breed of rooster known for?
Thankfully, the rooster our neighbors let us borrow was a very timid rooster. It was a different breed and just as scared as the chickens. I recommend doing some breed research or talking with the previous owner beforehand to understand the temperament of the rooster before adding him to your flock.
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Flock Size
How many chickens do you have? If it is only a couple, it may not make sense to introduce a rooster. The rooster may cause more harm than good.
If it is a large flock like ours, around 25, you may want two or three roosters to service all the eggs your hens are laying. One rooster won’t be enough.
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Free-Ranging or Not
If you are planning on purchasing a rooster to help free-range your chickens, that is wonderful. Roosters are great at adding a level of protection and warning our chickens to take cover whenever a predator is nearby.
However, you will want to introduce the rooster in a confined area to start. This will help the rooster get acquainted with its new home and flock. It will know where the nesting boxes are and its roost at night.
I suggest keeping the rooster and hens within a fenced area for two weeks before they start free-ranging.
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Aggression
Someone roosters can be extremely aggressive. The rooster we borrowed from our neighbors was actually very scared of humans (they did a good job raising him)! He would run the other way when he saw me approaching.
If you have children around especially, the last thing you want is a rooster charging towards you. The rooster can also be aggressive towards the hens and peck at their backs, creating bare bald spots that are susceptible to disease and frostbite in the winter.
If you see signs of your rooster being aggressive when you introduce him to your hens, you may have to work hard at training him who is boss, or he may just not be the right fit for your backyard homestead.
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Growing Your Flock
Another thing to consider with a rooster is the purpose. Introducing a rooster for free-ranging as I mentioned above is a great reason to add one to your flock.
But, the reason we added one was for the purpose of fertilizing our eggs. Incubating the fertilized eggs will allow us to hatch our own chicks and be more self-sufficient.
You may also get a hen or two that are broody when you introduce the rooster. That means the hen sits on the eggs and hatches them herself. Unfortunately, most hens no longer do this as it has been bred out of them.
Some people consider this a disadvantage to having a rooster because the broody hen gets in the way. I think it would be wonderful to have a broody hen one day. It is just something else to consider.
Related Post: 2 Easy Animals Every Homesteader Should Own For Self-Sufficiency
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Crowing
Roosters are quite noisy! They will crow and cock-a-doodle-do all throughout the day.
If noise is something that will bother you or your neighbors, a rooster may not be the best addition to your flock. I personally love the sound because it makes me feel like I am on a farm. And, I hardly notice it after a while.
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Quarantine
When you have a rooster that you want to introduce to your flock, you will want to be sure to quarantine it for two weeks. This is for the purpose of keeping your flock healthy.
We did not do this; however, the rooster came from our next-door neighbors, so we were fairly confident the rooster was healthy.
New birds and roosters that you introduce to your flock could carry lice, mites, or other diseases. By quarantining them in their own pen for two weeks first, you can see if the rooster is healthy and examine it before adding to the same pen as your chickens.
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Beauty
Roosters are beautiful! Some breeds especially are much more colorful than others.
Just like the crowing, it may be a concern to you when you bring them your property. Is the beauty of the rooster something that you are going to enjoy, or will it bother you?
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Town Ordinances
Roosters aren’t allowed in all towns, subdivisions, and urban areas. In fact, at our old house, they weren’t allowed in our neighborhood. The crowing is often the reason why they are banned.
Be sure that you check your local laws before introducing a rooster!
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Pecking Order
Lastly, remember that you are introducing a new member to the pecking order when you drop your rooster in with your hens.
Some roosters are more aggressive than others. We just dropped our rooster in and let them all sort it out, but that did require us locking him in the coop with the ladies. He would not enter voluntarily.
The bare spots on your hens’ backs could be a sign that your rooster is trying to establish his dominance. After introducing a rooster make sure that you observe the interactions the next week or so.
Check to make sure he is doing his job, whether that is the protection of the flock or fertilizing the eggs. But, also make sure he is not causing more harm than good.
Are you thinking about introducing a rooster to your flock? Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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Wow so many helpful things to think about when adding a rooster to the mix. I love how you broke down the post into all of the different pros and cons to think about! Great resource!
Thank you Sarah!!
This is so interesting! I am fascinated by all of the factors that you need to consider when adding in a rooster with your chickens. We definitely are not allowed to have roosters where I live, so I am glad you mentioned town ordinances as well.
Yes, it’s something very important to not forget about!