Are there benefits of keeping roosters? You bet—but not everyone thinks of these automatically. If fresh eggs are your only goal in raising chickens—and that’s usually the case on small farms—you obviously don’t need a rooster. Because of this, some people don’t pursue the topic any further because roosters have a few disadvantages. Neighbors often dislike rooster noise, plus roosters can be territorial. In some urban or neighborhood settings, keeping a rooster may be against city ordinances, even if keeping a flock of hens is allowed.
But roosters do have their benefits—actually quite a few! So, if you’re already comfortable caring for a flock of hens, you just might be interested in upping your game and bringing a rooster into the mix. Here’s why:
1. Roosters Guard the Flock
Roosters naturally want to protect the hens and the chicks. It’s a deep instinct for them, and they take the job very seriously. A rooster is constantly on the lookout for predators or other threats, and he will vocally warn the hens of real or perceived dangers. He might also attempt to direct the flock toward safety, like a protective sheepdog. A rooster can also help by alerting you to unusual happenings or dangers around your rural property that you need to check out. Sometimes, the hens may seem more confident or relaxed with the protective presence of a rooster nearby.
2. Roosters Equal Live Chicks
Without a rooster, your hens lay unfertilized eggs. These eggs are great for cooking. But they’re not helpful if you’re actually interested in raising chicks “from scratch” and increasing the size of your flock with your own birds. Keeping a rooster with quality genetics that you value can be a fantastic way to naturally add chicks to your flock with little work on your end.
3. Roosters Can Be Umpires
Life in the flock tends to be calmer and more natural with a rooster around. Roosters have a knack for interrupting and stopping hen “squabbles” that might otherwise lead to pecking or bullying. Many chicken owners note that placing a rooster in the flock adds back in a missing component of the hierarchy that simply makes flock life better and more natural.
4. Watching Roosters Can Be Enjoyable
There is more to farming than strictly production, especially at the hobby level. Roosters are simply a joy and entertaining to watch, with their fun strutting and dancing behaviors, vivid plumage coloring (that you may not get with the hens), and impressive combs and wattles. They even bring small gifts to their hens. If you enjoy watching birds—and you probably do if you have chickens—you may enjoy having a rooster even more.
5. Roosters Bring a Sound of the Farm
Finally, crowing at dawn is not some pastoral cliché—a rooster will call with the sunrise. While some may find this annoying, it all depends on your point of view. The sound of a rooster as the first light of day hits your property can be a nice reminder that you’re living the rural life, with all of its tradition, charm, and satisfaction.
This article about the five benefits of keeping roosters in a backyard flock was written for Chickens and Hobby Farms magazines. Click here to subscribe.
