Do I Need a Rooster?

Farm life is filled with numerous dilemmas.

“Do I need a rooster?”, however, should not be one of such dilemmas.

We tried to keep a rooster but they can be difficult. So after he charged both the children and then me it was time for freezer camp.

Science Behind Eggs

Hens do not need to mate to lay eggs. However, the eggs that hatch without mating are infertile. Ultimately, the decision to have a rooster or not depends upon your end goal. Whether you want just eggs from your backyard chickens or have a desire of raising chickens for eggs.

The More The Merrier?

With a rooster, you can say bye-bye to a small flock and welcome a bigger flock as roosters fertilize eggs resulting in many more chicks.

An Egg A Day

If you are an egg aficionado, you might be tempted to get a rooster, and why wouldn’t you?

A happy hen wooed by a dancing rooster can lay more eggs than a hen without a mate.

I will say even after removing the roosters our girls haven't slowed production. Access to the right food, treat, and environments also makes a happy hen.

Making The Decision

The decision is simple. Roosters are great if you want to fertilize the eggs.

However, if you wish to enjoy organic eggs only, you do not need to get a rooster. Roosters can increase the population quite rapidly that can lead to some serious competition on the farm including competition for himself.

Conclusion

The quest for getting the most nutritious and fulfilling organic eggs is never easy.

Having a rooster really is beneficial if you plan to hatch your owns chicks either the natural way with a hen sitting on them for 21 days or through incubation. But if you just want eggs and don't want to run the risk of having a mean rooster, then just don't have one. Since we constantly have our children around the animals, we lean more towards no rooster unless we find the right one!