Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
When your birds are three to six weeks old, place them on the kitchen floor and let them
mill about for a minute or two. Then drop a hat in the middle of the floor. The hens will
shrink down or run; the males usually lift their heads and look around. It's their most
basic protective instinct shining through.
If you do have a rooster in with your flock, then what? Consider the pros and
cons—assuming your local laws permit leaving the decision up to you, of course.
ROOSTER CONS
Roosters crow. They don't just do it at dawn (really, more like an hour before first light)
but all day long. They occasionally can be aggressive and cut you with their spurs. They
can be large (my Winthrop is taller than my Toulouse gander!), and having more than
one can be an invitation to unregulated cockfighting. Since there is no personality test
or a bark collar for roosters, they may not make the best pets. I would not recommend
them for anyone in an urban, suburban, or small-children-tended flock.
