Keeping Rooster Hatchlings

I've hatched 6 eggs and got 2 roosters. I was thinking about keeping one if I can manage the noise and agree with my neighbours.

If I do go ahead, how do I deal with the inbreeding thing? I assume he is probably going to try mate with his sisters... Obviously I wouldn't hatch any of those eggs, but is it normal to just allow that kind of weirdness in the flock?

7 comments

Someone a street over from us got a rooster, and absolutely no one on my street is happy about it.
If you're within city limits, the rooster might technically violate quiet hours or noise ordinances.
- I understand that and have also mentioned this to another responder:
  At the moment this is a very prospective question. I'm talking with my neighbours about it currently and so far the ones I have spoken too are happy to see how it goes. It would only take one no for me to abort, as my relationship with my neighbours is more important to me.
It depends on whether the rooster is worth the trouble to you. Does it have desirable qualities or genetics you want to reproduce, such as mild temperament, coloration, superior weight gain for meat birds, superior laying ability for egg raising? Does your city or town allow roosters in its limits- I ask this because if not, you could incur a fine for having one. If you have neighbors close enough to be bothered by the noise, it might not be worth the risk. I'd choose happy neighbors as my highest priority over long term concerns about inbreeding. Some poultry raisers allow a certain amount of inbreeding to promote a color or quality they like for show birds, but they have to be careful to introduce new genetics as well to prevent abnormalities.
- At the moment this is a very prospective question. I'm talking with my neighbours about it currently and so far the ones I have spoken too are happy to see how it goes. It would only take one no for me to abort, as my relationship with my neighbours is more important to me.
  
  Cool, sounds like you're off to a good start
If you have a rooster yes your hens well be bread and eggs well be fertilized.
When I was a kid, I grew up on a small chicken farm. We had one half of the pen for roosters, one half for hens.

7 comments