Roosters okay to live with Egg Hens?

[SystemShark]

Silly question I guess but 1 of the 3 chicks I got from a breeder turned out to be a rooster (a loud one :p). At this point I still think its cute and it only crows when I let the ramp down from the coop in the morning. The problem is, I want EGGs and Im guessing the rooster will sex the hens at some point.. is that a problem for eating the eggs?

Another issue is my neighbor has 4 hens that are also free range, will my rooster sex his hens and cause problems for his EGGs?

I'd like to keep him around as sort of a protector and his crowing doesn't bother me (or the neighbors... as far as i'm aware ^^)

But I don't need baby chickens as much as I want regular eggs for eating.

Should I keep this guy or give him back to the breeder?

Thanks in advance!

[tshnc01]

Nothing wrong at all with eating fertile chicken eggs.  In fact having a single rooster will keep a better social order to your flock.

...Tim

[Jerrymac]

I have roosters that appear to be really good breeders. I eat the eggs all the time no problem.

If your neighbor doesn't have his own rooster then yours will probably go and take care of those hens too.... know what I mean  ;)

 

[Natalie]

You don't have anything to worry about.
Most people cannot tell the difference between an infertile and fertile egg.
Its a very minute spot on the egg.
You won't have a bunch of babies unless the hens decide to go broody and want to hatch some babies and some hens never go broody.... unless they live at jerrymac's.

Roosters are good for protecting the girls and I think they kind of like having the big guy around.
Its hard to explain but the hens seem to be more relaxed or something when I have a rooster compared to when I don't.
Once I sold off my roosters and the hens didn't lay eggs for a couple of days, they didn't want to free range around the yard and they didn't eat much.
I was shocked because I figured they would be relieved of all that "attention" but they seemed lost without the roosters.
I have 2 roosters now and I like having them around.
When a hawk comes around they do their warning cry and round the girls up and force them into the coop.
Keep the rooster and see how he works out. If he is aggressive when he is older then you can get rid of him but I'd give him a chance.
Eat the eggs, you will never know the difference.

[Cindi]

SystemShark.  I agree with Natalie 100%.  In my eyes the rooster is a MUST in a flock of chickens.  He takes care of every need of the gals.  I mean that in many ways.  Chickens constantly have their heads down, looking at what they can muster from the ground, be it grass, bugs, anything food like.  The roosters don't really eat all that much, with regard to bugging and grassing.  Some of course, and of course food. 

Their entire job in life is to look after their girls.  Watch the skies, watch the area.  When the rooster calls his warning, and it can be heard loud and clear, totally different than a crowing, it is likened to a siren.  The hens run for cover, the ducks run for cover, the younger chicks (even though they have a separated pen right now) run for their lives.  They all seem to know what the siren means.  You will hear this sound and when you hear it, you will know what I am speaking about.  All roosters have different sounds in their "siren" voice, but everyone in the chickenyard adheres and obey.  They know that sound.   I would never be without a rooster, unless I lived in an area where roosters are not allowed.

Recently in our great big city of Vancouver, there has been some new laws passed that city folk can have I think it is two or three hens, no roosters, but hens are allowed.  They are encouraging people to get back to nature.  It will be interesting to see what comes of this.  CHickens are expensive and in huge demand right now.  That is good for me actually, because I have 75 little day old chicks, smiling.

So, keep a rooster.  He may save the life of the hens.  The eggs, as Natalie said, one who is not trained to see the mark of the rooster, would never even know the difference.  Unless, of course, a hen went broody and sat on the eggs, but collecting the eggs daily, or every other day, you would never know if they were fertilized or not.

I used to see a little tiny red dot in my eggs now and then.  Until I understood more deeply what this was, I thought it was the mark of the rooster.  It is not.  When a chicken lays an egg, sometimes a bit of blood will get into the egg, this happens when a tiny blood vessel is broken as the egg travels through the chicken body.  The sperm of the rooster is just a little white dot that is basically attached to the yolk and is just barely visible.  The blood spots will not hurt you, but it kind of turns some people off when they see it.  Me, I just treat it as a bonus and eat that egg, smiling.  Hope these answers have helped you out with your quandry....beautiful days in this great life, great health.  Cindi

[qa33010]

   What Natalie and Cindi said.  We have an ordanance that allows some agricultural animals in city limits.  Some of my neighbors have chickens and one recently bought a rooster.  Have spoken with them and they said the rooster seemed to settle the hens and they layed better.  When I was a kid the roosters always were on alert and all critters listened when they sounded off, and the geese joined in as they beat feet/wings to the barns.