Keeping a single rooster- ok or cruel?

[bantymum]

Ok, well perhaps you can let him grow up with you and enjoy watching his beautiful feathers come out.
In the meantime you may be able to convince your mum and dad to like him too and let you get him a girlfriend!
In regard to his crowing, Ive heard that budgie cages with one side undone (to make a door as he wont fit in the budgie door!) work wonders for crowing at night, just for sleeping of course.
I really hope you can work it all out and If you cant keep him I hope you find a nice home for him.
Have you got a free advert website listing in your area, you can put a nice story in there!
Good luck

 

[erinm]

Yeh, he needs friends. Chickens are social creatures and do not like to be alone. Erin M.

 

[extranewbie]

This thread has been so inactive for such a long time now but I have a single rooster that's a house chicken. I let him sun bathe and "forage" in our balcony most of the time and a few hours a day he hangs out inside our house with a diaper on. Most chicken owners criticize me for this but he's very content from what I see. I feed him and groom him regularly, just like any other pet. We just let him crow whenever he likes since no one in our apartment complex complains. He's such a sweetheart although he does try to attack visitors and anyone who's not me. That is my fault since I didn't guide him properly as he was growing up. I think it's fine to keep a pet rooster just as long as you give him freedom and foraging space, a lot of TLC and he should be fine.

 

[snhchick]

Hope that I can get some recommendations from folks on this thread. I bought four chicks, one of which was a rooster. I was fine with that, and looked forward to hatching clicks. About 2 weeks ago, my two hens were taken (probably a fox) and I was left with the only chick we had hatched (hen) and my rooster. My sister took the remaining hen, so now I'm left with Sid. He doesn't really seem unhappy as long as he is free ranging. I'm currently keeping him in a pen with a coop. I don't really think I'm up to having chickens anymore: I can't stand to see them penned up or dragged away as someone's dinner. I would like to find Sid a home where he could be with other chickens, but it seems that there are far too many unwanted roosters in the world. I asked the person I bought him from if she would take him back, but she has a huge group of bachelor roos and doesn't want any others. He's a beautiful Icelandic. Any suggestions?

 

[Vikilee]

Hi everyone!

I've been looking after a chick i named bobby. He was sold as a rooster and i'm pretty sure that he will be one. Looks like he is a RIR.

I'd like to keep him if things work out, but im worried about his happiness. There's no chance of getting any hens, so if i was to keep him, he'd be on his own. Of course i'd give him attention whenever i could, but i dont know whether they are like other birds that can be kept as single pets.

IF it is ok to keep him alone, would this avoid the 'mean rooster' stage that some go through? He is the sweetest little thing now, and thinks i am his mummy, and i'm worried he'll suddenly turn horrible when he grows up.

Also, i live in a residential area and am worried about crowing. I have been told that if you keep their roosting area only head hight they do not crow as they can't stretch their necks. I thought of this as a possibility but would that be considered cruel or diminish his quality of life?

I also dont have a fenced in backyard and on the odd occasion a local dog has strolled into our yard. i'm worried that this could be a risk for him and couldnt handle finding him dead one day. I live in australia so no risk of racoons, foxes etc but we do have possums that live on our property.

any imput would be much appreciated!

I rescued a rooster from an awful cramped pen situation who is full grown. He is aggressive and couldn’t put him with my hens as then I couldn’t go in the pen with them and care for them. We built him a nice pen of his own. Can I put another rooster in there with him to keep him company?

 

[RuralKSgirl]

Yes, this is an old thread, but isn't much out there on this topic. We had a rooster show up on our property, everyone thinks he was dumped at our dead end. No one claimed him. I never wanted chickens or the upkeep of hens, but he was so sweet and friendly to us from day one, we couldn't imagine him going somewhere else where he could be eaten, humans or otherwise. We've had him a year now and he seems to be happy. We always wonder if we're doing good the right thing. We don't know if two hens would be enough for him, he's a Buff Orpington. Or, would his personality change and become aggressive toward us and have issues with a new situation. We spend all of our time with him when we're home. He loves us dearly. We are doing the best we can for him to have a good life. I don't know if the original poster kept the rooster, or any of the other posts on here did, but would love to know if others feel it's possible. Or if a buff could only have two hens and be okay? Do you think he would turn on us? He is definitely aggressive when protecting us from other people and watches our homestead for strangers and wildlife passing through.

 

[JulietsMomma]

Yes, this is an old thread, but isn't much out there on this topic. We had a rooster show up on our property, everyone thinks he was dumped at our dead end. No one claimed him. I never wanted chickens or the upkeep of hens, but he was so sweet and friendly to us from day one, we couldn't imagine him going somewhere else where he could be eaten, humans or otherwise. We've had him a year now and he seems to be happy. We always wonder if we're doing good the right thing. We don't know if two hens would be enough for him, he's a Buff Orpington. Or, would his personality change and become aggressive toward us and have issues with a new situation. We spend all of our time with him when we're home. He loves us dearly. We are doing the best we can for him to have a good life. I don't know if the original poster kept the rooster, or any of the other posts on here did, but would love to know if others feel it's possible. Or if a buff could only have two hens and be okay? Do you think he would turn on us? He is definitely aggressive when protecting us from other people and watches our homestead for strangers and wildlife passing through.

I’m not an expert but I know someone with a special needs rooster and he does just fine. You never know if they’ll change their personality and get more aggressive but that could happen at any time. Personally, I would get him some mates but if that’s not a possibility where you are, don’t beat yourself up over it.

 

[RuralKSgirl]

I’m not an expert but I know someone with a special needs rooster and he does just fine. You never know if they’ll change their personality and get more aggressive but that could happen at any time. Personally, I would get him some mates but if that’s not a possibility where you are, don’t beat yourself up over it.

Thank you for your opinion. I appreciate the response. Anyone else's is also welcome.

 

[Pamalam]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

so it seems chickens are different in that you cant keep them by themselves and just have them bond to you like the usual pet birds? My other two birds don't have another of their kind but have plenty of attention from me

I want to clarify too that i dont mean to keep him in a place where he cant stretch his neck all the time, only at night so that he doesnt crow at 4 in the morning! I'd have a full pen where he can flap and run for the daytime. But like i said before, i'd been told that, but was unsure of the ethics of it.

Of course i'll always do the best for him, if i cant keep him with him being a happy bird i'll have to give him to someone else. breaks my heart though

i'm also so worried that whoever i give him to will eat him!!

Get one more, hen or rooster, so he has a buddy. If you absolutely cant, just keep him. You will know if he isn't happy. So if he becomes unhappy, give him to someone else. Roosters almost always get eaten though.