Hens only or should we get a rooster?

This is probably one of the most asked questions when first starting out. You want eggs, you want a backyard coop, but you aren't sure if you want hens + a rooster or just hens. If you are a covert coop like we are then it's a no-go on the rooster.

There is nothing bad about owning a rooster and if you want one, sure go for it! If you have free range chickens, then you definitely need a rooster. If you are looking to hatch baby chicks, well...you'll obviously need a rooster! Ha!

Rooster are great protectors and sometimes too great of protectors. Meaning, they will protect their flock from predators and YOU! Now, don't get us wrong, you might land a sweet boy that loves cuddles and eats from your hand but then you might end up with one that chases you with it's spurs drawn while you are trying to pet one of your ladies.

But if you are a covert coop in a neighborhood with an HOA and cozy neighbors then you might want to think twice before you get a big old beautiful rooster. You may not be able to help it though especially if you go to your local Tractor Supply to get your first flock of what you think are all ladies. You might see baby chicks labeled as sex-link and that means they were crossbred to make it easier to tell if they are hens or cockerels through their coloring at hatching. If you hang out in any chicken forums or groups, you'll see posts almost daily from people thinking they got all hens from the sex-link bin when in fact they got some hens and some cockerels. If you really want to roll the dice and see what you get, pick from the straight-run bin! You might get all cockerels or all hens or a great mix of both!

What do you do if you get a rooster and you don't want or can't have a rooster??? When you first start out with your baby chicks, you have some time to plan for that rooster that you might have in your flock. Rooster don't crow for several months so you can take time to research and think through your plan b. We are very fortunate to live in a semi-rural area and there are plenty of farms near by. We have several Facebook groups for our area and my thought was to post in to see if anyone needed a rooster. There are also rooster sanctuaries out there too that will take your roosters and give them a great home. Just do your homework and go into chick raising with the thought that one or more of your cute little fluffy babies might be a rooster and you might need to rehome him.

So, what will it be for you? Hens only or hens plus a rooster or two?