Top 15 Types of Roosters for Your Hens, Coop, and Farm
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Choosing the ideal type of rooster is crucial for any homesteader, so don’t be tempted to grab the first one you see being re-homed in your local area! Different rooster breeds have varying personality traits that will bring harmony to your flock or cause absolute chaos. And if you intend on breeding from your coop, then the choice of rooster becomes even more vital.
So – which rooster is best for your flock? And does your henhouse need a rooster? Or is it better off without them?
We are about to analyze several rooster options – for all situations.
Sound good?
Then let’s continue!
Do You Need a Rooster for Your Hens?
It’s a quandary many chicken owners face – should you get a rooster, or will your flock of hens manage just fine without one? After all, a rooster isn’t necessary for your girls to lay eggs, so why would you need one?
You will meet some chicken keepers who would never be without a rooster. And others who would never get a rooster again!* Roosters are only necessary for breeding purposes, but they bring other advantages to your flock.
(*I’m firmly in the first group, while my husband is in the second – he hates the noise!)
Advantages of Having a Rooster
The most obvious advantage of having a rooster is that you can breed chicks from your hens. The ability to produce new birds is a low-cost way of expanding your flock and replacing older laying hens, and doing so can also provide you with a regular supply of meat chickens. Chicken keepers without a rooster can buy fertile eggs for incubation, but a rooster will offer them for free!
A good rooster can also help with flock management and safety. If you watch a rooster in action, you will see that its dedication to nearby hens is never-ending – these boys know how to look after their ladies! He will remain forever vigilant and alert for predators. He’ll also spend time searching out tasty morsels, which he shares proudly.
Regarding flock dynamics, the rooster is not necessarily in charge. The lead hen sits at the top of the pecking order. The rooster is more like a security guard and team leader, keeping the flock together and ushering them from place to place. If he spots a potential threat, he will call out an alarm which sends his flock scurrying for cover.
During an attack from a predator, the rooster will fight to the very end to defend his hens. He may not always come out on top of these conflicts, but it is often enough to buy precious time for the rest of the flock to seek cover.
Disadvantages of Having a Rooster
So, if roosters do such an excellent job for flock safety and management, why wouldn’t you get one? The main problem lies with their protective instincts – a rooster can become overprotective of his flock and act aggressively towards people or other animals.
When I was a child, we had free-range chickens in our yard, and we once raised a clutch of three chicks that all turned out to be aggressive roosters. Boy, oh boy, these roosters were the meanest! They would run at any human that crossed their path, flying towards you with their legs outstretched. Safe to say we didn’t keep them around for long, but they were enough to put me off roosters for a long time.
The other big problem with roosters is the noise. When we first got a backyard rooster, we read that they only crow around 20 times a day – well, that is blatantly not true! Our boy gets in this daily quota before the sun has popped over the horizon and continues throughout the day to ensure we’ve all got the message.
The amount a rooster will crow can vary between individuals, but many homesteaders object to this early morning and noisy wake-up call. So, if you’ve got other houses nearby, obtaining a rooster may not be ideal for promoting harmonious neighborly relations.
Top 15 Types of Roosters for Your Hens
So, you’ve decided a rooster would be the perfect addition to your flock, but how do you choose the right one? Every breed of rooster has its quirks and personality traits, making them more suitable for different situations.
For example, a rooster in a small tame flock kept in a coop needs to be a friendly chap around humans, while one joining a free-range group of hens should have strong protective instincts.
Your choice of rooster will also depend on what you want to use him for – are you planning on rearing chicks? Do you want to breed purebred chickens, productive laying hens or fast-growing meat chicks? If you’ve already got a flock of purebred hens, it makes sense to consider looking for a cockerel of the same breed.
Today we shall look at a range of roosters to suit every situation and to help you choose the right one for your flock. Then I’ll try and pick an ultimate winner, which could be an almost impossible choice!
Popular Rooster Breeds
Some roosters are good all-rounders. Their adaptability makes them more popular with backyard chicken keepers.
Plymouth Rock Rooster
| Description: | Excellent overall farmyard companions. Not overly aggressive. |
| Varieties: | White, buff, barred, silver-penciled, blue. |
| Rooster Weight: | Eight to ten pounds. |
| Society: | Plymouth Rock Fancier’s Club |
Plymouth Rock hens have long been a popular choice for backyard chicken keepers, as they are calm birds that are easy to care for and produce a reasonable quantity of eggs. Luckily, the roosters seemingly have the same friendly personalities as the hens. So Plymouth Rock roosters will give you little trouble.
These roosters are an excellent choice if you have Barred Plymouth Rock hens or a mixed flock, as they mingle well with all types and breeds of chicken. They cope well with being confined to a coop and are relatively good at protecting a free-range flock. Female offspring of your Plymouth Rocks will be good egg-layers, while the males make reasonable-sized meat birds.
Buff Orpington Rooster
| Description: | Large bird with fluffy feathers. They are more cold-hardy than other breeds. |
| Varieties: | Black, white, buff, blue. |
| Rooster Weight: | Ten to eleven pounds. |
| Society: | United Orpington Club |
Buff Orpington roosters are a beautiful sight – especially considering their plump golden-feathered bodies and graceful stature! If you choose a Buff Orpington rooster, you can expect a gentle-natured boy that is easy to tame. He will also fiercely protect his flock should a predator approach the hens.
Buff Orpingtons are an excellent dual-purpose breed, so their offspring can get used for egg and meat production. This classic rooster breed can be quite noisy, especially if they sense danger, so not a good option if you like a quiet life!
Silkie Rooster
| Description: | A friendly ornamental breed. Not good egg-layers. They have soft fluffy feathers – with a wild hairstyle. |
| Varieties: | Black, blue, buff, white, and gray. |
| Rooster Weight: | Around two to four pounds. |
| Society: | American Silkie Bantam Club |
The Silkie might not appear to be a fierce protector of hens. But looks can be deceiving! These little roosters are fantastic alarm raisers should they sense any abnormal activity, alerting you to any problems in the coop. Silkie roosters are popular with fans of small-breed chickens and will cope well with being coop-confined.
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Jumbo-Sized Roosters
Heavier isn’t always better regarding roosters, but some fabulous large breeds of chickens produce incredible roosters. The advantage of a heavy-hitting rooster is they are often better equipped to fight off predators, and their offspring are a better size if meat production is your goal.
If you’re considering one of these larger breeds, make sure your hens are big enough to cope with his attentions – a weighty rooster can inadvertently injure smaller hens when he mates with them. Stick to hens of the same breed or others of comparable size.
Brahma Rooster
| Description: | Beautiful, large, calm birds. They do well in the cold weather. |
| Varieties: | Light, dark, buff. |
| Rooster Weight: | Around 11 to 12 pounds. |
| Society: | American Brahma Club |
Brahmas are the gentle giants of the chicken world – these enormous birds show tender devotion to their hens and are rarely hostile or aggressive towards humans. These active foragers will give their all to keeping their ladies happy, constantly searching out the tastiest food for them to eat.
Because of their size and elite foraging instincts, Brahma roosters will fare better in a more spacious run or free-range setup. They are good dual-purpose birds, so this active breed will keep you well supplied with eggs. And any surplus offspring can get reared for meat.
Jersey Giant Rooster
| Description: | Jersey Giants are one of the heftiest chickens on the farm. They are good-natured. They also grow somewhat slowly. |
| Varieties: | Black, white. |
| Rooster Weight: | Around 13 to 14 pounds. |
| Society: | National Jersey Giant Club |
The name says it all – Jersey Giant roosters are massive! Despite their size, they are very friendly and docile birds with calm personalities and are a good choice if you have a flock of plump chickens. The black feathers of Jersey Giants are not particularly striking, but they are still an impressive sight as they strut around your homestead.
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Protective Roosters
If the aim of getting a rooster is protection for your flock, some breeds have much stronger instincts than others. This protective instinct can lead to aggressive tendencies, particularly during the mating season.
The key here is to get your rooster when he is younger, so you can ensure he is tame and does not see humans as a threat. Then, when the time comes for him to look after a flock of his own, he’ll chase away the predators rather than you and your family!
Welsummer Rooster
| Description: | Friendly and alert birds. They also have reputations as being intelligent and cold-hardy. |
| Varieties: | Partridge. |
| Rooster Weight: | Seven to eight pounds. |
| Society: | Welsummer Club of North America |
Welsummers are medium-sized roosters with beautiful plumage with lovely hues of gold, reddish-brown, and black. They have a docile temperament but blatantly protective instincts, making a Welsummer rooster an excellent flock leader for a group of free-ranging hens.
Barbu D’Uccle Rooster
| Description: | Small yet beautiful birds with heavily feathered feet. |
| Varieties: | Blue, millefleur, cuckoo, lavender, black, black mottled, white, quail, and more. |
| Rooster Weight: | Up to two pounds. |
| Society: | Belgian d’Uccle and Booted Bantam Club |
With their diverse color variations and funky beards and
Rhode Island Red Rooster
| Description: | Excellent dual-purpose chickens. They tolerate cold weather. Some males are aggressive. |
| Varieties: | Rose comb, single comb. |
| Rooster Weight: | Eight to nine pounds. |
| Society: | Rhode Island Red of America |
Rhode Island Reds have long been a popular choice with homesteaders, as they are a fabulous dual-purpose breed with few health problems and are easy to keep. While Rhode Island Red hens have calm temperaments, the roosters are less so due to their strong protective instincts. Their protective nature can lead to aggression in some birds, so ensure your Rhode Island rooster gets plenty of human interaction before he gets too old.
Good Overall Rooster Breeds
As a responsible chicken keeper, you must carefully consider any chickens you breed. A broody hen can hatch a clutch of a dozen or more eggs. And each chick can live for up to ten years. To give them the best possible chance of a good life, it pays to breed chicks that fit their intended purpose.
If you’ve got heritage breed hens, the best place to start is by looking into the characteristics of a rooster of the same breed. If the rooster fits the criteria in terms of temperament and behavior that you are looking for, then it’s a good choice. Purebred chicks are more likely to find a good home, and even the roosters will have a high demand.
The other aspect to consider is how you will use the offspring – do you want egg layers, meat birds, or one that can do both? We’ve already listed some excellent dual-purpose chicken breeds, but here are two options if you want to specialize in meat or eggs.
Australorp Rooster
| Description: | Active dual-purpose chickens. The hens are excellent, record-breaking egg layers. |
| Varieties: | Black, white, blue laced. |
| Rooster Weight: | Eight to nine pounds. |
| Society: | Australorp Club of Australia |
Australorp chickens are famous for their prolific egg-laying abilities, averaging 200-300 eggs yearly. This high egg count makes an Australorp hen the ideal choice if maximum egg productivity is your goal. The roosters are also perfect for a lovely backyard specimen. They are docile and friendly but don’t rely on them for protective instincts to help keep your henhouse safe.
Bresse Rooster
| Description: | Beautiful and elegant farm birds. One of the tastiest chickens originating from France. |
| Varieties: | White. |
| Rooster Weight: | Around seven pounds. |
| Society: | American Bresse Breed Club |
A Bresse rooster is an excellent choice for rearing chickens for meat. These beautiful birds are famous not only for the quantity of meat they produce but also for their incredible flavor. They are excellent foragers and are one of the few meat breeds that work well in a free-range system.
Other Types of Roosters to Consider for Your Flock
If none of the roosters listed so far whet your appetite, these less popular breeds are all worth considering:
Polish Rooster
| Description: | Flighty and active. One of the coolest-looking chickens. Their feather style is one of the best. Only silkies can compare! |
| Varieties: | Bearded golden, bearded silver, bearded buff laced, and more. |
| Rooster Weight: | Around seven pounds. |
| Society: | Polish Breeders Club |
It would be worth having a Polish rooster for their flamboyant topknot of head feathers daily! They are incredibly friendly birds but get bullied by larger chicken breeds.
Java Rooster
| Description: | Java chickens are usually calm and relaxed. They make excellent backyard birds. |
| Varieties: | Mottled, black. |
| Rooster Weight: | Around nine to ten pounds. |
| Society: | Java Breeders of America |
Java chickens are one of the oldest breeds in the United States and were the foundation stock for the Rhode Island Red. Java roosters are calm and good-natured and are an excellent choice if you are looking for dual-purpose birds.
Sussex Rooster
| Description: | Fun farm birds. They are attractive, friendly, and alert. |
| Varieties: | Brown, silver, speckled, red, buff. |
| Rooster Weight: | Around nine to ten pounds. |
| Society: | Sussex Club of Australia |
I don’t know why Sussex chickens aren’t more popular, as the friendly temperament of this ancient breed makes them the ideal choice for backyard chicken keepers. Sussex roosters are as amicable as the hens and cope well with being confined to a reasonable-sized run.
Langshan Rooster
| Description: | Relatively tall chickens. Good dual-purpose breed for homesteaders and small farms. |
| Varieties: | Blue, black, white. |
| Rooster Weight: | Nine to ten pounds. |
| Society: | American Langshan Club |
Langshan chickens have fallen out of fashion, but they have some excellent advantages worthy of any farm or homestead. This giant chicken breed is incredibly hardy and will thrive in cold climates, and the roosters are generally friendly and good-natured.
Delaware Rooster
| Description: | Delawares are beautiful chickens. They are also critically endangered. Consider raising some to help bolster their numbers! |
| Varieties: | There is only one variety. They are white with black details. |
| Rooster Weight: | Eight to nine pounds. |
| Society: | Delaware Poultry Club United |
Delaware hens are famed for their impressively large eggs, so a Delaware flock may be a worthwhile addition to your breeding program if supersized eggs are the goal. These active birds are excellent flock protectors, sounding alarm bells to protect from predators.
Which Is the Best Rooster for Your Flock?
Choosing the ultimate type of rooster is more complicated than it seems. But I’d have to go with the magnificent Brahma. This breed ticks all the boxes – gentle and protective foragers, perfect for meat and egg production. And yes, I might be slightly biased here, but Mary, our beautiful rooster, is a fine example of my favorite breed!
Mary will tend to his flock all day long and only takes time to relax when he’s sure they are all safe and well-fed. He keeps the hens together and quickly sounds the alarm when he senses a potential predator when free-ranging. Mary also breeds the most beautiful babies, and his offspring have now joined the flocks of several of our local friends.
And when it comes to bedtime, our hens all jostle for the prime perching position next to Mary, so we’re pretty sure they also agree that he is the best!
Conclusion
Thanks so much for reading our guide about the 15 best rooster types for your hens.
We love Brahma roosters the most. They’re protective, gentle, and pleasant. But your mileage may vary!
What about you and your flock?
- Do you keep any roosters in your hen house?
- If so – which rooster variety do you have?
- Do your hens mind having the rooster around?
- Does your rooster help keep your hens safe?
We’d love to hear your chicken-raising insights and rooster experience!
Thanks again for reading.
And have a great day!
