Things You'll Need
- 5-by-5-foot pen Roost and nest box Chicken feeder Chicken feed Fresh water source Chick grit Supplements
Instructions
Buy your rooster as a chick. This can be accomplished by purchasing them from a hatchery or a neighbor who has an abundance of chicks in the spring. Most hatcheries sell chicks as either straight run, all males or all females. If you order all males, be aware that when most rooster chicks begin to mature, they will also begin fighting and need to be separated.
Provide roosters with plenty of fresh food, water and space. Roosters and chickens that are confined to small spaces often become bored and begin pecking behavior and cannibalism. Once your rooster chicks have begun to mature, they will need to be separated to curb aggressive behavior. If you will be keeping a rooster in the same cage as the hens, the general rule of thumb is one rooster per eight hens.
Get the right size cage for your rooster. A rooster will need a good-sized cage to spread his wings in. A four-foot by four-foot pen provides ample space for standard-sized chickens. Bantams will need a pen or cage approximately half this size. Roosters will also need a pole to roost on and a box to nest in.
Handle roosters regularly, at least once a day, to tame them. Bantams are miniature breeds that are generally one fourth the size of standard breed varieties. They are very popular with adults and children alike because of their diminutive size and easy going temperaments. Standard sized breeds may also be tamed with regular handling. To have roosters that are tame, begin feeding them in your hand and holding them at least once a day. Eventually they will become accustomed to your presence and look forward to your daily visits.
House roosters separately. For those who intend to show their chickens or need to sell unfertilized eggs, providing a separate pen for each rooster may become a necessity. A rooster that is housed alone will be perfectly happy and will not be able to cause harm to other roosters or hens. They are also easier to manage when they are housed separately as they won't be attempting to attack as a way to protect their hens from human intrusion.
When a rooster is required to provide fertilized eggs for hatching, introduce the rooster into a large pen with hens only. Remove the rooster after two or three days and return it to its own pen. The eggs collected during these days can either be left for the broody hens to set on or be candled and hatched in an incubator.
Feed your roosters the correct feed and supplements to keep them happy and healthy. Feed your rooster starter feed when he is young, grower feed while he is between three to six weeks of age, then put him on complete feed when they are adults. There are many different brands on the market to choose from, including organic feed. Don't forget to buy feed with grit already in it, or buy some separately to mix in their feed. This helps them to grind their food in their crop. Supplements are not necessary, but they may be added to a regular feed regimen at the owner's discretion. Roosters that are going to be shown, those returning from shows or are stressed can benefit from supplements in their diet. Supplements often include trace minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids and immune system stimulants.
Keep a rooster's cage clean. One of the most important things you can do for the health of your rooster is to regularly clean out their cage and remove any wet or soiled debris. At least twice a year the cage or pen should be completely cleaned out, then hosed down and washed with a bleach solution (one part bleach to four parts water). The pen should be allowed to dry completely before adding new bedding and placing the rooster back in the pen.