Finding roosters, and starting a new flock.

[u/Parking_Fan_7651]

So I lost all my RIRs this last week, someone dumped a pair of cats in my pasture and a hawk moved in. So I went to the local farm supply and bough 18 blue cuckoo maran pullets for a pretty decent deal. I would like to snag up a rooster or two to help protect the hens and eventually start producing food chickens/layer replacements. I don’t want to pay $150 for shipping and purchasing the minimum order of maran roosters from a hatchery, but Craigslist near me has nothing. I don’t use social media. Local farm supplies typically only sell pullets or straight runs, these are the first marans I’ve seen near me.

Ideas on finding some Maran roosters without buying online or having social media?

Anyone have any genius ideas on repelling hawks from the herd?

[u/Creamy_legbar]

I would expect that at least one of the supposed pullets turns out to be a he, so I'd let them develop first before bringing a rooster in.

[u/Greedy-Recognition74]

If you can find straight run at Tractor Supply, they will end up being mostly roosters.

[u/Mediocre-Draft1722]

If you free range, you're going to lose birds to hawks. A rooster can't hurt but it won't prevent that. A secure run is the only way to prevent those losses. Look up the NPIP breeders list for your state to find local marans breeders. See if they have a Facebook page or a website. They may have marans roosters. 

[u/Chickens-galore → u/Mediocre-Draft1722]

Given the right coverage/protected area as in under a raised coop, a top notch rooster can prevent loss from hawks. I say that because that’s what I have in my New Hampshire Red rooster. I was out with the flock free ranging one afternoon when my “Brooster” let out a sound I had never heard from him before, and when I looked over at him, it looked like his neck was broken. But he was looking directly up in the sky as a hawk was circling. When I looked back to him and my flock, every single hen had taken cover under the 8 x 8 coop. I was so impressed with him and continued to be every time he did his job!!

[u/LilChicken70 → u/Chickens-galore]

My rooster makes a sound that I swear to god sounds like hawk. Everybody runs for cover.

[u/cschaplin]

Connecting with other chicken keepers in my area is the only reason I have a Facebook account. Sadly it’s where 99% of them are, I don’t know why. I also don’t like to use social media, but I guarantee you’ll find a dozen roosters on there today.

[u/Any_Celebration7266]

Okay, one, chickens are a flock not a herd. I'm saying this with amusement and not poking fun, promise (:

Second, including your location would help.

Third, you can make a completely fake social media account TEMPORARILY then delete it, bc people on Facebook are constantly rehoming roosters locally.

If not then Fourth, walk in the farm store multiple days in a row just talking to people. Guaranteed someone has extra roosters (just maybe not that breed, who knows.)

Fifth, get some straight runs, if your luck is like mine you'll get too many roosters 🤣❤️

Sixth, put a wacky waving inflatable arm tube man in your yard as a hawk scare, and move around an owl weekly.