Owning roosters can be a love hate relationship. I currently own 4 roosters, generally I’d only have one around on the homestead but I got into breeding a couple of breeds and then loved one as an ornamental bird. Though they can be fun to have around I could honestly be just fine not owning any either. Here are the Pros and Cons of owning a rooster.
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Pros
Entertaining: This has to be one of my top reasons for owning a rooster as they definitely have a different demeanor as compared to the hens. They have a variety of chirps, whistles, and songs that can be hilarious. When they find treats for their girls, they do this quick chirpy noise and it gets their girls to come running. I’ve also noticed sometimes they only pretend that there is something there so that they can mount their ladies. With larger roosters I’ve also noticed they frequently bobble their head from side to side, we call it the Elvis move, I’m not sure what they’re doing but it’s pretty funny to watch.
Peacekeeper: When you don’t have a rooster then the hens tend to squabble with each other more often to see who’s on top of the pecking order. With a rooster present, when hens try to size each other up the rooster steps in to remind them that he is the one in charge and breaks up the squabble.
Flock Protector: While hens are more focused on scratching around and foraging, if you’ve ever observed a rooster, they’re often times alert and keeping a watchful eye on what’s going on around them. If they spot something they think is a threat, they make a certain noise that makes every hen in the area freeze with whatever they’re doing. When the threat has passed, they go back to their day to day scratching and pecking.
Beautiful: Roosters can be very elegant and attractive to look at with their larger tail feathers and beautiful coloring. If you have an artistic side, or know someone who is, you can use the feathers as they lose them towards your projects.
Fertilized Eggs: If you want to raise chicks, you’ll want a rooster to fertilize your hens’ eggs. Sure, you can order eggs online and hatch them out, but they most likely won’t be as viable as the eggs from your own chickens. Having your own rooster to do the job is the more self-sufficient way to do it.
Cons
They’re Loud: Though a crow in the distance can give that cozy farm feel, when it’s in your backyard at four in the morning it’s much less appealing. They crow at everything and nothing all day every day, even before it’s getting light outside. We try to close up the coop best we can without cutting off air circulation so that it dulls the crows at the early hours of the morning. One solution we tried is the “No Crow Rooster Collar” which does dull the noise and is very entertaining to hear the resulting noise.
They’re Mean: Personally, I find this one entertaining at the same time. Especially when you have visitors that have kids, and they try to mess with the rooster without getting kicked. I’ve only owned one rooster, so far, that directed his attitude at us and would try to kick us when we weren’t looking. Though it can be funny, it gets annoying when they do often and if they get you just right with their spurs it can hurt.
Harming Hens: If you don’t have enough hens to go around then a rooster can breed the hens so much that they start to lose feathers on their back. I believe the rule of thumb is to have about 8 hens per roo, but that’s not fool proof as many times a rooster will have a favorite hen that he breeds more than the others. As I have 4 roosters for about 12 hens, I keep the roosters penned up for so many days during the week so that they don’t rough up the hens too much.
Hens Get Annoyed: I swear that my hens could give or take with the roosters. On days I let the roosters out the hens have a look of, “oh boy, these idiots”. Instinctively, many will squat for the immediate mounting that awaits, but many others try to fend the boys off or try to get away from them. 
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