Which breed of rooster will protect my hens best?

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My best rooster ever was an American Game stag. He wasn't mean, but not friendly either. He would help the hens brood chicks and would fiercely defend them. I really regret selling them.
 
Rooster-Red is right on the money. I once asked a friend what kind of dog he owned (a cross between a coon hound and a chow??), he gave me a look and said "It's a good dog".

Though I'd probably avoid Silkies or Polish in this neck of the woods (hard enough for a sharp eyed roo to contend with the undergrowth).
 
something fat and slow.. give the hen a running start while the predator's eating it.
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Actually, nzpouter, I think there's really more truth in that statement than you probably intended! In nature, size matters. So does attitude. While predators can be larger than even the biggest rooster, a large rooster with the right attitude probably stands a better than average chance when it comes to protecting his flock.

Finding a breed with large roosters isn't difficult - but the attitude is every bit as important! And dealing with that attitude takes the right mind set for the owner as well
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OK - so do you have any tips on how to cultivate a good attitude in a young cockerel?

Right now I have two easter egger cockerels. When the neighbors dog got into the run and started after the chickens, they both abandoned the pullets and ran into the coop! I know they are still young (3 mo) - will they become more protective with time? Or should I start looking for other options?
 
TurkeyMountainChickens wrote: OK - so do you have any tips on how to cultivate a good attitude in a young cockerel?

Right now I have two easter egger cockerels. When the neighbors dog got into the run and started after the chickens, they both abandoned the pullets and ran into the coop! I know they are still young (3 mo) - will they become more protective with time? Or should I start looking for other options?

One assures they live long enough to develop a good attitude. The biggest, meanest, roo ever hatched is nothing but easy meat for a dog in the confines of a run. Many chooks are killed free ranging, an open run is simply less range for a predator to cover.

Make sure run/coop is as secure as possible. If you do allow them to free range without armed supervision, then preemptive trapping and retirement of chicken eating vermin will decrease the overall frequency of predation.

Roos are useful for sounding the alarm, but not a call to arms (`something's going to eat us!'), they are prey animals. The first rule of Chicken Club is that everything wants a `Chicken Club'. We owners are charged with not allowing those meals to be served up alive and screaming from the `lope through' window...

Welded Wire/Electricity/Lead are a roo's best `weapons'​
 
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