Advice: Get a Rooster!

[mbiondo]

I agree that speaking to the rooster, and confidently "getting to know him", relaxes his protectiveness. Definitely food helps too!
Yes, my rooster was supposed to be a hen, and I was a bit slow in understanding why "she" was not laying. Really happy now.

 

[dillondonnelly1]

Not all roosters are mean, at least not towards humans. Get rid of ones that attack you, do not get rid of ones that are aggressive to protect!

You are exactly right!

 

[The Lazy L]

8 BO hens and 1 BO Rooster.

The Rooster was a year old when to tried to spur me. I punted him to the other end of the run. He got back up on his feet, gave me the old evil eye and hasn't tried spurring me ever again.

My biggest problem was when he was a teenager and tearing out the back feathers of his favorite hens. Hens walking around with bare backs. Made up my mind he had outlived his welcome.

Got home from work one evening and decided to let them free range. About 2 hours later wife is screaming that a dog is killing the chickens! Dog took of running when I ran out the back door, I did get one shot off. Piles of feathers all over the back yard!

Found 3 hens in their run playing a game of statue (if we don't move, we are invisible and therefore we are safe). The other 5 hens 50 feet away from the run playing statue too. None of the hens had any injuries!

Found the rooster clear across the road in the neighbor's yard about 500 feet away from the run. No visible injuries but he was minus all of his tail feathers. I figure if it wasn't for the rooster I'd be minus a lot of hens. So the rooster has earned a reprieve from joining the noodles for supper.

 

[nab58]

At what age is it safe to say your rooster has a nice personality? I have a 25 week old who seems decent. Never tried to attack me and is gentle with the hens. I'm hoping we ended up with a keeper.

 

[Springermom]

I would like to know too since mine is just a little older and looks like he could be a keeper too. But I've heard some get mean as they get older and it seems you just take a chance, it could happen at any time. Too bad since it would be nice to know while he's young and tasty. No really, don't know if I could eat him since he has a personality but could certainly give him to someone who would, if he becomes mean.

 

[Beginner2015]

This is my first experience with raising chickens...I have 6 hens and my husband just bought a full grown beatuiful rooster to protect them...well bad boy roo is doing his job, but when I go around the coop he wants to charge me...I have to admitt it is really intimidating. At first i thoight he was just over anxious to get his food or treats...but I feel he is really trying to attack me, I took a broom with me today and had to smack him down twice then he backed off. Is this normal? Can he sense my fear? Also is it normal for the rooster to roost at night with hens?

Get a game rooster or brown leghorn ( preferably a game chicken though)
If I you know someone in your area that has them ask them if you can get one that will fight but is good to handle (not a man fighter.... It hurts when they hit you worse than a normal chicken) they game roo will protect your chickens until he can't anymore he will sharpen his own spurs if you put a rock in the pin (so will any rooster) and use those to fight a hawk or even coyote. I had a rooster fight a coyote and survive one time only because the rooster was in a metal pin. They coyote bit his leg and broke his leg and hip but the rooster fought and got free and the coyote bent the pin in half but must have got hit by the rooster o just got bored. All I know is now I have a rooster with a God awful limp. But he is a lacy roundhead and is pretty small even for a roundhead so he flies a lot and can get where he needs to go. I think I'll keep him for maybe another year an breed him back through with some grey chicks make some good game chickens.
Anyway - other chickens will run they might protect hens at first but after they get hit by something they will run hitting a game rooster will only encourage more hitting. Saying all that to say - if you want protection get a game rooster from someone who handles them a lot - a old show bird or even a retired fighter (when they turn 3 they are either killed or kept as brood cocks or sold). But if your current rooster protects enough for you and you don't want him to be aggressive (and he isn't game) go out and if he flogs you hit him with a hat he will flog you again repeat the process hit him till he stops fighting or runs away hit him in the face because body shots with blunt object won't hurt unless you use a stick but I don't recommend that because it might hurt the bird but yeah hit him with a baseball cap or whatever is handy ( nothing to hard) and he will not flog you again. This seems cruel but this is how it works they are violent towards each other and you can't get through to them with kinds words and a smile like some people on this sight would say. Don't kill him but but show you are stronger than him and after you have proved your dominance go back in at night sometimes pick him off the roost and handle him a bit. Hold him. Put him on the ground and keep your hands on him just get him used to you he will eventually grow comfortable around you and will not be afraid of you.

Ps this does not work with game chickens I have bruises to testify

 

[dekel18042]

At what age is it safe to say your rooster has a nice personality? I have a 25 week old who seems decent. Never tried to attack me and is gentle with the hens. I'm hoping we ended up with a keeper.

I've known a few that got mean around the 11-12 month age. Others have sailed right on through and remained nice. And I've had some that developed an attitude early on but putting them in with the older hens or in the bachelor pad with several mature roosters (I was standing by ready to intervene if necessary, but I didn't have to. Once the youngsters settled down, all was well.) gave them the attitude adjustment they needed. Several then became flock roosters.

 

[flgardengirl]

Our Key West roosters kick some hawk booty for sure! They let their girls know when the hawks around and I have seen them attack a hawk and stray cats on more than one occasion to protect hens or chicks. I do free range my birds a few times a week (we have a larger property) I don't leave them out at night though. I have lots of breeds of roosters but the Key West roos are the best protectors by far even though they aren't a really large breed. They are fierce protectors and good with chicks too. I have never had a key west roo be aggressive to me. They aren't really cuddly like some of the hens are but never aggressive to humans at all.
Another good deterrent is to let a few turkey hens out with your chickens when they free range. The turkeys seem to work well as long as the chickens stay near them. I have one group of chickens that live with a couple turkey hens so they all hang out together and the turkeys protect them.

Captain Morgan (Key West Roo)

 

[Diannastarr]

wow i love your advice about the key west roosters...!!!! do you ever sell any...? we have a very large NHR rooster he came in our chciks he is about 28 weeks old and has been banned from my hens he was a bit aggressive with the young hens , he was fine with us , but the other day we had hired a work man for the day and the rooster went after him , he has no spurs yet, but he tried to attack the mans legs, good thing he had jeans on , my guess is that the rooster knew this person is new around here..? he listens to me and i point at him and tell him to go away and he does, but that day we were all working around the hens putting up new fence, but im worried if this rooster might become even more aggressive ...?? he wont be around here very long, I will find him a good rooster guarding the yard job, with some one who is looking for that kind of guard instead of getting a dog ....lol.. we can give a good forever home for life,to a good rooster we are a no kill farm and all my chickens died from old age ..lol... we have 14 young hens & we are also vegetarians so we keep them all for life, so as of now I think we might need a good tempered rooster for our girls who are all our beloved pets , so they can go out to free range in safety , we live in Bisbee AZ its not cold here or not to hot either, so the key west rooster wont have a very big change in temperature, so how could we get a good tempered key west rooster...? not right away but soon...? like spring..? maybe..? do you sell key west rosters...? and ones you would know are nice..? even an older roosters or even ones that are like weeks old...? let me know & thank you for your time , Best regards have a good day take care Dianna

 

[Diannastarr]

I forgot to say this in my last post, what is a gorgeous rooster ! you have, how wonderful...!!! gosh we just moved from the brooksville FLa area , here is a pic of my rooster he is very big and that concerns me if he could turn aggressive with people..? he could become big and dangerous..? he has the run of our entire yard right now & we have no trespassing signs that say attack rooster.....lol.... take care have a good one Dianna