Choosing or raising a rooster ??? Couple questions for my options

[choppedliver]

Hello there. I have a mixed flock with a few production hens (Black Sex Link, RI Red, Easter Eggers, Olive Egger) in their prime of laying who are squatting and willing to breed. I also have over a dozen 4-5 month old heritage breed hens who are *almost* laying... They are different colors of Marans, Ameraucana, Wyandottes, Welsummer, Speckled Sussex, Orpington. Finally I have a new batch of brooding Cream Legbar and Barred Rock chicks which has friendly male Cream Legbars and perhaps a Silver laced Wyandotte male (SLW is NOT friendly). I opted for a straight run because I had never gotten a single rooster in all my pullets! A neighbor of mine would like to take 1/2 Cream Legbar roosters for her flock. But by Spring, I am trying to supply some fertilized eggs with neat looking chicks and egg laying colors for a genetics project for my son's school. They have an incubator. It is really just an experiment of curiosity but we need a Rooster/Roosters. We have a good amount of space, a Great Pyrenees stationed next to them, 3 separate coops, and free range the chickens too. So a pretty good set up.

My son is 6. He loves the chickens and helps me clean the coop/collect eggs. I don't want a rooster that ruins that for him or will hurt him. I am open to eating a bad rooster. Not up for discussion.

I just recently met a neighbor who has 2 young cockerels to re home because they only have 5 hens. Both are pretty nice and have been raised gently but not handled TOO much. The Ameraucana is very pretty with silver on his neck and several colors. He mostly avoids human contact but let me pick him up off the perch and fell asleep while I petted him. But he was attentive to the 1 hen he prefers. The Big Barred Rock is huge and VERY watchful of the hens. He does not come to people but he let my son pet him no problem. I held him without any problems, but when I shooed a hen for pecking my toes, he came AT ME hard. I pushed him back.

My question is this: Which Roo should I take in for my son's dedicated flock in terms of temperament? I'm leaning towards the Ameraucana but I read they can be aggressive! I also may keep one of my brooding males because I will have SO many hens and want them covered. I wouldn't mind having spare roos for flock shepherds in case I lose one to a predator. As I said, I'm able to separate the runs/coops and free range them separate times/ etc.

I either want to be successful raising a good rooster or pick a nice one. I feel like I have a few good opportunities here. Just need to make good decisions! Guide me O Great Chicken Whisperers. Lol.

I have some ready to breed roosters if you’re interested. Americauna/barred rock mix, Am/silver laced Wyandotte mix, French copper/barred/am mixed, midnight majesty Maran/am mixed. All nice boys they’ve been around very young children and never attacked. I have too many roosters and I’d love for them to have a good home or i sadly have to butcher them. I’m in Wisconsin. Lmk if you’re interested. Have your pic they are yours free if you want

 

[bigsurfwaves]

I have some ready to breed roosters if you’re interested. Americauna/barred rock mix, Am/silver laced Wyandotte mix, French copper/barred/am mixed, midnight majesty Maran/am mixed. All nice boys they’ve been around very young children and never attacked. I have too many roosters and I’d love for them to have a good home or i sadly have to butcher them. I’m in Wisconsin. Lmk if you’re interested. Have your pic they are yours free if you want

Aww! Too far away from N Ga! But thanks!

 

[McChooky]

Raising cockerels in an established flock has many advantages over one you raise yourself.

 

[ECrow]

Not sure if you've made a decision about this yet, but whichever rooster you choose to keep (I, personally, would probably keep the legbar), I recommend handling the rooster as little as possible. The rooster's I have had who have been the best have all avoided interacting with me as much as they can. I still hand feed them every now and then, and I believe I have their trust, but I think having roosters with a healthy amount of fear for you is helpful. That being said, don't try to make them afraid of you! - they will fight back if they feel threatened. Just treat leave them alone, let them do their thing and they should be great.

In addition to this, if you have the opportunity to get a banty rooster, I highly recommend it. The two bantams I've had have been the best roosters I could ask for. Friendly and watchful, and when you have full sized/large hens with a small rooster, they don't pull out as many feathers (My Amrock rooster was massive and did sooo much damage).

I hope you end up with a good rooster! I definitely appreciate them watching over my flock.

 

[mcard]

Seems like a good thread to ask this question, I have not had good luck picking a good natured cockerel, I have a real scary cockerel that isn't first to the food and can be very timid, you would call him definitely a scaredy chicken, have any of you had experiences with this type cockerel, did it seem to stay that way or still when hormones kicked in they became aggressive? We don't free range so really don't need a great protector, just a good natured rooster.

 

[dekel18042]

Hello there. I have a mixed flock with a few production hens (Black Sex Link, RI Red, Easter Eggers, Olive Egger) in their prime of laying who are squatting and willing to breed. I also have over a dozen 4-5 month old heritage breed hens who are *almost* laying... They are different colors of Marans, Ameraucana, Wyandottes, Welsummer, Speckled Sussex, Orpington. Finally I have a new batch of brooding Cream Legbar and Barred Rock chicks which has friendly male Cream Legbars and perhaps a Silver laced Wyandotte male (SLW is NOT friendly). I opted for a straight run because I had never gotten a single rooster in all my pullets! A neighbor of mine would like to take 1/2 Cream Legbar roosters for her flock. But by Spring, I am trying to supply some fertilized eggs with neat looking chicks and egg laying colors for a genetics project for my son's school. They have an incubator. It is really just an experiment of curiosity but we need a Rooster/Roosters. We have a good amount of space, a Great Pyrenees stationed next to them, 3 separate coops, and free range the chickens too. So a pretty good set up.

My son is 6. He loves the chickens and helps me clean the coop/collect eggs. I don't want a rooster that ruins that for him or will hurt him. I am open to eating a bad rooster. Not up for discussion.

I just recently met a neighbor who has 2 young cockerels to re home because they only have 5 hens. Both are pretty nice and have been raised gently but not handled TOO much. The Ameraucana is very pretty with silver on his neck and several colors. He mostly avoids human contact but let me pick him up off the perch and fell asleep while I petted him. But he was attentive to the 1 hen he prefers. The Big Barred Rock is huge and VERY watchful of the hens. He does not come to people but he let my son pet him no problem. I held him without any problems, but when I shooed a hen for pecking my toes, he came AT ME hard. I pushed him back.

My question is this: Which Roo should I take in for my son's dedicated flock in terms of temperament? I'm leaning towards the Ameraucana but I read they can be aggressive! I also may keep one of my brooding males because I will have SO many hens and want them covered. I wouldn't mind having spare roos for flock shepherds in case I lose one to a predator. As I said, I'm able to separate the runs/coops and free range them separate times/ etc.

I either want to be successful raising a good rooster or pick a nice one. I feel like I have a few good opportunities here. Just need to make good decisions! Guide me O Great Chicken Whisperers. Lol.

I think it is more the individual rooster and not the breed. It also helps if you don't over handle them as chicks or make a pet of them. The one thing I will immediately cull for is human aggression. Roosters seem to have the best temperament when raised within a flock with different aged chickens so they have to come up through the ranks, not start at the top and stay there as the only cockerel within a group of like aged pullets.
You should be watching both your son and the chickens intently to see how it goes.
That said,, I have never had a mean or aggressive Ameraucana or EE rooster. I have two Ameraucana roosters now and they are great with everyone and with the hens. I've also had nice cream legbar roos, no problems there and I've had huge half Jersey Giant/Ameraucana roos that were fine with everyone, including small children.
I've also had bantams forever and never had a mean roo. Then last year I got a clutch of red BB Old English Game bantams and the three boys were horrible and sneaky about it (No carrying brooms or sticks here to go outside) so we culled the bunch and are starting over this year. So far, so good.
Just be V E R Y vigilant. Be willing to cull if you see something you don't like, and good luck.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Seems like a good thread to ask this question, I have not had good luck picking a good natured cockerel, I have a real scary cockerel that isn't first to the food and can be very timid, you would call him definitely a scaredy chicken, have any of you had experiences with this type cockerel, did it seem to stay that way or still when hormones kicked in they became aggressive? We don't free range so really don't need a great protector, just a good natured rooster.

Sorry no one has responded to your questions, I'll try to help.
First off... how old are all your birds. That's very important info for anyone to help.
If your cockerel is in with pullets his age that's odd behavior, but he could be just following pecking order and not challenging his flock mates yet.
If he's in with older hens that's perfectly normal and I think this is your situation.Older hens will intimidate him and chase him off food and other hens if he tries to mate them. They are teaching him manners and how to be a gentleman. As he gets older when they are ready to accept him as their protector this all changes and he becomes the flock master.
If he's afraid of you and avoids you that's a good thing. You don't want a Roo that doesn't fear you. You want a Roo that avoids you and keeps his distance. He should never stand his ground.
He should be watching over his girls.... that's his job above all else. You basically want to ignore him at this age and let the older girls train him to be respectful as long as they are not attacking him and blood being drawn.
When he gets a little older he will woo them with treats he finds for them and they will fall in love. (This all depends what age he and the girls are at this moment how you move forward with him)
Hopefully I answered all your questions for you. If you have any others don't hesitate to ask.

Edited to add... it sounds to me like you've got the makings of a good cockerel. (So far). Good luck with him.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Please train up the kids to not chase, or let the rooster chase them. Train the kids not to chase hens, and train the kids not to offer a boot, or a broom to attack. If you do any of those things the roosters will learn a bad habit and then get blamed.

 

[mcard]

Sorry no one has responded to your questions, I'll try to help.
First off... how old are all your birds. That's very important info for anyone to help.
If your cockerel is in with pullets his age that's odd behavior, but he could be just following pecking order and not challenging his flock mates yet.
If he's in with older hens that's perfectly normal and I think this is your situation.Older hens will intimidate him and chase him off food and other hens if he tries to mate them. They are teaching him manners and how to be a gentleman. As he gets older when they are ready to accept him as their protector this all changes and he becomes the flock master.
If he's afraid of you and avoids you that's a good thing. You don't want a Roo that doesn't fear you. You want a Roo that avoids you and keeps his distance. He should never stand his ground.
He should be watching over his girls.... that's his job above all else. You basically want to ignore him at this age and let the older girls train him to be respectful as long as they are not attacking him and blood being drawn.
When he gets a little older he will woo them with treats he finds for them and they will fall in love. (This all depends what age he and the girls are at this moment how you move forward with him)
Hopefully I answered all your questions for you. If you have any others don't hesitate to ask.

Edited to add... it sounds to me like you've got the makings of a good cockerel. (So far). Good luck with him.

Thank you, and you answered every question and more.

 

[Leatherworker]

I highly recommend legbars to anyone who wants to raise chicks because the roosters are calmer than most (I have 2 in my flock) I keep them behind a fence with a couple strands of electric fence around it to prevent altercations with kids, family, delivery men or visitors.

Your electric wire reminds me of when our neighbors ducks bit the electric fence my horses were in. We found one of them hanging on the fence one morning. My neighbor was pretty mad, but it was our property. Guess I should have put up a no trespassing sign in duck language. I hope your chickens are don't try that.