Nice roosters?

[chickenkeeper12]

Just curious do you Roos eat out of your hand because I think it shows that he's not a tough guy. My silkies don't but Rocky does. He's always the first one to start and the hens follow.

 

[aart]

Just curious do you Roos eat out of your hand because I think it shows that he's not a tough guy. My silkies don't but Rocky does. He's always the first one to start and the hens follow.

It's cause he's the 'food finder', my roo does the same thing.

Anytime I feed he comes over to check it out, if I offer some in my hand he'll take some and drop it for the girls and eat some too, then he makes the announcement....Chow's Down!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Any breed considered to have good temperment will have a good cock and a bad cock. That's individualism but if you stick with the calmer breeds you've a better chance.

And I whole heartedly agree with making a cockerel work his way up the pecking order with older hens (your flock). Having the hens teach him manners before he's king of the hill is never a bad thing.

Large Fowl breeds to try off the top of my head would be Cochin (very docile breed), Orpington, Brahma, Plymouth Rock, etc...Oh, and let's not forget another very docile large fowl like a Cochin but hard to obtain: Favorelle.

 

[Shalom Farm]

We've always had fantastic roosters, but like everyone else is saying, it pays to get them young. Breed can shift the odds in your favor, but not always. The laying hens that were allowed to free range get cheap mutt cockerels or EE's. We handle the a lot and get them super friendly. We introduce them when they are just barely big enough to defend themselves against our largest hens. They remain low on the pole until adulthood and tend to remain rather peaceful.

Rearing can overcome genetic aggression to a good degree most of the time. If you can, select the father of the rooster you're buying or at least look at him and determine his temperament and the flock of hens. If the father is gentle, the hen is gentle, and he's grown up in that environment and you've handled him well, he has no reason to be a stinker. Introduce him young and bait his heart with treats, discipline, and love.