Alas, my rooster and I broke up...

[Outta Here]

All my roosters are hands off after 4 weeks except for medical. If they see you as part of the flock you'll either be a hen to mate with who must submit or be forced to submit aka pecking.

Or you'll be seen as competition and they'll really go after you pecking and clawing and flying at you.

Any rooster I don't feel I can turn my back to is gone same day. I have kids.

So far the nicest roosters I've had were all barred rocks. But that breed is known for having nasty boys too.

I did have 1 barred rock boy that was perfectly fine and then went psycho and flat out attacked one of my hens dragging her across the yard by her leg.

It really depends on the individual.

That makes a lot of sense. Chickens, or any animal, will never think like humans--we have to understand how they think and control the situation accordingly.
I appreciate this info, thanks! (And I'm glad to hear Barred Rock Roosters can be mellow...!) I might just keep them both and see what pans out, as long as my little BR doesn't get killed and the RIR doesn't get worse. He was so shocked at my refusal to be pecked that, while he ate out of my hands today like the others during our daily snack time, he otherwise hasn't come very near me.
It's sad when you just want to have a friendly little flock to have to deal with the reality of normal rooster behavior too aggressive to be acceptable. But I have killed roosters in my day, both for attacking children. The first and worst one I had to dispatch (also RIR) was about 44 years ago when he knocked my toddler down, spurring and pecking him. I kicked the bird across the yard and rescued my baby, and then the rooster ran back and flew up to attack the screaming baby in my arms!!!
Mother instinct. Quick neck snap. Game over.

 

[Outta Here]

Rhodebars are duckwing.
RIR are wheaten.
For auto sexing you need to stay away from wheaten.

Thanks....he's definitely on strike two with a very precarious probation.

 

[Outta Here]

Ya.
You can use RIR if you're crossing with a rhodebar but you then have to breed out the wheaten gene.
I worked with them for a few years. I really liked them.
Don't know why they haven't had much popularity.

I'd sure love to know the "recipe" for breeding Rhodebars! Is it from either Barred Rock over RIR hens and then using the cockerels to breed back to RIR? Or RIR over BR hens, then use the cockerels to breed back to RIR? I just think the Rhodebars are gorgeous!!!

 

[bcorps]

IDK if it will be a factor in your decision but a barred rock crossed with RIR will not create Rhodebars.
Just my experience but raising a cockerel with hugs, cuddles etc. is a recipe for an A hole rooster.
I'd ditch the RIR and go with a more hands off raising of the BR.

My limited experience agrees with this. I had a cuddle roo cockerel that turned absolute jerkface when the hormones hit. I ended up keeping the roo that was the least cuddly, but at least he's stable and calm and after I smacked him one time for biting me, is all good. I'll never cuddle a cockerel again.

 

[Outta Here]

My limited experience agrees with this. I had a cuddle roo cockerel that turned absolute jerkface when the hormones hit. I ended up keeping the roo that was the least cuddly, but at least he's stable and calm and after I smacked him one time for biting me, is all good. I'll never cuddle a cockerel again.

This is very good to know, thanks! I tried the forgiving, soothing pet the first time he bit me, but when he repeated it instantly, I smacked him swiftly and good. He was one shocked boy. Sometimes we think we're communicating love when the animal's nature can only understand it as submission. I'm hoping maybe since I corrected him the first incident while he's young, he might(?) be more respectful. But you're right--no more cuddling. I'll just pour out my cuddling on my sweet Red-Laced Blue Wyandotte lap babies.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'd sure love to know the "recipe" for breeding Rhodebars! Is it from either Barred Rock over RIR hens and then using the cockerels to breed back to RIR? Or RIR over BR hens, then use the cockerels to breed back to RIR? I just think the Rhodebars are gorgeous!!!

What I'm saying is neither way will make Rhodebars.
The BRxRIR recipe doesn't have the right ingredients.
The original Rhodebars were made from RIR and Brussbars.

 

[Outta Here]

Oh dang!! I searched everywhere for a Barred Rock male chick for nothing? Oh well, maybe he'll be a good flock guardian and a nice guy to me! Thanks...saved me a lot of time.

P.S. I just looked over the thread on breeding Rhodebars and it looks like a complex and lengthy project. Perhaps I'll just buy some Rhodebar chicks some day!

 

[Xouie]

Oh dang!! I searched everywhere for a Barred Rock male chick for nothing? Oh well, maybe he'll be a good flock guardian and a nice guy to me! Thanks...saved me a lot of time. Perhaps I'll buy some Rhodebar chicks some day!

Not for nothing! BR roosters are gorgeous and every one that my family had was a gentleman to his ladies and us. RIR on the other hand — not my favorite temperament for exactly the reason in the first post. Ours always turned into demons at puberty too.

 

[Outta Here]

That is soooo encouraging to hear! Thank you! My little BR guy is indeed already the most beautiful in my flock. I think I'll be very happy with him!

 

[NatJ]

Oh dang!! I searched everywhere for a Barred Rock male chick for nothing? Oh well, maybe he'll be a good flock guardian and a nice guy to me! Thanks...saved me a lot of time.

P.S. I just looked over the thread on breeding Rhodebars and it looks like a complex and lengthy project. Perhaps I'll just buy some Rhodebar chicks some day!

I wonder if you could use a Bielefelder? Either just to raise the pure breed, or to develop something like a Rhodebar.

I don't know what country you're in, but I'm in the US and Bielefelders are available at several hatcheries in this country. They are an autosexing dual-purpose breed.

Or you might be able to use a Cream Legbar and Rhode Island Reds, because the Legbars are also autosexing (although they lay blue eggs and have a more slender body than Rhode Island Reds.)