And the baby chick test and Bye, the perfect rooster

[Mrs. K]

As I posted before, I raised up a rooster, just a mutt. Nothing outstanding, kind of homely, definitely going to be asked to dinner.... oh yeah, and a perfect gentleman... so darn nice, he has got the Bye.

The hens adore him. He keeps them together. He watches the skies, last night a hawk flew over, he made a warning call, and everything just froze and was silent until the hawk flew on. When he breeds, there is little squawking, and hardly a feather out of place.

Last week - the grandchildren test - did not flap, or flare up, just casually moved his girls away of excited littles ones finding an egg.

This week - I added chicks to the flock, and like everything else, he took them in stride.
I am just posting this because it really is a pleasure to have a fantastic rooster. A really well mannered rooster. This post is so you know it can happen, and to encourage you not to settle for anything less. Seriously, I was not going to keep this guy for breeding, but now, I kind of like him...

Mrs K

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I saved my first rooster because he was too nice to kill. He also had the bonus of being a Barnevelder (though feed store quality). I just couldn't cull him as he was just so darn sweet. His sons have (mostly) equally been sweet. I was only going to have ONE...count them ONE rooster in the flock, but his first son (who died from a heart attack) got dubbed Wesley (from the Princess Bride) as I was going to kill him so many times, but he would just let me pick him up and gently look up at me with, like, "well, get it over with, I'm ready when you are." I just didn't have the heart. Wesley started a good portion of my olive egger daughters before he unexpectly was found dead.

His father Barney the first (I've got Barney the second now) melted my heart with his tender care of his ladies. He would alert for hawks, gently mount them, and tenderly care for the mothers and chicks. The first time I introduced a broody hen back into the flock under his care, I expected to see the normal hazing from the cranky top gals to the broody. Barney quickly swooped in with a bowed wing and swooped the aggressive hen away from the broody and clutch of chicks protecting them by placing his body in front of them alerting the ladies there would be no monkey business with the chicks. I just melted.

His sons have been equally stellar. I now, after Barney I died from old age, have Barney II and Fife II (son of Wesley). I just love my Barney-Cream Legbar line of roos. They are the absolute sweetest.

Barney II isn't the brightest bulb in the coop. He keeps challenging Fife II through the fenceline and somehow gets caught up in the bird netting hanging down (yes, I've tried to address this but still have it where it needs to be). He's hung himself upside down several times. Each time I find him, I pick him up, right him, he offers no resistance whatsoever, simply a "well that was embarrassing, thank you, glance."

Nobody charges at the dog, kids over, hubby, workmen, and are docile lambs when picked up. Take good care of their ladies, babes in tow, and watch carefully for hawks.

So yes. A good roo is an absolute joy to have. I'm lucky to have 2 in my flock.

LofMc

 

[aldarita]

Thanks Mrs K and Lady of McCamley for sharing these roosters stories. I've been going back and forth about deciding to have a rooster or not. My own experience has been both, good and bad. I have my eyes on a breeder that has very good quality silver penciled wyandottes and other varieties of the same breed that I would like to have, however of course, the chicks won't be sexed so if I'm lucky I will end up with 50/50
You are sooo very lucky to get such wonderful well mannered roosters.....I must confess.....I envy you both

 

[Mrs. K]

I really think it is luck of the draw, and being raised with older birds in an established flock. They learn proper chicken society...but luck of the draw has a huge part to do with it too.

To get a good rooster, you need a sharp knife. Do not keep anything that is not fantastic.

I have had a lot of roosters, some where ok to good, never kept anything I didn't like or the least bit out of line... but it has been years, since I have had such a great rooster.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

So tonight watching them, and there is the rooster eating at a feed pan, full of week old chicks. In and around, under his feet, peeping excitedly. He eats a while talking to them all the while.

Seriously he is homely as sin, kind of a yellowish white with grey... but he still is called Bye. I have a pretty eye candy cockerel growing up now, I can tell he is going to be handsome, but...

Mrs K

 

[Happychickens33]

As I posted before, I raised up a rooster, just a mutt. Nothing outstanding, kind of homely, definitely going to be asked to dinner.... oh yeah, and a perfect gentleman... so darn nice, he has got the Bye.

The hens adore him. He keeps them together. He watches the skies, last night a hawk flew over, he made a warning call, and everything just froze and was silent until the hawk flew on. When he breeds, there is little squawking, and hardly a feather out of place.

Last week - the grandchildren test - did not flap, or flare up, just casually moved his girls away of excited littles ones finding an egg.

This week - I added chicks to the flock, and like everything else, he took them in stride.
I am just posting this because it really is a pleasure to have a fantastic rooster. A really well mannered rooster. This post is so you know it can happen, and to encourage you not to settle for anything less. Seriously, I was not going to keep this guy for breeding, but now, I kind of like him...

Mrs K

It is important to note that Roos pass on their temperament to their prodigy! He sounds wonderful!!

 

[Mrs. K]

He truly is a wonderful rooster.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

So tonight watching them, and there is the rooster eating at a feed pan, full of week old chicks. In and around, under his feet, peeping excitedly. He eats a while talking to them all the while.

Seriously he is homely as sin, kind of a yellowish white with grey... but he still is called Bye. I have a pretty eye candy cockerel growing up now, I can tell he is going to be handsome, but...

Mrs K

My pheonix flockmaster is just like how you've described Bye (but he's also quite handsome as a plus). He gets so excited when I let new mama's and their babies out of the nest pens

 

[3KillerBs]

So tonight watching them, and there is the rooster eating at a feed pan, full of week old chicks. In and around, under his feet, peeping excitedly. He eats a while talking to them all the while.

Seriously he is homely as sin, kind of a yellowish white with grey... but he still is called Bye. I have a pretty eye candy cockerel growing up now, I can tell he is going to be handsome, but...

Mrs K

When my escape artist chicks got out of their integration pen too early and the hens were harassing them I saw them passing right under Ludwig for safety.