Angry Ayam Cemani Roo - remove from my breeding line or no?

[Eliselove]

Hello folks,
I have a very small beginning of an Ayam Cemani flock (2 roos 2 hens) and one of the roos always attacks when I go in there. The other one doesn't bother me ever. I think the behavior is pretty ingrained at this point, and I can think of some reasons for his behavior, such as pen size, not enough hens, or boredom, but my main worry is if it will be irresponsible to hatch eggs he may have fertilized. I can't have a bunch of violent chickens. Wondering if human-hostile temperament in roos is likely part genetically based? Any thoughts welcome. He basically acts like he thinks I am a rooster.

 

[bobbi-j]

There are those who believe that human aggression in roosters is hereditary, and there are those who believe otherwise. I personally would not have an attack rooster in my flock. I have grandkids who like to pick eggs, and I don’t want to take a chance of them being attacked. Also, I have chickens for the joy of it, and I will not keep an animal that steals my joy. I don’t choose to have to continually watch my back when I’m out with my birds.

 

[Eliselove]

Thank you so much Bobbi-J, I feel the same way, really! I planned to not keep him once I have a few more birds, but I was going to hatch the next generation first. However, I have reservations about his genetics now and just wondering how heritable it is, if folks raising this breed could speak to their experiences with offspring of any feisty males . . .

 

[SamLockwood]

Opinion is divided on whether being human-aggressive is hereditary or not. If your plan is to keep all the offspring then I'd say just hatch them, raise them, and see what happens. If you get human-aggressive birds then you know it's a genetics issue and you'll have to cull the bloodline. Otherwise I'd just let it ride.

 

[Eliselove]

Thank you, that is a great idea.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Every single human aggressive rooster I've ever had was from a breed known for aggression

 

[Eliselove]

My impression from the other three AC is that they are unusually docile! I wonder if my mom somehow rubbed this guy (top roo) the wrong way and he is just a brave defender.

 

[SourRoses]

It's definitely genetic. People want it not to be because so often it's a rooster they want to breed who starts acting like a jerk. If breeders weren't so tempted to breed jerks, we wouldn't still be dealing with them hundreds of years later... there's been enough time in chicken history to solve the problem and have only nice roosters.

I'm working on a mix project with about 5 different breeds and I can see the result of genetic temperament in action. All my chicks are raised the same way.
The most aggressive breed I've kept was Mosaics. The breeder told me her first rooster was really nasty aggressive, but the only one she had so she bred him and kept his best sons. "Thankfully" her choice of grandson was "mild enough" (whatever that meant). So I bought a grandson from her that she had handled extensively. I was really surprised by how easily she could pick him up and hold him on one hand walking around and chatting. But the trained docility was rather masking his actual personality. Although he never attacked a human, he gave stink-eye, and he was mean to hens and pullets. I raised a son from him who I just culled last month after he scalped a hen I had to put to sleep, all because she wouldn't breed with him.

In contrast, I have a pen started with an English Orpington roo (known for docility) and he was the most amazing rooster I've ever had. Ginormous, but never looked at a person askance. He raised his baby chicks and never tried anything with a hen or pullet who wasn't interested, even during his hormonal cockerel stage. He protected his flock from other roosters (almost killing an intruder) and watched the sky constantly for threats. I would call him extra-protective.
I now have that same personality in two of his grandsons, mixed with another breed not as sweet. There have been some cockerels from this line who didn't show his good traits and were culled, but not a one was for human or hen aggression. If that makes sense. It's totally genetic! Good breeders shouldn't continue to breed mean birds.

 

[Eliselove]

Even older breeds have a lot of variety in their genetics for sure and throw up different flavored birds. I feel safer not breeding him! Thank you to all who read and another thank you to those who shared your wisdom!