Another cockeral question

[backwards hat]

Hi all, need some advice from those of you experienced with roosters.

Background:

• We have 11 hens ranging from 1 yr to 3.5 yrs
• We have 6 new ones, 1.5 months old - currently in the brooder
• We have a 10x10 coop with a 20x20 run. Plenty of space for everyone.
• We don't free range - too many predators - they are let outside when we can watch them
• Our chickens are considered pets who provide us eggs
• This is our 2nd rooster. Our first was an accidental rooster we raised from a day old chick. He was super aggressive. We have not had a rooster in over a year until now

We took in a cockerel from a person who couldn't have a rooster in their area. We only took him in because we were assured he was friendly and docile.

By day 3, he was biting me and then two weeks later, after integrated with the girls, he flogged me. I tried to chalk it up to him getting used to a new environment. I worked with him (carried him, separated him, got in his space, etc.) and it's gotten mostly better, however, he continues to flog me every week or so and it's so unpredictable. One time I can pet a hen, the next time I try, he gets pissed. I keep thinking he will stop after the spring hormonal surge or once he turns a year old or some other excuse.

My kids no longer enjoy having chickens. They used to interact with the girls, who would willingly jump up and sit on their laps. The rooster won't even allow the girls to get in close proximity to us. They hate seeing the favorite girls missing feathers. One child was super upset seeing me get flogged the other week. Because he's so unpredictable, they don't want anything to do with him, or the girls.

However, the girls love him, one especially follows him everywhere. However, the favorites are looking a little rough after the past two months. My smallest one seemed a little worn out today. He's much bigger than her. But the girls fight every night for the chance to sit next to him. So I'm pretty confident he's good to the girls. I'm worried they'll be upset if he's gone.

I'm the only one in the family advocating to keep him. I promised the family that if he was the slightest bit aggressive, he would be gone. I keep moving the line in the sand. My husband told me yesterday the kids are upset with my handling of this. Obviously, this upset me to hear it.

I need to know if he is a good rooster who is just going through the normal teen period and it will work itself out & he will calm down? I hate to be so close to the end of spring and his one year mark and give up when if I hung in there he would have changed because the girls really love him. But I'm also aware that his spurs are growing, the girls are looking rough with some skin starting to show, and I have six new ones to think about so I don't know how much more time I should give this.

Thanks so much for your advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[my gang eats grass]

I would get rid of him. I've had lots of roosters, and an aggressive one is not going to get any nicer. Also, if your hens are missing feathers he is not being gentle. Hopefully you can find a better rooster for your flock.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Young cockerels can be hormonal, he will need to time mature.
Not all nice roosters need to be handled. How do you go about grabbing him to carry/hold him? It would be best in the early morning or dusk when he is roosting. He may be struggling to determine if you are a predator if you are chasing or cornering him.

 

[Yardmom]

My kids are able to pick up our roosters just as well as our hens. This was not the case with the first rooster. They enjoy the whole flock more now. Yes he might calm some, but he is not off to a good start. Why do you want to keep him? What was the agreement with your family? Is it more important to keep him or more important for your whole family to enjoy the flock?

 

[backwards hat]

Thanks for the responses.

I've tried to do everything suggested on other threads. I don't chase him down. If I can hold him, I do so like a football. I talk softly to him, I don't yell. I don't hit or kick him. He sees me with the girls, who still try to come by me before he interferes, and he should know by now that we are not a threat. I just don't know if he will calm down and I really want a good reason to remove him.

Our previous rooster was so very mean to us and the hens on a daily basis, so it was an easy decision. Since this is my only frame of reference, I just don't know if an occasional flogging is the norm or if that absolutely should never happen. His behavior is so inconsistent that I just don't know how he will wind up and that makes the decision difficult.

If he were to mellow out, I think the kids would come around and we would all be fine with keeping him. Our agreement was if he flogged anyone just once, he would be gone, so he should have been gone already. And unfortunately he does this to me every 8-14 days. There are long lapses in between so I keep thinking, he's better now and adjusted to us and then he goes & does it again. If I could predict that he will only get worse, then I would prefer to make a decision soon so that the girls that are looking rough can recover quickly and we won't have to be concerned about the new ones that will be joining the flock. I just want to be sure I don't miss out on a good rooster who settled down after the spring hormonal surge. Wish this was an easy choice.