Are roosters all mean??? Please tell me they aren't!

[KellyHM]

ALL of my roos are sweeties...I don't tolerate them otherwise. They all take care of their girls and even the babies, eat corn out of my hand, etc.

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

Chick personality is nothing like when they grow up. I have two roos, a BR and RIR. My BR is timid while my RIR is VERY dominant. But as a chick he was very affectionate, especially with my wife. He would snuggle up to her chin and always wanted her to hold him. He would jump on her lap and lay down. That faded. Now he runs and just recently has begun sneak attacks. Mostly on my daughters...because they RUN! Which is apparently the worst thing you can do, then they own you and wont stop. He tried it with me and my wife too, but we both reached down and knocked the hell outta him and it never happened again. But we can't convince our daughters to do it. They still just run, and he still attacks them. BUT RIRs are notoriously mean. I guess it depends on your breed and how you handle him. NEVER let him think he owns or intimidates you and you will be fine.

 

[RAWR]

Quote:
if I could only catch mine

lol good point x]

 

[Emzyyy]

I have a Modern Game Bantam Roo that just sits in my lap and lets me pet him and he coos back at me.

 

[ChooksChick]

My roo sat quietly on my lap for 2 hours at the vet's today. I vote they come in all personalities!

 

[Debbienmousey]

None of our roosters would even consider coming up and "attacking" us. Now...the hens will come and peck our toes if we're only wearing flip-flops, but that's a different story.

KJ, by far our best rooster, is very good to the hens. He doesn't over mate them like the young roosters, and if the hens are being chased by a rooster or two all they have to do is find KJ and run to him. Then he'll "protect" them from the other roosters. He won't let us hold him but I don't mind. Roosters seem to be skiddish naturally, probably because they don't want to show their soft spot while the hens are around =p. We got KJ from a friend, and he was going to be freezer food so he didn't get much handling as a chick. But he isn't scared of us, he'll come up to us, sometimes very close, but won't stand still to let us catch/pet him.

All of our roosters respect us but only 2-3 would let us hold them. (And that wouldn't even be a pleasurable experience for them) Not like the hens which will let us hold them or pet them.

I have been having problems with a rooster which mates hens while they're laying in the boxes, but he's got himself a 1-way ticket to freezer camp...


EDIT: True, I also believe you can get tame roosters if you try hard. I just haven't put out that determination yet, lol.

 

[RAWR]

lol one of our roos are kinda mean and one is just plain cross eyed xD lol

 

[Kim_NC]

We have 4 roos - well, cockerels really as none are yet a year old. They are well behaved, generally speaking.

Zephyrus - Black Australorp, raised by us in a large hatchlings with a broody. He is very big, but very quiet around people. I never handle him, but he comes right over at treat or feed time. He's never acted agressive toward us at all - 6 1/2 mo old.

Eros - EE, Blue barred. Grew up with the same hatch/broody. He's a cross between a SQ Blue Ameraucana roo and BR hen. Very quiet, gentlemanly. He's exceptionally tall. Again, has never been aggressive to us, 6 1/2 mo old.

Adonis - Blue Ameraucana, 7 1/2 mo old. Bought him from another grower. He is the sweetest little guy! A real romeo to the girls and constantly underfoot at feed time or chore time, likes to be petted. He must have been handled a lot as a chick - or something - I have never met a roo so tame.

Notus - RIR, 9 or 10 mo old. Bought him from another grower at 30 weeks old. He was 30 weks old He was tame with his previous owner - but Notus and I have been 'a round or two'. It took awhile for him to understand that I am the HRIC (head rooster in charge

) around here. About every 2 weeks he'd take another shot at me. Until the last time about 6 weeks ago. I sent him sailing with my foot (a lift and toss, not really kicked), and then chased him with a stick for 5-10 minutes. He stays quite out of my way now. LOL, we finally have an understanding.

All of them treat the girls well, call them for treats, watch over their safety, etc. I only have one hen who looks a little 'treaded' - she is Notus' favorite. Overall, you would not even know my hens have roos, little or no feather damage at all. (But their eggs are fertile and I get good hatches.)

 

[janinepeters]

Here is a link to an excellent article on rooster aggression:
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Cocks-2.html

The gist is that you tame an aggressive rooster the same way you tame any other animal: by respecting it, gaining its trust, and getting him to see you as a source of food treats. This is in contrast to the "time honored" approach of "showing him who's boss".

We tried the time honored approach some years ago with an aggressive rooster. I carried a broom with me and gave him a swat whenever he ran at me. This only caused his aggression to escalate. It was liked I has stooped to his level and engaged him in a cock fight....But he was prepared to fight to the death. Well, needless to say, this didn't help him become less aggressive, and he ended up in the stock pot.

Then, several years later, with another aggressive rooster, I tried the more humane approach, and that has worked like a charm. This formerly nasty rooster is now like a little pet. He still doesn't like to be picked up, but he is VERY tame around me and enjoys is special treats.

That said, I am sure that some highly aggressive roosters who will not repsond well even to the humane approach, and will not be safe to keep around. You cannot successfully tame every animal. Those are the ones to eat.

Good luck - I hope yours turns out to be a mellow one!

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I had a roo that was my buddy.....I could carry him everywhere, he loved my attention, was sooooo precious. UNTIL he turned mating age. Then he decided I had to die. I tied all the sweet and humane approaches. Nothing worked. so I started holding him upside down.....all that did was make putting him back down VERY dangerous, and he ALWAYS flew for my face. Started only going outside with a rake I would use to beat him back over and over and over......

Now I have Hansel and Edward. Hansel is a BLRW. This boy is HUGE and has some ugly spurs.....not that he would ever use them.

He is sweet and polite, treats his women like queens, tolerates being held though you can tell he would rather not (cramps his style I believe), herds his women inside at the first sign of danger, he is wonderful. Edward is pretty much just like Hansel only shorter.

He is a bantam EE. Sweet little boy!!!! I have others but they are all very young so I have no clue on them, yet.