Bantam breeds?

[Flockking]

Any advice for keeping them friendly? I JUST culled my roo because he was a literal demon and nothing worked on making him friendly. I have four Orpington hens. And they’re all getting along well, I don’t mind having freeloading roosters but I also need to be able to work in the run without being attacked nonstop.

You could work with them by spending more time with them
It helps picking them up
Hand feeding constantly, rub time
Touch every single part of their body so they get used to all these and know they have nothing to worry about you, that you are not a threat

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Any advice for keeping them friendly? I JUST culled my roo because he was a literal demon and nothing worked on making him friendly. I have four Orpington hens. And they’re all getting along well, I don’t mind having freeloading roosters but I also need to be able to work in the run without being attacked nonstop.

I have an Old English Game Bantam cockerel, and he is friendly and smart. I doubt he will ever grow up to be an aggressive rooster. It helps to make a cockerel friendly if you hold him for long periods of time and grab him often. Overall, it always depends on what the individual cockerels' personality is like, but getting him used to you touching him is a great starter to making him friendly. Note that it is a lot easier to train a cockerel for holding if you start out holding him immediately after you got him.

Also, for future reference, Old English Game Bantams and Old English Games are easy to sex at about six weeks because of the dramatic difference in a hen and rooster's coloring and comb growth. The cockerels will grow a large comb, and they are the only sex to possess a Black breast in many color varieties.

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

Try keeping them in a bachelor pad as far from the hens as possible so they have less to fight about. The more space the better and more feeders and waterers. Or let them free range for tick control but these days people are wary of letting birds out due to avian flu

 

[fluffycrow]

It's a little breed dependent as well. Gamefowl breeds tend to be really friendly for example

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

It's a little breed dependent as well. Gamefowl breeds tend to be really friendly for example

I have found that as well. In particular, I see Old English Game Bantams as more friendly and smart than a lot of other breeds because of multiple lines of them being bred for show.

 

[fluffycrow]

I have found that as well. In particular, I see Old English Game Bantams as more friendly and smart than a lot of other breeds because of multiple lines of them being bred for show.

It makes sense. You couldn't have an aggressive male, it would be really hard to handle and train. So aggressive individuals were culled

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

It makes sense. You couldn't have an aggressive male, it would be really hard to handle and train. So aggressive individuals were culled

As well as how people need to train their chickens to do commands at shows.

 

[fluffycrow]

As well as how people need to train their chickens to do commands at shows.

Agreed, though this is more recent