Breed suggestions for docile roosters?

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Wildgrass

Chirping
Aug 28, 2021
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So, my last two years of chickenkeeping have mostly just been rooster trouble. I currently have a flock of...I think 8 two-year-old hens and 2 pullets. Last year's girls grew up with a Dominique cockerel who was an absolute nightmare and ended up being my first cull earlier this year. This year's girls had a surprise easter egger cockerel who I culled at maybe 4 or 5 months because he was terrorizing my flightiest hen and got increasingly human-aggressive. I want to grow toward keeping a sustainable flock, so I am trying to to figure out the surest way to end up with a rooster who is not abusive to hens or humans, and who will (hopefully) protect from aerial predators.

I've read in a couple of places that having a male chick grow up among adult hens is good, because they don't allow him to run roughshod over them, and indeed, the one hen I had from the previous year was the only girl who my awful Dominique didn't wear the feathers off of. My bright idea for next year is to get a half-dozen male chicks and keep only one to two who are well-behaved. But here are my questions before I move forward:

First, do you think the girls that grew up with that nasty rooster will be tough enough with new cockerels? They certainly boss the new hens around for the most part, but they weren't keeping this year's cockerel in check.
Second, any breed recommendations for a clean-footed, ideally nonwhite and non-crested rooster with a reputation for not being a terror? I was leaning toward Speckled Sussex, possibly Dorking, possibly easter egger, but I'm really curious to hear from others with more experience. I would also consider buying from a particular hatchery known to produce good roos.

I truly appreciate all the insight I always get when I come to BYC with questions, and I'm looking forward to any responses. :p Let me know if you're doing any chick purchasing for next year too!
 
Thank you! Wyandottes are such lovely birds, too. Although I got a new one this year and she doesn't want to be at the bottom of the pecking order, so she's terrorizing my poor legbar! I feel so bad for that bird, I think she's too dumb to cope with having a bully.

I haven't tried Orpingtons yet because they tend to be listed as not heat tolerant, and it gets very hot and dry out in the Colorado sun. But my run has a lot of shade and water, and those temperatures don't last overnight, so...yes. Just realized I'm thinking out loud. I bet an Orpington would be all right out here.
 
How old are your hens/pullets? I have some that are 9 months old and they absolutely dominate and chase off my enormous brahma cockerel who is younger than them. Yours will probably do the same to an enthusiastic young cockerel.
 
I would be getting new chicks in spring, so the rest of the flock would be either 1 or 2 years old at hatching. I have a fear that the 2 year olds don't know how to stand up to a rooster, though, from growing up with an awful one. I know the legbar at least couldn't handle it, but she seems a little special.
 
My friendliest rooster was a mottled wyandotte/ss mix I culled him as I just didnt want the single comb... Out of the 6 roosters I have
My blrw isnt aggressive to me but tends to chase hens into submission
My lav wyandotte split who isnt aggressive towards me but his father which was a lavender orp was aggressive
My true black ameraucana is an prick to everyone even my geese but he doesnt attack me anymore as i took his ladies away and carried him around and I still do lol as all this one does when let out is look for the closet male to fight through the fencing so he dont need hens either lol
My two mottled mixes 1 has never shown aggressive to me but his brother has, but a swift kick to the azz stopped that he will be processed come spring.
Other breeds ive had were a glw rooster who would size me up but never came at me
Which is why I only keep males around for a season before I switch them out
 
My red phoenix's from cackle have been the best roo's I've had so far. Bielefelder, red gold and silver phoenix's, Liege fighters, splash laced wyandotte and cream legbar. The last 2 are just getting into annoying teenage faze. None have been aggressive to people. Bielefelder's have been the most aggressive to the ladies. Silver Phoenix's were the most skittish and the gold phoenix's were right in the middle of the silver and red's. I ended up with 2 Red Phoenix roosters and 1 hen. I was impressed that they both worked as a team protecting red girl from all of the other aggressive roo's the same age. They literally stayed one on ether side of her everywhere in the yard. Even when they mounted her they were polite 😂 if she squawks they stopped, if she was quit he would finish. Never thought a rooster would be so civilized lol
 

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I would be getting new chicks in spring, so the rest of the flock would be either 1 or 2 years old at hatching. I have a fear that the 2 year olds don't know how to stand up to a rooster, though, from growing up with an awful one. I know the legbar at least couldn't handle it, but she seems a little special.
The Bielefelder's I mentioned were very bad to my girls. They were a pack of 4 roosters that would hunt and ambush the hens to say the least. I cleaned house and those same hens are about 2yo and when my 6mo wyandotte tries to mount, they fling him off and he's running in circles trying to get away because she has him by the wing lol
 
Thank you both! Those red phoenixes are beautiful, too. I'll definitely take a look at Cackle, and thank you for the reassurance that my older girls might be able to boss around a young guy.
 
So, my last two years of chickenkeeping have mostly just been rooster trouble. I currently have a flock of...I think 8 two-year-old hens and 2 pullets. Last year's girls grew up with a Dominique cockerel who was an absolute nightmare and ended up being my first cull earlier this year. This year's girls had a surprise easter egger cockerel who I culled at maybe 4 or 5 months because he was terrorizing my flightiest hen and got increasingly human-aggressive. I want to grow toward keeping a sustainable flock, so I am trying to to figure out the surest way to end up with a rooster who is not abusive to hens or humans, and who will (hopefully) protect from aerial predators.

I've read in a couple of places that having a male chick grow up among adult hens is good, because they don't allow him to run roughshod over them, and indeed, the one hen I had from the previous year was the only girl who my awful Dominique didn't wear the feathers off of. My bright idea for next year is to get a half-dozen male chicks and keep only one to two who are well-behaved. But here are my questions before I move forward:

First, do you think the girls that grew up with that nasty rooster will be tough enough with new cockerels? They certainly boss the new hens around for the most part, but they weren't keeping this year's cockerel in check.
Second, any breed recommendations for a clean-footed, ideally nonwhite and non-crested rooster with a reputation for not being a terror? I was leaning toward Speckled Sussex, possibly Dorking, possibly easter egger, but I'm really curious to hear from others with more experience. I would also consider buying from a particular hatchery known to produce good roos.

I truly appreciate all the insight I always get when I come to BYC with questions, and I'm looking forward to any responses. :p Let me know if you're doing any chick purchasing for next year too!
Cochin
 

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