Breeding for PERSONALITY. AKA Hello SWEET ROO!

What are your criteria for assessing aggression of roosters? Is it based only on outright attacks? Feigning outright attacks? Posturing? Vocalizations? Most people do not seem aware of the latter two even after keeping birds for many years.
I think it is based on several factors. I have small children so I cannot have a rooster that even considers spurring or jumping. I also free-range quite often so I need a roo that is protective and alert. As has been stated before I don't think anyone wants to weed out any type of normal rooster behavior, but aggression towards people cannot be tolerated.
I know that a roo can differentiate between human and other threats.
 
I think it is based on several factors. I have small children so I cannot have a rooster that even considers spurring or jumping. I also free-range quite often so I need a roo that is protective and alert. As has been stated before I don't think anyone wants to weed out any type of normal rooster behavior, but aggression towards people cannot be tolerated.
I know that a roo can differentiate between human and other threats.
Ideally you would have an attacker and a non attacker for comparison. Former will give all sorts of signals that unpleasant thoughts are going through his mind long before he attack. Look at the video posted earlier in thread and pay particular attention to the roosters vocalizations and the way he holds his body. He is sending all sorts of signals he is aggressive. Look at how he orients towards guy with foot. Look at how his tail is held. These signals doing not even involve cutting the wing. Listen to tembor of notes in his cals and id possible compare them to the notes of a rooster just talking / making contact calls. Hens do same when being aggressive to each other. Such signals can be used as a more sensitive indicator of aggression than outright attacks.
 
If aggressiveness could be bred out of roosters, why hasn't it been done by now? I've heard this complaint since I was a child 60 years ago. One of my grandfathers chose to wring the neck and put the tough old bird in the pot rather than have him hurt kids or himself. The other used some behavior modification--a boot across the barnyard. He told us kids to do the same. I never did, but I ran at the rooster as if I was a rooster, too, with arms out and flailing. It was pretty funny, but it kept both of the old roosters at bay. I was never flogged or spurred. My own rooster is aggressive towards dogs and cats, but never towards me. We settled things the same way early on. Maybe he was gentler than I thought, maybe not. If animals are what they are, then accept them for that.
 
These nay sayers are making this thread unpleasent. If you have nothing positive to say then don't say a thing.

BTW it HAS been done! Most birds that I have seen that show aggresion come from hatcheries or farms that just let the animals breed and shown no real concern for the best interests of the animals.
 
I am not sure if this is the kind of vocalization you guys would consider, but TRILLING is something I will be selecting for. Both my cream brabanter hen and rooster (not related to each other) trill and are sweet. I think it's connected to their amazingly docile personalities.
 
I am not sure if this is the kind of vocalization you guys would consider, but TRILLING is something I will be selecting for. Both my cream brabanter hen and rooster (not related to each other) trill and are sweet. I think it's connected to their amazingly docile personalities.

Both of my roosters make lots of different noises, I'm not sure if they do that one. Could you describe it a little bit for me? I love all of their vocalizations, they're so complex (some people laugh at me when I say that about chickens, but it's true! :)
 
I am not sure if this is the kind of vocalization you guys would consider, but TRILLING is something I will be selecting for. Both my cream brabanter hen and rooster (not related to each other) trill and are sweet. I think it's connected to their amazingly docile personalities.


Interesting theory! I also have a couple of trillers that have good personalities. I seem to enjoy my 'grumblers' those bossy (not mean) girls that make this low growling noise whenever they want treats or let out!

As well as watching for aggression I don't want skittish flighty birds in my flock. One of my EE's almost took out my eye, screaming and flapping from a nest I was checking.

An update on the breeding point for female personality.
I had an aggressive roo that came from a hatchery. He was supposed to be a Cochin, a pet for my middle son. I believe he was a feather footed cuckoo Maran. Well once he went from a cuddly baby to a big roo that knew how to use his spurs, I knew we couldn't keep him.
So after a lot of thought I decided to let him breed. I put him with my buff rock, Brahma, and a couple of other girls. The resulting offspring was a mishmash of colored barring. All of the roos ended up mean as the roo, but I did get a sweet little pullet from him, that softened the blow for my son.

P.S. The roo didn't end up in the stew pot, he was caponinzed by a very skilled lady and is living out his days in her 'bug patrol' flock!
 
Interesting theory! I also have a couple of trillers that have good personalities. I seem to enjoy my 'grumblers' those bossy (not mean) girls that make this low growling noise whenever they want treats or let out!

As well as watching for aggression I don't want skittish flighty birds in my flock. One of my EE's almost took out my eye, screaming and flapping from a nest I was checking.

An update on the breeding point for female personality.
I had an aggressive roo that came from a hatchery. He was supposed to be a Cochin, a pet for my middle son. I believe he was a feather footed cuckoo Maran. Well once he went from a cuddly baby to a big roo that knew how to use his spurs, I knew we couldn't keep him.
So after a lot of thought I decided to let him breed. I put him with my buff rock, Brahma, and a couple of other girls. The resulting offspring was a mishmash of colored barring. All of the roos ended up mean as the roo, but I did get a sweet little pullet from him, that softened the blow for my son.

P.S. The roo didn't end up in the stew pot, he was caponinzed by a very skilled lady and is living out his days in her 'bug patrol' flock!

Ive got some Dark Cornish pullets that are very growly when the treats come out. I love to hear that, they sound like little dinos!
 
Both of my roosters make lots of different noises, I'm not sure if they do that one. Could you describe it a little bit for me? I love all of their vocalizations, they're so complex (some people laugh at me when I say that about chickens, but it's true! :)
The trilling usually happens as they are settling down. We've been cage training and they usually trill after they sit down comfortably and preen. They will also trill when you pet them and they are happy. Here is a video...please ignore the T.V. in the background
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