Can a rough rooster become a gentleman?

[ChickenChaser9]

In a well integrated flock the hens should want to be near your Roo and follow him about the area. Asserting dominance is not the same as bullying. A bully is going to be ripping out feathers and pecking heads in situations where he is not trying to mount the hen. As stated before, going through puberty is rough for a cockerel and the hormones often cause him to be rougher than necessary around the girls. If you never let them mature though you wont be able to learn the difference between natural behavior and aggressive behaviors. If you have to separate the males for a time that is alright. I have my Jersey Giant Rooster living inside right now and will for the next few months while his hormones stabilize because I don't want to stress out my girls with his overzealous antics.

 

[cher67]

This is a very helpful thread! Thanks y'all!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

FYI, today the rooster in question spent the entire day with the hens and they are still speaking to him at free-ranging time. I think this boy is going to work out...now...what to do with the two new cockerels who have been dropped off in the past two weeks? I guess two roosters is pushing my luck?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How many hens? I have lots of roosters, but I also have lots of hens. I always like to see how things go, you can always remove any troublemakers.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Some thing I noticed is that know matter how aggressive a rooster can get the hens wilk still continue flirting and looking up to him as a leader.

My little over a year old roo will chase,forcedly mate and still the hens continue liking him because they know it is perfectly normal,they are not stupid.

He rips feathers etc not bullying them he is mating them and there is defiantly no injury....

 

[aart]

FYI, today the rooster in question spent the entire day with the hens and they are still speaking to him at free-ranging time. I think this boy is going to work out...now...what to do with the two new cockerels who have been dropped off in the past two weeks? I guess two roosters is pushing my luck?

Stew pot?
You could try, but be ready to isolate them asap....
.......I think the biggest problem with multiple cock/erels is the competition factor, it can make a relatively good cockbird go bad.
Much depends on space and housing....as well as the temperaments of individual birds.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

How many hens? I have lots of roosters, but I also have lots of hens. I always like to see how things go, you can always remove any troublemakers.

I have seven hens, all from the spring of 2015 plus two pullets in a separate pen from this spring. The first rooster I agreed to rehome this spring made a nice smoked chicken salad. The second is the boy who seems to be working out with the hens. Both these roosters came to me due to a conversation I had at the feed store with a woman who lived in city limits and has discovered that two of her chicks were roosters. This third cockerel belonged to the kids of one of my co-workers, he has a name and has been hand reared. My co-worker knows that he may end up in the stewpot, but after a week of quaranteen he is now in with my two pullets and seems to be getting along just fine. So, it is my emotional connection with the rooster's former owner that is making me consider keeping a second one. He is younger and smaller than the one out with the hens. All three are Easter Eggers.

I had two other messages on my cell phone yesterday from other people offering me three more roosters. The word has gotten around in the backyard chicken community and I guess right now is about the time everyone's spring chicks are starting to crow. I've told everyone else that I'll take them, but they will become dinner once they've matured a bit. I'm planning on putting them out with my meat birds, who while younger, are heavier.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Some thing I noticed is that know matter how aggressive a rooster can get the hens wilk still continue flirting and looking up to him as a leader.

My little over a year old roo will chase,forcedly mate and still the hens continue liking him because they know it is perfectly normal,they are not stupid.

He rips feathers etc not bullying them he is mating them and there is defiantly no injury....

The first rooster I tried to keep four years ago not only chased and did the head grab thing, he wore the feathers off the backs of several of my hens. In one case I went to examine his favorite hen and found open, bleeding gashes down her sides under her wings from his claws. He made a tasty couq-au-vin.

 

[ChickenChaser9]

How many hens? I have lots of roosters, but I also have lots of hens. I always like to see how things go, you can always remove any troublemakers.

10 hens to 1 rooster is plenty. Less can be done depending on the space they have to occupy and the breeds involved. As you stated, you can always remove troublemakers.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

All jens will get bare from getting mated and it will happen overtime......