Choosing a rooster for your flock

[Peachychicks]

I currently have 14 chickens I’ve hatched they are 16 weeks old. I have 3 barred rock looking roosters and 1 silkie/frizzle rooster (3 silkies I’m not sure of gender) the only ones crowing are the frizzle and one of the barred rocks.

I want to keep my frizzle and put my silkies in a separate coop and then my backyard mix of chickens with 1 other rooster and build the flocks BUT how do I choose?! I know which rooster is the one in charge but he isn’t the friendliest he’s gone after my shoes a few times, now the other rooster has been friendly since a chick but he is not showing leadership.

Looking for advice thanks so much!

Attached pictures of my roosters.

 

[ChicNmom]

The other roosters know who is in charge and likely won't display any signs of leadership around him. If you already don't like him that much then re-home and see how the others turn out.

I've so far never had a cockerel seem mean when they are that young. Mine have been goofy boys trying to figure out where they fit in the group and they seem to calm down once that's established.
But I'm sure some are just nasty right from the beginning.

I usually keep the ones I like. It depends on whether you want him to be more of a pet or mostly a good protector of the flock. My best most protective rooster started out OK but then needed to go.

My best tempered rooster was a cochin whose legs were so short he could barely run. He was great at sounding a warning but not a protector.

 

[FrostRanger]

I'd cull the one already showing signs of human aggression and go from there deciding who to keep

They won't have their final temperments until they're a year old at least so keep them as long as reasonably possible

How I'd choose

1. Cull any that are human aggressive
2. Cull any that are aggressive towards the hens
3. Cull any over a year old that are brutes while mating
4. Cull or rehome any with serious genetic medical issues
5. Rehome any you don't like for whatever reason
6. Rehome any the girls don't like for whatever reason
7. If you're stuck between 2 or more pick whomever the girls like best as they are the ones who have to live with him
8. Know that none of them may work out 'cause roosters are a gamble

 

[FunnyBunny89]

I would definitely get rid of the aggressive one! Once he's gone, the others will sort out the leadership role and you'll see some changes. Hopefully for the better. I got a 1 year old rooster who was at the bottom of his pack, but now he has 15 hens to himself and he's doing so well. No aggression towards me, the kids, our dogs, or visitors, but he is always with the hens keeping an eye out, and I think he would attack if a predator got in because he isn't shy at all.

 

[Snatchman1970]

I would definitely get rid of the aggressive one! Once he's gone, the others will sort out the leadership role and you'll see some changes. Hopefully for the better. I got a 1 year old rooster who was at the bottom of his pack, but now he has 15 hens to himself and he's doing so well. No aggression towards me, the kids, our dogs, or visitors, but he is always with the hens keeping an eye out, and I think he would attack if a predator got in because he isn't shy at all.

 

[Snatchman1970]

I’m new to chickens. I have two silkies and four red rock, four New Hampshire. They’re almost 5 months old. I have a big coop. I wanted to let them out soon because I have a fenced in backyard but I’ve noticed 2 Hawks started flying around. So the same person I got my silkies from has a rooster that’s five months old. How do I introduce the rooster and will it protect the whole flock you think?

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'd cull the one already showing signs of human aggression and go from there deciding who to keep

They won't have their final temperments until they're a year old at least so keep them as long as reasonably possible

How I'd choose

1. Cull any that are human aggressive
2. Cull any that are aggressive towards the hens
3. Cull any over a year old that are brutes while mating
4. Cull or rehome any with serious genetic medical issues
5. Rehome any you don't like for whatever reason
6. Rehome any the girls don't like for whatever reason
7. If you're stuck between 2 or more pick whomever the girls like best as they are the ones who have to live with him
8. Know that none of them may work out 'cause roosters are a gamble

How do any boys ever make that cut list?

 

[FunnyBunny89]

I’m new to chickens. I have two silkies and four red rock, four New Hampshire. They’re almost 5 months old. I have a big coop. I wanted to let them out soon because I have a fenced in backyard but I’ve noticed 2 Hawks started flying around. So the same person I got my silkies from has a rooster that’s five months old. How do I introduce the rooster and will it protect the whole flock you think?

I don't know if a rooster can do much protecting without spurs. Something to consider. Mine is a year old and his spurs are still growing. Otherwise, if you can get shade clothes to cover the open area, that would help. We have hawks here but I have a lot of shaders covering around the immediate proximity of the coop.

 

[Shadrach]

I currently have 14 chickens I’ve hatched they are 16 weeks old. I have 3 barred rock looking roosters and 1 silkie/frizzle rooster (3 silkies I’m not sure of gender) the only ones crowing are the frizzle and one of the barred rocks.

I want to keep my frizzle and put my silkies in a separate coop and then my backyard mix of chickens with 1 other rooster and build the flocks BUT how do I choose?! I know which rooster is the one in charge but he isn’t the friendliest he’s gone after my shoes a few times, now the other rooster has been friendly since a chick but he is not showing leadership.

Looking for advice thanks so much!

Attached pictures of my roosters.

What's he going to have to do this rooster?
If you keep your chickens full contained in a coop and run then pick the rooster you like best.
If you free range then I would look for the cockerel that moves quickly from cover to cover and not the cockerel that's swanning down the garden like he's the king of the world. He's likely to be hawk dinner rather quickly.

Best option is to wait a while and watch which male the hens prefer and keep him. After all, it's they who will have to live with him.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I currently have 14 chickens I’ve hatched they are 16 weeks old......... then my backyard mix of chickens with 1 other rooster and build the flocks BUT how do I choose?!

First you have to get through their juvenile phase. Often at that phase the boys are hyped up on hormones but the girls are not. Their hormones are telling the boys to mate with the girls. That is not to fertilize eggs since they are not laying yet, no eggs to fertilize. At that phase mating is about establishing dominance and can be pretty forceful. It can be hard to watch.

Sometimes at this phase the boys can get into some pretty rough fights. These might be fights to the death but more often are more like skirmishes. Really physical but usually pretty soon one decides it is better to run away than continue fighting. Sometimes they fight a lot, sometimes one establishes dominance and the others show him respect. Yours may be at that phase where one has established dominance or the others may not have reached enough maturity to challenge him.

I don't let this phase bother me as long as none are getting injured. I consider it part of growing up and learning how to live in a flock. But if a pullet or a cockerel is injured I separate out the cockerel causing the injury or the injured so they can heal.

A certain amount of judgement is called for. A certain amount of aggression is OK, but if one is a brute, goes out of his way to be brutal to a pullet or another cockerel, I get rid of him. One example, if he holds another down without letting it run away and stands over it while pecking at the head, he is trying to kill it.

There is another red flag for me. If a cockerel attacks me I can sometimes retrain him that attacking me is a bad idea. But I never really trust him again around other people. I've had some boys attack certain family members or visitors while not attacking others. I treat human aggression as a fatal flaw. I don't want to take that chance, especially where kids may be involved.

You said that one was attacking your shoes. Try wearing a different pair. Some boys have been known to attack people wearing certain footwear or clothing but being OK when they are wearing something different. They are not attacking the person but the clothing. See how complicated this can get? I still would not trust a kid to not wear similar shoes in the future.

How do you choose? What are your goals for having a male? I have my criteria but that is not important, what are yours? You are planning on hatching chicks, what do you want those chicks to be like? That could be appearance, behaviors, size, whatever. I would eliminate any with obvious defects, crooked toes are often mentioned as an example but it can be any abnormality.

Personally I'd eliminate the one showing human aggression, to me the risk is not worth it. See how the others develop once they are released from his dominance. It is possible either of the other two would be a great fit for you or it is possible neither will. With living animals you don't get guarantees but most of mine turn out fine once they get out of this immature phase. But most is not all.

Good luck!