Awwwww he even has a proper crow! Most of my 20 week olds have a “ca-cooo” or “ca-ca-cooo” at best... if the crowing alone isn’t a neighbor issue... I can’t speak for
@BY Bob and when Jabber started to get unruly, however,
I’ve noticed “bad behavior” starting at 17 to 21 weeks in my boys. What I now look for is mostly roughness or pecking order type attacks on the pullets... not mating attempts mind you (they
are pretty clumsy at first, and the feathers on the hens show it!) but if a cockerel is trying to assert dominance or keep a pullet from feed for starters. I have one ‘would be a keeper’ boy, except that he has been mean to the pullets for the last month or so. He seems* to be getting better, but I don’t really need another Rooster!
With my “white devil” leghorn x boys, they actively were trying to flog me around 17 weeks old, and biting, flogging some more, and generally being awful (not
just hormonal they were aggressive to me and each other). As in, I would go into the run to let them out and they would attack me as a group, some jumping at my face, jumping up and biting my arms, while others (yes, plural) flogged my legs. Every morning, for over a month. They made very nice pot pies.
My Chickie Hawk (who I cuddled too much as a babe, he was my first assisted hatch, and he really
needed chicken girlfriends) showed all the classic “my rooster is awful/attacking me” post signs. A
lot of this was due to errors in my handling of him and just not having enough hens for all my boys. He isn’t a tame Rooster, many would label him aggressive, most people would have culled him. We have worked out our differences, I respect him and he (mostly) respects me. It’s a little dysfunctional, but we make it work. He only has 6 girls, but he is very good with them, even though they kicked his butt when they first met.
Roosters can be very good. I credit my Sammy to saving most of his girls from an owl. They will alert to aerial predators. Sammy and Barney are both playing Daddy to a bunch of teenagers (not theirs, and 10@ 60/40, and 20@ 50/50 ~ p/c, 12 and 19 weeks old respectively) keeping them mostly in line. I wish I had the nerve to range and rear as
@Shadrach does... maybe one day I can get there.
I’m 100% pro Rooster/good cockerel. I appreciate their role in the flock dynamics. If you have the space, patience, it is legal, and a decent boy... I say give it a whirl! See how it goes. I have certainly learned that there is a huge difference in the behaviors of hen only flocks and flocks with roosters, and flocks with those odd two legged roosters... mostly from reading of other hen only flock behaviors here.
I do still have special relationships with some of my hens, even those with “proper” (chicken) roosters. All of my rehab girls and Sammy are a good example, as is Precious, Princess, Tiny, and Teensie of Mr Marans flock. I have “sweetie” in with Barney (she ended up
in my jacket and under my armpit the other day) and “Eagle bait” (a cockerel of the same age) and I are frequently at odds about free ranging. I’m currently at 69 chickens... and hatching; so flock size and space are also valid considerations...
Either way, August is very pretty, and looks sweet.
If I am out with them not only are they never far from me, each hen will approach me individually @ some point for some special attention.
It's got better in many respects over the years but the other keen chicken keepers that free range here don't lose as many.
