Friendly Rooster?

[Folly's place]

x2. If you can, raise several of breeds you are interested in, and pick the one(s) who look and act right. I don't try to make pets of my cockrels; they need to respect my space and move out of my way. The very 'friendly' young males tend to turn into bad boys, often. Mary

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

I've had a lot of success with our Orpington/silkie crosses. Silkies, from what I've heard, are not terribly docile roosters . . . maybe it has something to do with looking like a pom pom. Anyway, I wrote an article on how we raised our roosters, if you're interested. Here's the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-roosters-to-be-family-friendly

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My Silkie roosters are SUPER docile. My daughter carries our black rooster around like a baby, and he just lays there and purrs. He's good to us, good to his hens and is even good with the cockerel that shares his coop.

The only issue I've had with my Silkies (roosters or hens) is that they tend to get picked on by other breeds/birds. My Japanese bantams shared their coop last winter and they plucked the crests off my roo and a few of the girls, they looked pretty awful for a while!

Obviously, I really love my Silkies, and I say get one if that's what you want. But you must understand, that there is the potential for a meanie no matter the breed. Instead of "getting some chickens from some chicken place" research some breeders in your area and buy your rooster from someone who takes the time to select for temperament. Places selling for profit tend to focus on quantity rather than quality, and in my opinion, your money will be better spent else where. Like a small time breeder who breeds because its something they love, not something they're looking to just make money from.


Best of luck to you!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I've had some lovely roos - a couple of nice cochins, a Polish and a couple barnyard mixes. At the moment we have an EE roo and he's a bit of a pill - not a complete jerk, but not quite as nice as the roos I've had before. I'll likely cull him and if I decide to keep a roo moving forward (had planned a roo-less flock when we started this group, he was a surprise roo) I'm not sure what breed I'll go with.....and that will likely have a lot to do with what direction we decide to take our flock.

 

[speckledhen]

Get a cockerel from someone who has a well tempered rooster - temperament is largely genetic. Parentage is more important than breed here. There are some really nasty silky roosters out there, and some really good RIRs.

I agree 100% with this. Temperament is one of the traits I breed for. My 6 year old Delaware, who loves sitting in my lap on the hammock and wouldn't dream of hurting a human being, produces sons with his same easygoing temperament with extremely rare exception. I have had fabulous Barred Rock males, have one right now; he's 1/4 Delaware, though you'd never know it-his grandfather is that 6 yr old Delaware.

It's not a breed thing, it's an individual as well as genetic thing. Handling or not handling will not change temperament, it will only bring ingrained temperament to the surface.

 

[mebuff daisy]

I have two SS Rooster and thy are very mean, Even when we herd thy were friendly guys

Depends on the rooster