Help me choose which rooster to keep!

[ChickyWhicky]

I will need to get rid of rooster(s) before too long. I currently have 3 roosters and 15 hens, everybody is about 5 months old. Help me choose which roo to keep!

Mayweather
Australorp
Not shown any human-aggression (not mean but not willing to be your friend)
Breeds the hens, a little rough for my liking but nothing out-of-line
Doesn't show strong desire to protect or take care of flock, mostly does his own thing
Wants to fight/chase one of the other roos
Ugly-ish (not a criteria to make a decision on, just letting you know )

Canelo
Rhode island red
Shown human-aggression once but has since become relatively friendly (always hanging out with me, wanting to follow/be near me but not in a menacing way)
Does not breed the hens
Shows desire to protect and take care of flock, chases off birds/cats/dogs & will call the flock over/share snacks
Doesnt want to fight/chase, will run away/avoid conflict with other roo
Has basically been exiled to hang out by himself (or with me) because Mayweather wants to knock his socks off
Handsome (again, not a criteria I am basing decisions on)

McGregor
Little red roo (maybe a production red?)
Smallest of the roos
Not shown any human aggression
Does not breed the hens
Doesnt show desire to protect or take care of flock, 100% a follower
Does not fight/chase the other roos
Hang out with the other roos with zero problems....is this even a roo? JK- Yes, I am nearly positive he is
Not my favorite guy, sorry dude (he's at the bottom of my list)
Can I keep this guy forever, if he continues to get along with the other roos? Why or why not?

 

[3KillerBs]

No human-aggression would be my #1.

What breeds are your hens?

Do you plan to hatch chicks? If yes, what traits do you want to pass on to those chicks -- the rooster is half the flock.

 

[EIEIO Funny Farm]

I will need to get rid of rooster(s) before too long. I currently have 3 roosters and 15 hens, everybody is about 5 months old. Help me choose which roo to keep!

Mayweather
Australorp
Not shown any human-aggression (not mean but not willing to be your friend)
Breeds the hens, a little rough for my liking but nothing out-of-line
Doesn't show strong desire to protect or take care of flock, mostly does his own thing
Wants to fight/chase one of the other roos
Ugly-ish (not a criteria to make a decision on, just letting you know )

Canelo
Rhode island red
Shown human-aggression once but has since become relatively friendly (always hanging out with me, wanting to follow/be near me but not in a menacing way)
Does not breed the hens
Shows desire to protect and take care of flock, chases off birds/cats/dogs & will call the flock over/share snacks
Doesnt want to fight/chase, will run away/avoid conflict with other roo
Has basically been exiled to hang out by himself (or with me) because Mayweather wants to knock his socks off
Handsome (again, not a criteria I am basing decisions on)

McGregor
Little red roo (maybe a production red?)
Smallest of the roos
Not shown any human aggression
Does not breed the hens
Doesnt show desire to protect or take care of flock, 100% a follower
Does not fight/chase the other roos
Hang out with the other roos with zero problems....is this even a roo? JK- Yes, I am nearly positive he is
Not my favorite guy, sorry dude (he's at the bottom of my list)
Can I keep this guy forever, if he continues to get along with the other roos? Why or why not?

I love Australorps, but my choice is Canelo based on personality. Friendly, protective of flock, but doesn’t want confrontation.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

To repeat a question I've seen many times here,

What are your goals for having a rooster?

Which of your goals do each of these roosters meet? Which do they fail at?

Keeping a roo for flock protection. I figured a roo would help with predators. Only time I would hatch chicks is if I needed more birds, I have them for eggs. No fancy operations here.
With that in mind, Canelo seems to fit what I am looking for, as far as getting the job done.

 

[Sussex19]

As long Canelo isn't showing any more signs of being aggressive, I think he would be my pick.

 

[Mrs. K]

It is not a one and done deal, because often times, you remove a cockerel, it changes how the rest get along. Pull two out, put them in a crate of something, and then watch the one you left, see how the pullets act. Might make the decision, might change the decision.

Also know there is a real possibility that none of these roosters will work out. I am a believer in flock protection with a rooster and day time predators, but not until the rooster is 1 year old.

Personally, I am not quite sold on any of these, but time will tell. I would cull all of them and look around in my community for an old rooster, that was so darn nice, he did not get culled. I think the maybe you are not either, that is why you can't make a decision?

Mrs K

 

[Tonyroo]

Keep Mayweather, since the breed has good traits. Pass on the other 2.

 

[3KillerBs]

The hens are a little bit of everything, huge layer variety. I may hatch chicks in the future, but not something I was going to be doing a lot of. Great point with the rooster being 1/2 of the flock. Will keep that in mind.

To repeat a question I've seen many times here,

What are your goals for having a rooster?

Which of your goals do each of these roosters meet? Which do they fail at?

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

I will need to get rid of rooster(s) before too long. I currently have 3 roosters and 15 hens, everybody is about 5 months old. Help me choose which roo to keep!

Mayweather
Australorp
Not shown any human-aggression (not mean but not willing to be your friend)
Breeds the hens, a little rough for my liking but nothing out-of-line
Doesn't show strong desire to protect or take care of flock, mostly does his own thing
Wants to fight/chase one of the other roos
Ugly-ish (not a criteria to make a decision on, just letting you know )

Canelo
Rhode island red
Shown human-aggression once but has since become relatively friendly (always hanging out with me, wanting to follow/be near me but not in a menacing way)
Does not breed the hens
Shows desire to protect and take care of flock, chases off birds/cats/dogs & will call the flock over/share snacks
Doesnt want to fight/chase, will run away/avoid conflict with other roo
Has basically been exiled to hang out by himself (or with me) because Mayweather wants to knock his socks off
Handsome (again, not a criteria I am basing decisions on)

McGregor
Little red roo (maybe a production red?)
Smallest of the roos
Not shown any human aggression
Does not breed the hens
Doesnt show desire to protect or take care of flock, 100% a follower
Does not fight/chase the other roos
Hang out with the other roos with zero problems....is this even a roo? JK- Yes, I am nearly positive he is
Not my favorite guy, sorry dude (he's at the bottom of my list)
Can I keep this guy forever, if he continues to get along with the other roos? Why or why not?

I vote canelo, if mayweather is gone he would take his place as dominant rooster. He has shown that he is willing to protect the flock but is not mating the hens because of mayweather. Mayweather sounds like he may be to confrontational and aggressive. McGregor is definitely out.

 

[3KillerBs]

Ugly-ish (not a criteria to make a decision on, just letting you know )

P.S. If "ugly" means he's in an awkward stage that he might grow through, that's one thing.

If "ugly" means that he's got bad conformation^ and that his physical traits are things that you wouldn't want to see in future generations then eliminate him.

Note: Bad conformation does not necessarily equal bad type, though it could. This winter when I was choosing from 5 Blue Australorp cockerels to pick my flock sire I had one, Yellow (his band color), who was very bad type -- narrow and lanky where an Australorp should be solidly-built. He was also absolutely beautiful, just not a very good Australorp.