Help Me! Hen or Roo?

[fluffycrow]

Just one, to protect the flock. I live in a fairly wooded area and would hate for anything to happen to the girls. My neighbor has chicks and has had some issues with unwanted visitors.

The males are not going to be doing a lot of protecting. And if they do its going to get them killed

 

[KONeal22]

hopefully he'll keep that temperament but it's not likely.
Start ignoring him, smacking him away, making him wait. Walk through him, if he doesn't move, he gets a gentle boot.
I'd keep the scared ones, actually.

Thanks so much for all of the wisdom! He is super dominate and now that I'm looking at it from that perspective and not cute shoulder chicken perspective it makes a lot of sense. It does suck though because he is SO cute but I definitely don't want to fight a grown rooster.

 

[KONeal22]

The one I planned to keep is a shoulder sitter but I see that is not a good quality, even if it's endearing. Rethinking keeping a male at all.

 

[KONeal22]

The males are not going to be doing a lot of protecting. And if they do its going to get them killed

So maybe no need for a roo at all? Thanks so much for your time.

 

[KONeal22]

I said it was a love bite gone wrong. An expensive one at that.

 

[fluffycrow]

Be aware that in his mind, when he attacks he's protecting his flock from you. So he's doing his job, it's just that he's dumb enough to mistake you for a predator. But honestly both males I've had get aggressive on me were my most scared of me. My others were less scared of me, but I didn't let them, nor did they want to be too close. My gamefowl I let climb all over me, turned out just fine

 

[CluckyandPeepsFlock]

It's hard to say until those first hormones come in around 17 weeks. It also depends on them personally. If they're being 'friendly' or 'cuddly to you, I recommend ignoring them or getting rid of them.
That's usually a sign that they could become aggressive to you later. I actually recommend you not having a rooster at all until you have more experience, they aren't just male chickens, they're another animal entirely.
1-10 is to ensure fertility and hopefully not having the hens over mated, but every rooster is different.

Really? From my family's experience of keeping roo's if they were friendly from the get-go, they usually stayed that way. But I guess it depends on the roo.

 

[KONeal22]

Be aware that in his mind, when he attacks he's protecting his flock from you. So he's doing his job, it's just that he's dumb enough to mistake you for a predator. But honestly both males I've had get aggressive on me were my most scared of me. My others were less scared of me, but I didn't let them, nor did they want to be too close. My gamefowl I let climb all over me, turned out just fine

 

[Party_Chicken]

Can I ask why specifically? I'm going to give it a whirl, hoping for a positive experience but any suggestions or input helps.

A cockerel was a lot of work for me the constant crowing and the aggression was to much. I am not saying you shouldn’t try it I am just sharing my personal experience.

 

[KONeal22]

A cockerel was a lot of work for me the constant crowing and the aggression was to much. I am not saying you shouldn’t try it I am just sharing my personal experience.

I appreciate you sharing your experience. I'm considering a lot with my little flock! Thanks so much.