Help! Should I get rid of rooster?

[Browniethechicken]

Ugh, I’m sorry you have to make this decision! But I wholeheartedly agree with everyone else here.
My rooster was getting cocky now and then, so I put him in his place several times over a few months span, and I thought we were good. He would avoid me and we didn’t have any run-ins until one fateful day…. He literally came at from nowhere while I was working on the run, he got me with his spur through my pants and put a very deep hole just under my kneecap. I was shocked, and had blood gushing down my leg! When I showed my husband he went and “took care“ of the rooster right away!
I had some PTSD after that and will tell you it’s not worth the fear every time you want to go hang out with or tend to your hens. Especially with a little one!
I’m sorry mamabear, but we do what we have to

Really appreciate your compassion here and agree

 

[bobbi-j]

I just read an article about a man in Ireland who was attacked by a rooster (that he ended up with because it injured a child at its previous home) and died because the rooster punctured an artery in his leg. I know the bird wasn’t aiming for the artery, and it was an accident, but still - kinda make you think, doesn’t it?

 

[Browniethechicken]

I just read an article about a man in Ireland who was attacked by a rooster (that he ended up with because it injured a child at its previous home) and died because the rooster punctured an artery in his leg. I know the bird wasn’t aiming for the artery, and it was an accident, but still - kinda make you think, doesn’t it?

That’s a sad story! Spent some quality time with my Roo this morning and dropped him off with the rooster sanctuary. The sanctuary already sent me pics of him on the farm hanging out with other roosters and ducks! That makes me happy! Do people just luck out and get a good rooster or are they all aggressive as cocks and turn out better as they age? I wish I lucked out. Some of the people who comment they have a nice rooster….. just luck? I feel better that mine is happy on a farm.

 

[Yardmom]

It is a mix of things for a good rooster. Certain breeds tend to be more docile. I have heard breeder stock is better than hatchery stock for rooster temperament. Some is how it is raised. A chick being brought up in a coop with a grown rooster tends to learn its place better than a chick raised only with brooder mates. Some is human experience, owners learn the signs in a cockeral that will make a good keeper or not. Some is human interaction aka showing the roo who is boss(a would not recommend someone who has a young child keeping a roo who needs shown who is boss). A large part is luck of the roosters natural temperament.

 

[Bobmc914]

That’s a sad story! Spent some quality time with my Roo this morning and dropped him off with the rooster sanctuary. The sanctuary already sent me pics of him on the farm hanging out with other roosters and ducks! That makes me happy! Do people just luck out and get a good rooster or are they all aggressive as cocks and turn out better as they age? I wish I lucked out. Some of the people who comment they have a nice rooster….. just luck? I feel better that mine is happy on a farm.

Some luck, some breeding, some raising.

I have been fortunate.
I chose a breed known to be mellow, Bielefelders, from a breeder rather than a hatchery, and I followed some advice I found here to basically ignore the cockerels. All 4 turned out well so far at one year old now.

I do recall hearing that Brahmas tend to be pretty chill, so your breed choice does not seem bad. The problem might possibly have been due to something in the way he was raised, or you just got unlucky with his particular nature. Very few individuals exactly match up to all of the average traits of their breed.

 

[Browniethechicken]

It is a mix of things for a good rooster. Certain breeds tend to be more docile. I have heard breeder stock is better than hatchery stock for rooster temperament. Some is how it is raised. A chick being brought up in a coop with a grown rooster tends to learn its place better than a chick raised only with brooder mates. Some is human experience, owners learn the signs in a cockeral that will make a good keeper or not. Some is human interaction aka showing the roo who is boss(a would not recommend someone who has a young child keeping a roo who needs shown who is boss). A large part is luck of the roosters natural temperament.

Thank you! I tried to be more dominant but maybe it was too late. Couldn’t wait and see if the little shows of dominance got worse due to my kid. Thanks for that info! I find it fascinating

 

[3KillerBs]

Do people just luck out and get a good rooster or are they all aggressive as cocks and turn out better as they age?

A lot of factors.

And you never know what's going to happen over time. My Rameses never gave me a moment's worry for nearly 18 months until suddenly he started challenging my space and coming at me.

I'm exercising extreme caution until I set my Easter hatch and then he's soup because I don't dare sell him.

I had been going to replace him anyway this fall for genetic reasons, but his attitude change has forced my hand.

If I had kids around he'd already be soup.

 

[Browniethechicken]

A lot of factors.

And you never know what's going to happen over time. My Rameses never gave me a moment's worry for nearly 18 months until suddenly he started challenging my space and coming at me.

I'm exercising extreme caution until I set my Easter hatch and then he's soup because I don't dare sell him.

I had been going to replace him anyway this fall for genetic reasons, but his attitude change has forced my hand.

If I had kids around he'd already be soup.

Thank you!! Good to hear others experiences because I feel like a failure but I realize this is just natural.

 

[puddle_drinker]

Do people just luck out and get a good rooster or are they all aggressive as cocks and turn out better as they age? I wish I lucked out. Some of the people who comment they have a nice rooster….. just luck? I feel better that mine is happy on a farm.

They aren't all aggressive once they mature. I suspect it's a mix of breed and how they were raised.

My first two were mixed breed free Craigslist roosters. One was occasionally aggressive but not annoyingly so, he picked a fight with a full grown turkey and ended up paralyzed from the neck down. The other was overly aggressive to people and severely wounded several hens while mating, he went in the pot. The second rooster also would attack me immediately anytime I wore a blue ball cap in the chicken run.

After those first two we ended up with 3 Old English Game bantam roosters as chicks from Tractor Supply, one was not aggressive and two were occasionally mildly aggressive. Of the mildly aggressive roosters one got taken by a hawk while free ranging, and the other got taken by a hawk while sneaking out to visit a different chicken run. The not aggressive OEG bantam is currently head of our new chicks run.

I now have 3 Black Jersey Giants I picked up from Craigslist last year, they were roughly 4-5 months old at the time. My intent was to have a large rooster that would be an inside layer of defense for my 25'ish Orpington and Wyandotte laying hens. Chicken math turned the need for 1 Jersey Giant rooster into actually acquiring 3 Jersey Giant roosters. Those three have not been aggressive at all. They will come running over to see what's going on if a hen I'm inspecting complains loudly, so they're clearly ready to defend the flock, but they just hang back and keep an eye on me, vs. attacking or threatening. They have also been quick to spot aerial threats and alert the flock. An added bonus is that due to their large size they rarely use their spurs when mounting a hen, merely straddling the hen and holding her neck feathers so they aren't stripping the side/back feathers off the hens with their spurs.

 

[Browniethechicken]

They aren't all aggressive once they mature. I suspect it's a mix of breed and how they were raised.

My first two were mixed breed free Craigslist roosters. One was occasionally aggressive but not annoyingly so, he picked a fight with a full grown turkey and ended up paralyzed from the neck down. The other was overly aggressive to people and severely wounded several hens while mating, he went in the pot. The second rooster also would attack me immediately anytime I wore a blue ball cap in the chicken run.

After those first two we ended up with 3 Old English Game bantam roosters as chicks from Tractor Supply, one was not aggressive and two were occasionally mildly aggressive. Of the mildly aggressive roosters one got taken by a hawk while free ranging, and the other got taken by a hawk while sneaking out to visit a different chicken run. The not aggressive OEG bantam is currently head of our new chicks run.

I now have 3 Black Jersey Giants I picked up from Craigslist last year, they were roughly 4-5 months old at the time. My intent was to have a large rooster that would be an inside layer of defense for my 25'ish Orpington and Wyandotte laying hens. Chicken math turned the need for 1 Jersey Giant rooster into actually acquiring 3 Jersey Giant roosters. Those three have not been aggressive at all. They will come running over to see what's going on if a hen I'm inspecting complains loudly, so they're clearly ready to defend the flock, but they just hang back and keep an eye on me, vs. attacking or threatening. They have also been quick to spot aerial threats and alert the flock. An added bonus is that due to their large size they rarely use their spurs when mounting a hen, merely straddling the hen and holding her neck feathers so they aren't stripping the side/back feathers off the hens with their spurs.

Well, you’ve certainly have had your experience with roosters! Maybe in the long future I’ll have a more mature Roo! Maybe a Jersey giant!