how do I pick which rooster to keep?

my3jsons

Songster
9 Years
Feb 15, 2010
132
1
114
Oklahoma
My chicks are a 4 weeks old and I have discovered (thanks to BYC) that I have too many roosters. At what age should I decide which one to keep? I only want one. How do I choose? I don't plan on breeding but I want him to be pretty. I just wanted one for fun. If that is the case, should I pick the most docile one, that will come to me? Or should you always pick the best genetics? Three are barred rocks and one is a dominique. Help me decide what to do...

This one comes to me all the time. Very sweet! He is bald in areas but very tall. Bigger than the rest. Odd looking right now and his comb is crooked on the back end.
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This one want to be with the other chickens and is upset when seperated from them. In this pic he is headed back inside where the rest of the chickens were. He isn't friendly.
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This one avoids me at all costs! Yesterday when I took him outside, he kind of collapsed on the ground and just laid there sprawled out in a weird position. He is probably the prettiest and nicest around the other birds though.
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Here is the dominique. I really wanted a barred rock rooster. I don't know why. but maybe I should consider him anyway.
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I will be watching this thread for rooster wisdom...
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I do know that as they grow, they develop their own "pecking order" as far as who is in charge and who gets privileges, but they also egg each other on with their natural aggressiveness. I wonder if you got rid of them sooner than later if the one you keep would end up being more docile because it didn't have to contend/compete with the other roosters?

Also, just because you aren't planning on breeding right now doesn't mean that you won't be tempted in the future! Keep that in mind. None of us thought we would be breeding, hatching, buying more, expanding the coop - until we did!
 
I was obsessed with that same decision when my flock was coming to the "age". I had my preferences, but went with the advice of members here: let the hens decide.

It was amazing, one day they were all sqabbling, and next day all hens gathered around one of the roosters and started following him. The other roosters tried to fight for the place on top, but the main rooster fought them off. Sometimes I'd see that the whole flock with one of the roosters would be in one corner of the yard, and the other three roosters would be by themselves, elsewhere, completely alone.

Hen's selection proved favorable. He is a great husband and father, and hens still seem to like him, after all these years....
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I like Comp's idea! Since you're not breeding them for chicks, the best physical genetics isn't needed. And at 4 weeks, you will have a lot of personality shifts to get through yet, so who is stand-offish now may become friendlier later, and vice versa. A good test is when they start becoming hormonal...because then they may or may not challenge you (and one another of course). Since you want harmony in your flock, let the girls choose
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(well...as long as they don't choose one who is people aggressive).
 

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