How do you decide what rooster to keep?

[nnheacox]

We are coming to the point where we’re going to need to rehome some roosters. This is our first flock. All chicks edge straight run and I’m suspecting at least 5 or 6 roosters out of 13 (two are silkies and I know it takes a while to know with them).

We have discussed keeping one as we see the value in having a rooster, but we also have neighbors who may or may not be annoyed, so we’ll see. But, how do we decide which one to keep if we do keep one? What characteristics should we look for? What’s an automatic ticket out of here?

*We have Speckled Sussex, Lavender Orpingtons, and Rhode Island Reds if that matters. We also have one Brahma chick that’s about 3 weeks younger than the rest, so not sure about it right now.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What characteristics should we look for?

Before you can decide which to keep you need to decide why you want to keep a rooster? You can't keep the right one unless you know what you want.

Are you planning on hatching chicks? If so are the chicks for meat, eggs, or something else? Does chick color matter?

If not for chicks, why keep him? Yard candy? Then which is prettiest to you. If something else, what else?

What’s an automatic ticket out of here?

To me the top reason is human aggression. If he is a danger to any human he needs to be gone.

Chickens are flock animals. They should get along with other chickens. Most do. But occasionally you get one, male or female, that is a brute. You do not need one of those. The problem is that juveniles, especially males, can be so hormone driven that they can appear to be out of control. Fighting each other, force mating the pullets and hen, just being obnoxious. The vast majority of young males grow out of this phase when they mature enough but some never do. There is nuance here, it's not always clear. Cockerels fighting or chasing pullets to mate does not bother me. If a cockerel injures a pullet or hunts down a cockerel to kill him I get rid of that cockerel.

 

[my spoiled chickens]

Everything ridge runner said is correct but I just wanted to say that if you have a hard time choosing between two as long as they get along(and you have enough hens) you can keep more than one.Like if you keep the two silkie roos

 

[nnheacox]

Before you can decide which to keep you need to decide why you want to keep a rooster? You can't keep the right one unless you know what you want.

Are you planning on hatching chicks? If so are the chicks for meat, eggs, or something else? Does chick color matter?

If not for chicks, why keep him? Yard candy? Then which is prettiest to you. If something else, what else?


To me the top reason is human aggression. If he is a danger to any human he needs to be gone.

Chickens are flock animals. They should get along with other chickens. Most do. But occasionally you get one, male or female, that is a brute. You do not need one of those. The problem is that juveniles, especially males, can be so hormone driven that they can appear to be out of control. Fighting each other, force mating the pullets and hen, just being obnoxious. The vast majority of young males grow out of this phase when they mature enough but some never do. There is nuance here, it's not always clear. Cockerels fighting or chasing pullets to mate does not bother me. If a cockerel injures a pullet or hunts down a cockerel to kill him I get rid of that cockerel.

We mainly want to keep one for flock protection. We live in a neighborhood that backs up to woods, so we gets all the predators. We haven’t had any issues so far, but we know it’s a possibility. We’d be fine with getting some chicks out of it, too. I mean… the more chickens the better, right

Ultimately, what matters is that we keep one that isn’t aggressive towards our kids. And isn’t jerk to our hens.

 

[Alexandra Runner]

When I have to choose one, I choose one that dances for the ladies! Dancing is an under-bred trait, but I try to breed for it, as it makes for a much more peaceful flock, with the original rooster and his sons.

 

[Mrs. K]

How old are the kids? Cause if they are under 6 years old, I would advise removing all of the roosters, you have years to do this hobby, and roosters have ruined it for a lot of kids.

What I do is cull several times:

• First cut - anything I don't like for any reason
• 2nd cut - two weeks later, I take a head count and my goal is to divide in in half or to leave the top 2-3 contenders
• Wait again, and make the finale cut.

Checking birds for weight, feeling body confirmation under the feathers, symmetrical and straight legs and feet. And beaks!

Roosters dispositions are very erratic. Their behavior will change as you remove roosters and as hormone become involved. Darling, well behaved cockerels often become nightmares. My point is, how they are behaving now has very little influence on how they will behave tomorrow or in 2 week.

There is a strong possibility that none of these roosters will turn out. If you really want a rooster, look around at the feed store, or 4-h groups and ask for a rooster. The best roosters come from a multi-generational flock raised by a flock keeper with a lot of experience who has a spare rooster that was so nice that he got the bye at culling time. That would be a good rooster for a newbie to have. But even then, no guarantees. Cockerels are a crapshoot.

Mrs K

 

[Nicks_Chicks]

When I have to choose one, I choose one that dances for the ladies! Dancing is an under-bred trait, but I try to breed for it, as it makes for a much more peaceful flock, with the original rooster and his sons.

I didn't realize it was an underbred trait. My rooster dances. I will have to save this advice for when I replace him.

 

[nnheacox]

How old are the kids? Cause if they are under 6 years old, I would advise removing all of the roosters, you have years to do this hobby, and roosters have ruined it for a lot of kids.

What I do is cull several times:

• First cut - anything I don't like for any reason
• 2nd cut - two weeks later, I take a head count and my goal is to divide in in half or to leave the top 2-3 contenders
• Wait again, and make the finale cut.

Checking birds for weight, feeling body confirmation under the feathers, symmetrical and straight legs and feet. And beaks!

Roosters dispositions are very erratic. Their behavior will change as you remove roosters and as hormone become involved. Darling, well behaved cockerels often become nightmares. My point is, how they are behaving now has very little influence on how they will behave tomorrow or in 2 week.

There is a strong possibility that none of these roosters will turn out. If you really want a rooster, look around at the feed store, or 4-h groups and ask for a rooster. The best roosters come from a multi-generational flock raised by a flock keeper with a lot of experience who has a spare rooster that was so nice that he got the bye at culling time. That would be a good rooster for a newbie to have. But even then, no guarantees. Cockerels are a crapshoot.

Mrs K

Thanks for the advise! My kids are 15, 8, and 2.5. Chickens are approximately 8 weeks old. My 8 yr old has already been got by one of our suspected cockerels, but she’d picked up a silkie chick who did not want to be held. That chick freaked out and the suspected cockerel jumped up and flogged my daughter’s arm. He was doing his job, but he’ll definitely be getting the boot because I can’t have that. I addressed it with her, too. Thankfully, she wasn’t hurt other than a little scratch and she understands that she has to listen to me and the chickens, too. She’s my “gotta learn the hard way” kid

 

[McChooky]

I separated both of my cockerels from my pullets until they started laying then added both with the flock but that didn't workout.Then I gave them both their own hens and that didn't work either .Now I've given all my hens to the rooster that restored peace in my flock.The other guy was a drill sergeant lol

 

[BDutch]

Talk to the neighbours who might be annoyed. Nice if they don’t mind the crowing. If they do mind a rooster that’s loud, keep the one that has the warmest voice and isn’t too loud.

In the past I have given all my roosters away for being too loud early in the morning. This year I try to keep my cockerel and put him in a private small/dark coop for the night as soon as his ‘mother’ abandons him.