How do you get a good rooster????

[HKG]

I have 2 silkie roosters. I cuddled them all the time. 1 of them turned out to be super sweet and the other turned out to be very aggressive. He flogs people, and bites. I raised them both the same and I don't think he is aggressive because I didn't give him enough love.

 

[cmom]

They both came from a hatchery. One was an Easter egger, a little brute. But the other one, who was left, is an Ameraucana. He was always so good to his pullets but we can't let him go after our kids. Perhaps hatchery cockerels run a higher risk of human aggression? Or maybe I should just wait on trying my hand at a rooster until my kids are older.

I have had some hatchery males and most were more aggressive than my pure breeds. I only once had one young cockerel that was aggressive but he was being bullied by some other males in a bachelor coop and pen so I took him out and put him in with my special needs hen and at fist she wanted nothing to do with him but eventually warmed up to him. He had been beaten on so much he couldn't walk but after some TLC he eventually was walking again and would follow Gladys everywhere. When he got his balance back he then tried to attack me. I let it go but then he did it again and then to my DH so he had to go because I won't put up with that. Good luck...

 

[Show Sebright]

I treat my roos like girls and they seem to be live they are girls too. Most feminine below…

 

[Cryss]

I had an extremely aggressive rooster. I came here for advice and was warned multiple times to not allow him to reproduce as aggressive tendencies are in the genes. Since I certainly didn’t want to be responsible for more mean roosters I never hatched any eggs. He passed away in January and I somehow ended up accepting a cockerel, no, two cockerels from a friend. I’m still thinking I’m dreaming. These guys, who are now roosters, are lovely, gentle, sweet gentlemen. I allowed eggs to be hatched under a broody mama and now have 5 cockerels that are currently coming into 15 weeks old. Not one has shown signs of aggression. Yes they are young still but good roosters get invited to the dinner table while still young! I know! I’m going to be forced to begin to invite these lovely boys to my Sunday dinners in a week and a half! Not being meat birds they take a bit longer to grow for decent meat. Slaughter is between 16-20 weeks. There’s no time to let them grow up and see how they act over time. No testing time. And it breaks my heart because it’s more than likely, due to genes, that these guys would be those elusive good roosters!
And something I believe is helpful is to get a young cockerel for a flock of matured hens. Those ladies will put that boy in his place if he’s rude. They will teach him manners in short order. He’ll be dancing for his ladies amusement in no time.
Meet the father of the young cockerel you are considering. Don’t introduce a young cockerel until your hens are a couple of months older than one year. You’ll stand a good chance of getting a good rooster.
And with that I leave you with this. I’m in Warren County NJ. I’ll be eating chicken Sunday dinners unless someone wants to stop me

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

Recently we had to cull l one of our 5 month old cockerels due to aggression. Tonight our remaining cockerel flogged my son, twice. I know I have little experience but how on earth do you get a rooster who isn't human aggressive? I would really like to be able to hatch my own fertilized eggs. I also want my hens to be watched after. Is it just luck of the draw with roosters?

I have wondered the same thing!

 

[Geckolady]

I had an extremely aggressive rooster. I came here for advice and was warned multiple times to not allow him to reproduce as aggressive tendencies are in the genes. Since I certainly didn’t want to be responsible for more mean roosters I never hatched any eggs. He passed away in January and I somehow ended up accepting a cockerel, no, two cockerels from a friend. I’m still thinking I’m dreaming. These guys, who are now roosters, are lovely, gentle, sweet gentlemen. I allowed eggs to be hatched under a broody mama and now have 5 cockerels that are currently coming into 15 weeks old. Not one has shown signs of aggression. Yes they are young still but good roosters get invited to the dinner table while still young! I know! I’m going to be forced to begin to invite these lovely boys to my Sunday dinners in a week and a half! Not being meat birds they take a bit longer to grow for decent meat. Slaughter is between 16-20 weeks. There’s no time to let them grow up and see how they act over time. No testing time. And it breaks my heart because it’s more than likely, due to genes, that these guys would be those elusive good roosters!
And something I believe is helpful is to get a young cockerel for a flock of matured hens. Those ladies will put that boy in his place if he’s rude. They will teach him manners in short order. He’ll be dancing for his ladies amusement in no time.
Meet the father of the young cockerel you are considering. Don’t introduce a young cockerel until your hens are a couple of months older than one year. You’ll stand a good chance of getting a good rooster.
And with that I leave you with this. I’m in Warren County NJ. I’ll be eating chicken Sunday dinners unless someone wants to stop me

I lucked out and got a really nice cockerel to start with. He is gentle and a real character. I have 5 of his chicks from 2 hatches, and fingers crossed, it's looking like 4 girls and a boy. His son is acting a lot like his father after he came through a rough spot of being afraid of me. Looks like him, too!

 

[Chickmagnet9]

Spoil the cockerel, and he'll be mean. Raise him feral, and he'll never attack.

Often that's the case. People raising roosters, and who doesn't want to love, cuddle, hand feed, and all that good jazz with the adorable creature? Then, because he has no fear of you, he'll be at your heals. When you're raising them, don't give them any attention. If they come near, scare them off.
Yes. It's hard. I hatched out an adorable.cockerel, and I was the first face he saw. Something is wrong with him at first, so he was extremely docile, and wanted to be around me constantly. He'd just randomly fly up and perch on me for no reason! I've tried shoing the adorable thing away, and I'm hoping my efforts worked, but he's still a little too friendly...

I have found that to be exactly the opposite of what I preach.

My most gentle roos have been hand feed, cuddled, petted, groomed and so on. My favorite was Prince (in my profile pic) and I miss him to this day. The roos I had the least amount of contact with have been the most aggressive and skittish of all. It also may have something to do with the breed and who's around them? It's just me and my husband mainly but also visitors now and then. I do try to keep them as socialized as possible but I won't let anyone scream or flail or run or kick at my birds. I think that also makes them fearful and aggressive and I can't have that.

 

[Melly-Mae]

My boys from Alchemist Farms are pretty sweet too (so far). But one is just a hen with big wattles and a comb! Just the biggest baby and acts like a total girl! They are a breeder hatchery that breeds based on temperament as well as pattern! And I have been so pleased with all those chicks that came to me! I would totally recommend finding a good breeder like them!

I've been looking into buying from them! Started saving my pennies a while ago! Such gorgeous birds!!!!

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I've been looking into buying from them! Started saving my pennies a while ago! Such gorgeous birds!!!!

Here is my big baby cockerel-
(His name is Logan the chick)

Gus-

Mossy (a pullet)-

And my miracle baby Shelly-

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Here is my big baby cockerel-
(His name is Logan the chick)
View attachment 2835802
Gus-View attachment 2835806Mossy (a pullet)-View attachment 2835808
And my miracle baby Shelly-View attachment 2835812

We also have 6 other chicks from them! 3 double silver laced barnevelders and 3 (I think) azure eggers! All pullets! Just a couple pictures! We have some Wilco chicks in with them too!