How do you get a good rooster????

[lifein1840]

HOW! I have 5 cockerels I’m going to have to butcher because no one wants a rooster. Not even for free. I knew this would be the way it would be but you say you sell them? I want your secret! I’ve advertised in several groups and forums.

I forgot to mention, I only use a broody hen to hatch chicks so that's why I sometimes have quite a few at a time!

 

[chicknmania]

Idk where you are but we've rehomed several roosters over the years and have been able to guarantee them as being gentle. We have never had a problem with that. It's partly genetics but a lot of it is how they are raised. If you are close to us and still want one, we can put you on a waiting list; we have three broodies right now and i'm sure at least one of those chicks, if they hatch, will be a rooster. And we are full up on roosters, so will be lookng to rehome any new ones.

 

[Cryss]

I forgot to mention, I only use a broody hen to hatch chicks so that's why I sometimes have quite a few at a time!

Yes, mine are from my broody. That’s why I have 5 cockerels. I also happily have 4 pullets that I was hoping for. One of my cockerels came from a hen that I was so hoping was a pullet. He breaks my heart.

 

[Chicken poppy]

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?

We have some roos, we've had 3 actually. Firstly, your rooster may come agressive depending on the amount of hens in the flock, if there is like 1 hen and 3 roosters, there will be fights. Their fighting over who gets the hen, and likely your hen will get beat up, and the other roosters to. I recommend having a good number, i do around 5 hens to one roo, that seems to work decently, i would not recommend more then 1 roo for 5 hens though. Some breeds just are aggressive, so be sure you know which breed your doing. I find silkies to be a nice calm breed of roosters though. but there are always bad apples in the bunch

Then if your to “nice” to him, i know this sounds backwards, but if the rooster starts doing friendly “pecks” to you, it could turn into bites, then drawing blood. Try not to be surrending to him, he will think hes dominate, of course, dont be aggressive with him either (like overly aggressive) grabbing them uncomfortably, chasing them, holding them to tight and yelling at them will definitely make them stressed, and probably turn aggressive

hope this helps! Wish you best of luck

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If anyone wants to come to Laurel, MT, I can set you up with a human respecting male

 

[CreveChris]

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

Lucien's brother, Lestat, was too hyper and aggressive almost since birth, and was rehomed at 4ish months. Lucien the Crevecoeur is 8.5 months old now and beds down with the moms. His favorite girl is his actual mother.

His hatchling pullets accepted him right away, but he's most fond of the moms, who are 16 months old. I had them sleeping separately according to age until last month.

So I tend to see the hens have made a good cockerel into an amazing rooster. I can step over him in the run and all he cares about is clucking, "Look-look-look!" when I give the girls greens and Grubblys. He is so calm, it's like he's one of the girls.

Crossposting his photo from POW because I think you can tell by looking how sweet he is:

 

[McChooky]

Lucien's brother, Lestat, was too hyper and aggressive almost since birth, and was rehomed at 4ish months. Lucien the Crevecoeur is 8.5 months old now and beds down with the moms. His favorite girl is his actual mother.

His hatchling pullets accepted him right away, but he's most fond of the moms, who are 16 months old. I had them sleeping separately according to age until last month.

So I tend to see the hens have made a good cockerel into an amazing rooster. I can step over him in the run and all he cares about is clucking, "Look-look-look!" when I give the girls greens and Grubblys. He is so calm, it's like he's one of the girls.

Crossposting his photo from POW because I think you can tell by looking how sweet he is

Lucien's brother, Lestat, was too hyper and aggressive almost since birth, and was rehomed at 4ish months. Lucien the Crevecoeur is 8.5 months old now and beds down with the moms. His favorite girl is his actual mother.

His hatchling pullets accepted him right away, but he's most fond of the moms, who are 16 months old. I had them sleeping separately according to age until last month.

So I tend to see the hens have made a good cockerel into an amazing rooster. I can step over him in the run and all he cares about is clucking, "Look-look-look!" when I give the girls greens and Grubblys. He is so calm, it's like he's one of the girls.

Crossposting his photo from POW because I think you can tell by looking how sweet he is:

View attachment 2838437

Older hens with younger roosters make a good team unfortunately people tend to do the opposite and throw their young roosters in with younger pullets .Young roos learn a lot from older hens! Best of luck with your flock !

 

[CreveChris]

Older hens with younger roosters make a good team unfortunately people tend to do the opposite and throw their young roosters in with younger pullets .Young roos learn a lot from older hens! Best of luck with your flock !

Thank you! He had to work hard to get in their good graces.

 

[McChooky]

Thank you! He had to work hard to get in their good graces.

Checks and balances!

 

[ElizaMay]

The rooster that hurt me smacked me just below the knee with his beak after I turned to face him when he blindsided me. I felt like someone had whacked me full force with the claw end of a hammer! He was also raking my bare legs with his spurs and flogging me with his wings, but that beak blow just about put me on the ground.

That bird would be a field goal. Kick "through" the (feathered) ball!