How likely is a naughty cockerel to become a dangerous rooster?

[Sussex19]

I've got my first cockerel who's testing boundaries.
The only reason I'm keeping him, is he was sick with something when he was younger and I want to see if it comes back.
At the moment, all he's doing is looking at me with a look in his eye, and a few times has pounced on my foot and hand; all things that I can deal with.
I try to show him who's boss, which works most of the time.
My question is, is it likely to get worse, or will it stay the same or get better.
I know there are a lot of threads on cockerel behaviour, but I want a specific answer to the question, so I can prepare myself.
He's around 20 to 30 week old, if it makes a difference, and lives with some 15 week old cockerels.

 

[glovergardens]

I have experience with 2 roosters. 1 large Plymouth Barred Rock and 1 small Silkie Rooster. My large Rooster is so incredibly sweet and only ever tested me once around 15 weeks then never again in the 2.5 years I’ve had him. The younger small silkie is very aggressive to anyone else but tolerates me because I see him everyday and feed them. I don’t think there is much that can be helped when it comes to their personality. Looking back I think I could have been better about stopping the small ones charges when he was young but it was cute and my large Roo gave me false hope that he would also turn out sweet. My only advice is to keep showing him who is boss & stand your ground and don’t let him feel like he will win the fight. End the fight from the start by picking him up, turn him over on his back, or other ways. I don’t recommend kicking or swatting. Good luck!

 

[Sussex19]

I have experience with 2 roosters. 1 large Plymouth Barred Rock and 1 small Silkie Rooster. My large Rooster is so incredibly sweet and only ever tested me once around 15 weeks then never again in the 2.5 years I’ve had him. The younger small silkie is very aggressive to anyone else but tolerates me because I see him everyday and feed them. I don’t think there is much that can be helped when it comes to their personality. Looking back I think I could have been better about stopping the small ones charges when he was young but it was cute and my large Roo gave me false hope that he would also turn out sweet. My only advice is to keep showing him who is boss & stand your ground and don’t let him feel like he will win the fight. End the fight from the start by picking him up, turn him over on his back, or other ways. I don’t recommend kicking or swatting. Good luck!

Thanks!
He certainly doesn't win, but I can't really pick him up, he's to hard to catch.
I more just shove him away, or try to grab him and then chase him away.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would expect him to get worse. I think most of us have kept a rooster too long wishing he would just be nice. I do not care to be attacked, nor deserve to be attacked. But mostly I worry about him attacking someone else.

The longer you keep a mean one, the longer it is until you get a good one. There are good roosters. IMO they seldom come from hatch mates. I have had much better luck with roosters raised up under old hens. I don't think pets make for good roosters either.

But I am the first to admit, I really don't think it has much to do with how they are raised, but more to do with the luck of the draw. I just culled one for the stink eye. Once you have had a good one, the others are not much fun.

Mrs K

 

[Sussex19]

I would expect him to get worse. I think most of us have kept a rooster too long wishing he would just be nice. I do not care to be attacked, nor deserve to be attacked. But mostly I worry about him attacking someone else.

The longer you keep a mean one, the longer it is until you get a good one. There are good roosters. IMO they seldom come from hatch mates. I have had much better luck with roosters raised up under old hens. I don't think pets make for good roosters either.

But I am the first to admit, I really don't think it has much to do with how they are raised, but more to do with the luck of the draw. I just culled one for the stink eye. Once you have had a good one, the others are not much fun.

Mrs K

Sorry I wasn't quite clear, I have got two very nice roosters, and this one I don't want to keep.
But I need to for now, so I that's why I was wondering how much trouble he'll be.
No children or anyone vulnerable so that's alright
And I've found out what the stink eye looks like now! I'm never going to permanently keep a RIR or RIRx which is what this one is.

 

[Mrs. K]

But I need to for now, so

?? I am not following why you would need to keep him for now. Especially if you don't want to keep him at all.

If you don't have children or anyone vulnerable, you can risk it. I will say a lot of people vastly underestimate how violent an attack can be. So do beware.

Mrs K

 

[Sussex19]

?? I am not following why you would need to keep him for now. Especially if you don't want to keep him at all.

If you don't have children or anyone vulnerable, you can risk it. I will say a lot of people vastly underestimate how violent an attack can be. So do beware.

Mrs K

It's because there might be marak's in the flock, and he was the only one I kept that showed possible symptoms.
Testing seems hard (and expensive) to come by here, so I want to keep him for a year or so and see if it develops.
If it doesn't either in him or another, then hopefully I'll know that it wasn't that.

 

[Sussex19]

Just wanted to give an update, he seems to have really settled down and hasn't attacked me since. Also he's lost the stink eye look. So I'm quite happy about that, as it would have been a pain to keep him otherwise.