How to find or raise a friendly Roo

[GoChick]

Agree with centrarchid - upbringing and husbandry style plays a huge role.
I've had several breeds, and I let my roosters be roosters, and I never had a problem with an aggressive one I couldn't fix - and I never had to kill one because of problems.

They can mate in front of me, they can discipline a cockerel if need to, and they get the treats to give to the hens. One of my roosters even grabs treats in the air, and then gives to his hens. I make sure to never make sudden moves around them, and pay attention to the things that may upset them so I don't do it again - for instance, they don't like anything hovering above them - threats can come from the sky - for example, when I saw how upset they'd get when I shook an empty bag of food near them, I never did it again.

What we see as aggressiveness is actually them doing what they are programmed to do - protect their flock. This definitely can be a problem with young kids, running and making sudden movements around the rooster. the rooster does not understand it is only a child, the rooster believes it is a threat to his hens and acts accordingly. That's why I never let a kid alone around a rooster, until I am sure the kid knows how to behave around him. You cannot "teach" a rooster how to behave around a kid, but you shoud be able to teach an older kid how to behave around a rooster.

I would never be without a rooster, they complete the flock - hope you get one!!!

 

[Kernel Cluck]

Thanks for all the great advice. I have been considering getting a Roo because I would like more little chicks in the future and we live in the middle of Wisconsin's largest state forest. I am surrounded by forest,Coyotes and hawks. It seems like if you get a friendly one.. that may be at the expense of what they are meant to do is to protect the flock. I will think about adopting because then I have some idea about temperment before I bring him home.

 

[GoChick]

Thanks for all the great advice. I have been considering getting a Roo because I would like more little chicks in the future and we live in the middle of Wisconsin's largest state forest. I am surrounded by forest,Coyotes and hawks. It seems like if you get a friendly one.. that may be at the expense of what they are meant to do is to protect the flock. I will think about adopting because then I have some idea about temperment before I bring him home.

No - having/raising a friendly rooster does not mean he won't be a good flock protector. A rooster's job is to protect his flock against threats (and mate, mate, mate...) our job is to make sure the rooster does not see us as a threat. Right now I have two roosters, 22 hens. We have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, hawks...my roosters are very friendly, I used to call one of them Honey Bunny until he outgrew his name and became Hungry Jack.

Both roosters are great at warning the flock against hawk; they stand in the middle of their yard making a racket while the hens hide. Sometime ago Hungry Jack noticed a fox behind a bush and attacked him, screaming at the top of his lungs, hackle feathers up, flapping his wings. The fox was so surprised, it took off running.
Of course a rooster can get easily killed by foxes, coyotes and hawks, so my first line of defense is a electrified poultry net. Three days ago a coyote came by the fence and my roosters challenged him, while the hens ran to the coop. I could give you more examples like this, but basically, you can definitely have a rooster who's a great flock protector and friendly at the same time.

 

[missnu01]

I have a huge old White Rock rooster that is so freaking calm, he doesn't even bat an eye when my 4 year old goes running past him screaming like a banshee and wielding sticks...I don't think he would ever attack us, but he has saved me from a small silkie rooster we got that thought I looked like an awesome sparring partner. He's been the best rooster. I think demeanor is mostly a specific chicken characteristic as opposed to a breed thing. But it stands to reason if you breed only the friendliest of chickens then you will end up with friendlier chickens each generation. Ending with a truly pet chicken...There is a study that was done on disposition and genetics. They used foxes. In one area they bred all the friendliest foxes, and in the other area they bred all the meanest of foxes. So now they have one area that has foxes that love people and act like dogs, and on the other side they have ravenous tiny fluffy killers waiting for a chance to bite off your fingers. It's pretty interesting to read. It started with just a few foxes and these people noticed that some were terrified, while some were curious, and others were aggressive. So they started breeding for the different characteristics and the offspring of 2 friendly animals is friendlier than the parents were and so on and so on...
So if you come across a chill chicken that likes to be held and petted breed it with another chicken that is jut as calm and nice, and keep doing that each generation and you will get super friendly chickens in the end...I mean some won't fit the friendly bill and those you wouldn't breed, if you were breeding solely for temperament.


My big white rock is super friendly, and non aggressive, but is not a very good protector of the hens..he doesn't keep a look out but he will flap and crow if he feels something is off...If he finds food he eats it..he is nice to the hens, but definitely not the best rooster at being a rooster. But I love him just the same..that and he is huge and not afraid of much...
Like ok if our dog decides to rush the chickens they all run, and the big roo just stands there like What?! He has pecked the dog once, only because the dog kept running up to him and doing the puppy play with me butt in the air thing...Lol. He super wants to be friends with the chickens, and he can't understand why they all run when they see him coming, except the big roo that is unfazed by anything..power tools, screaming running children, dogs..so he is either brave or stupid..not sure which...the best protector we have is a silkie roo,. He doesn't stand up to things, he just makes himself the target and then runs away from the hens and coop so as to give them a chance to get away from whatever it is...so that's good I guess. Luckily the only predator anyone has had to face is our dog, who isn't predating them at all...he just wants them to play with him..gotta love puppies. But the screaming silkie diversion works everytime...Lol.

 

[missnu01]

Agree with centrarchid - upbringing and husbandry style plays a huge role.
I've had several breeds, and I let my roosters be roosters, and I never had a problem with an aggressive one I couldn't fix - and I never had to kill one because of problems.

They can mate in front of me, they can discipline a cockerel if need to, and they get the treats to give to the hens. One of my roosters even grabs treats in the air, and then gives to his hens. I make sure to never make sudden moves around them, and pay attention to the things that may upset them so I don't do it again - for instance, they don't like anything hovering above them - threats can come from the sky - for example, when I saw how upset they'd get when I shook an empty bag of food near them, I never did it again.

What we see as aggressiveness is actually them doing what they are programmed to do - protect their flock. This definitely can be a problem with young kids, running and making sudden movements around the rooster. the rooster does not understand it is only a child, the rooster believes it is a threat to his hens and acts accordingly. That's why I never let a kid alone around a rooster, until I am sure the kid knows how to behave around him. You cannot "teach" a rooster how to behave around a kid, but you shoud be able to teach an older kid how to behave around a rooster.

I would never be without a rooster, they complete the flock - hope you get one!!!

I make sudden movements and loud noises, but since I keep pockets of scratch the big roo loves me...he doesn't mate the hens when I am around, nor does he share any of his food..if he finds or catches it, it is his...all his...Lol. He just doesn't seem to care about the hens..he just wants the treats.

 

[SiY11]

I have an aggressive rooster who will attack my wife and kids. When I enter the run Rhoady almost never attacks me because one day I got fed up and bunted him across the yard (I do not recommend this). I keep Rhoady because when A hawk comes by the hens will crowd around him and he alerts there is danger while flapping his wings until the hawk goes away.


It seems the best non violent thing to do is stand your ground and show yourself everyday multiple time a day until the rooster accepts you. Make sure if you are the one getting attacked, be the one to hand out treats.


Responding to Rhoadys aggression with aggression only seems to work temporarily.

 

[Impress]

I have raised many a rooster, and the only ones who have ever been jerks are the ones I treated the way I treat the hens, hand feeding, petting, and spoiling. So as soon as a chick shows me it may be a rooster, I get very hands off with them. No hand feeding, I will toss a treat at a rooster, but not get in close with them. They avoid me and I avoid them, and I prefer that to being flogged. I raised a few being sweet to them, and those were always the ones that turned on me.

 

[missnu01]

I hand feed my big guy, which was a mistake, he doesn't Attack me but I sometimes get a big rooster trying to stick his head in my pockets... Should I have only an empty hand I sometimes get finger nibbles... No big deal though. I mean it isn't pleasant but he doesn't seem mean about it... Just like chicks that will peck at your finger nails, but bigger... He never keeps doing it though, just every once in awhile he checks to see if fingers are food... Finds they aren't And moves on, because if I'm not handing out treats there's no reason to fraternize...lol