How To Raise Roosters Right

[Chickroo]

I have an Easter Egger rooster and 5 hens (1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Easter Egger, 1 Buff Orpington, 2 Barred Rocks)~ raised all of them together from 2 weeks old. We treated the hens and the rooster exactly the same and handled them daily which included hanging out with them, feeding from our hands, picking them up..... The rooster is the most affectionate and will fall asleep in your arms, you have to initiate putting him back down because he rarely wants to get down once you have him. He is not aggressive toward the hens or people, of course he mates with the hens, but there isn't much feather pulling or pecking.

I only have 6 chickens because I wanted to be able to give them quality care and attention which is harder to do with a larger flock. This is my first time raising chickens and didn't intend to have a rooster. We also make sure there is plenty of fresh food always available for them, and free choice clean water so there isn't ever aggressive behavior around who gets the lion share of the food. Having healthy, clean and well cared for birds also contributes to their temperament~ don't under estimate that.

I have grown very fond of my roo (Joules) and would recommend having a rooster, but they need attention! Once a rooster becomes aggressive, it's hard to curb the behavior. Also research which breeds are more docile. We wanted colored eggs and cold hearty birds for the northeast. Let me know if you have any other questions. I am happy to share my experience.

Here are some pictures of my chickens when they were only 4-5 months and at 10 months. The one picture of Joules on my head is recent, he is mature at just about 10 months here.
Recent photos

Cricket (Easter Egger) and my cat Zeus!

Joules, Yoko and Penny Whistle (Easter Egger, Buff, Barred Rock)

Yoko (Buff Orpington)

In the garden...

Me and Joules

Brood when they were young:


Joules at 3 weeks in my husband's hand


hangin' out with Tyler and peeps

Joules stretching his wing- 4 months old

Penelope and Yoko at 4-5 months

our coop and enclosed run when it was first built (has sand footing in run, and it now has a pitched covered roof)

Yoko, Cricket, Joules, Penny, and Henrietta at 4-5 months

 

[Chickroo]

You know reading through this thread there are so many opinions and experiences; sometime completely opposed to each other. I think all the comments are valid, BUT can also be confusing to someone looking for clear input....

Basically if you have a rooster 1) YOU always MUST be top in the pecking order and he has to respect but not fear you, and 2) that doesn't mean he can't be friendly to humans.~ Really! So much depends on the breed and environment and size of flock. I have posted my comments about raising my rooster and understand others have had very different experiences.

Good luck, don't give up, but use good sense and caution!

 

[Chicks Galore3]

You know reading through this thread there are so many opinions and experiences; sometime completely opposed to each other. I think all the comments are valid, BUT can also be confusing to someone looking for clear input....

Basically if you have a rooster 1) YOU always MUST be top in the pecking order and he has to respect but not fear you, and 2) that doesn't mean he can't be friendly to humans.~ Really! So much depends on the breed and environment and size of flock. I have posted my comments about raising my rooster and understand others have had very different experiences.

Good luck, don't give up, but use good sense and caution!

Yes, very many differnet opinions!!!!! I think I got the just of it though...Thanks everybody for your help!

 

[bbsnooks]

no he is a bobwhite quail and he is evil.he chases and bites people(ecxept me)they have like spiked sudes on their beak and it rips tgings easy.

Hello.. I had a friend lend me a book on an adopted quail named Robert... it's a pretty good story http://www.amazon.com/That-Quail-Robert-Margaret-Stanger/dp/006081246X
I remember laughing.. a lot. but you may have you "hands full " this is good bed time reading.. for all ages i think.
thanks for letting me remember..
I hope to hear more of the quail stories...
Debra

 

[bbsnooks]

I have an Easter Egger rooster and 5 hens (1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Easter Egger, 1 Buff Orpington, 2 Barred Rocks)~

I only have 6 chickens because I wanted to be able to give them quality care and attention which is harder to do with a larger flock.
I have grown very fond of my roo (Joules) and would recommend having a rooster, but they need attention!

Here are some pictures of my chickens when they were only 4-5 months and at 10 months. The one picture of Joules on my head is recent, he is mature at just about 10 months here.

Chickroo. those are great photo's.. .. what fun.. and very nice coop and run..

 

[bbsnooks]

Yes, very many differnet opinions!!!!! I

I have just one more.. opinion to add..

i went to Henderson's chick chart.. http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html
I had lots of fun reading up on all of his experience..
WARNING
it can have some side effects of reading this.. ( probably order too many birds.. I did... ; )

and I wanted to say I really like the OCD .. sign..
Debra

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Quote: Woah that is awesome! nah, there isn't such a thing as to many birds.

Haha thanks!

 

[chynasparks]

Anyone have any helpful suggestion with RIR rooster. I'm finally convinced my Millie is actually Billie. He's 17 weeks. My hubby wants to call him Wild Bill because he was a wild card meaning could have been either or in the bunch. So wild Bill it is. No crowing yet and no aggression yet. He's not so willing to be held. I don't push the issue but I still want to pick him up just to keep him used to me. My flock of 4 can't free range. I do everything I can to provide foraging activity for them. We are getting ready to make a cattle panel run for them to get them out. I guess what I'm wanting to know is will he eventually become mean under these circumstances? He has 3 girls. I don't think they are over crowded in the 4x8x6 enclosure. Upper level has the nest/roost box. Do all roosters become mean?

 

[COCKmasters999]

My barred rock cock is a ******* and a bully...but he does his job well

 

[kateseidel]

Fred was raised by hand, a gorgeous black Orpington. Friendly bird, came to be picked up and held, good flock protector - and then he hit about a year - first he tore apart my junior rooster. Then he became more and more rough with the hens, leaving all of them with bare bloody backs. He attacked my husband twice, my daughter once. A couple of times he did the sideways dance up to me, and tonight he came for me at a full attack. Knocked him back with a heavy stick I carry, and then shot him.

I am sorry to lose his genetic bloodline, he was magnificent, but can't keep a rooster headed the wrong way down an aggressive behavior path. I will say that having dispatched a few other roos using different methods, shooting has seemed by far and away the most humane way to handle it.

I did not realize how bad he had become until now, when I see this is the first bird I have ever lost that did not leave me sad, just relieved. I will miss his crowing - sorry Fred, we tried!!


Fred in happier days