INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Quinstar]

Hey y'all. I've been absent for a while, but I'm still around stalking from time to time. Just wondered if anyone had any tips on keeping a cockerel from becoming aggressive as a roo? I just lost my roo, Carl, this week. To say I'm devastated is a bit of an understatement. He was an extremely aggressive roo, but I loved him anyway. His favorite was to try and sneak attack you from behind when you weren't paying attention. I have another 12 week old cockerel (hatched from a broody) that I was trying to rehome, but seeing as we no longer have our rooster, we've decided to keep him. I'm happy that we are keeping him as I've grown really attached to the little snot. He's a barnyard mix, but he's beautiful. He's solid blue with some barring starting to show up. All this to say, it would be really nice if he wasn't as aggressive as Carl. Carl's aggressive nature was his downfall and I really don't want Lil Gray to end up the same way. Is it possible to temper them or is having a friendly rooster just a pipe dream?

 

[Leahs Mom]

My roo is easy-going toward people. I think I have a "guess" that it is just in-born temperament like people. Some of them are nice and some are mean.

But I may be way wrong and I have definitely heard of people breeding for more people-friendly traits.

My guy was broody-raised and I was very much "hands-off" except when I did need to handle them (which was very little). The broody mamma was not aggressive or afraid of me and let me touch the kids whenever I wanted. She also came to me bringing the kids when I had food...or really whenever I was present hoping for food

Since the mamma wasn't aggressive toward me, perhaps he learned from her?

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

My roo is easy-going toward people. I think I have a "guess" that it is just in-born temperament like people. Some of them are nice and some are mean.

I have found the breeding a mean rooster, gives you mean male offspring. It has happened everytime I used a mean rooster so far. Now almost all my roosters are nice, I still have few that are waiting to have their bad day.

Some people say handling makes them mean. Some say if you don't handle them it makes them mean. I have done both ways and both way work sometimes, and sometimes they don't. I have come to the conclusion that is doesn't really matter how you raise (with the exception of treating them like dirt, because then they are pretty likely to be mean), they are going to be mean or nice, regardless of what you do.

 

[racinchickins]

My parents are staying at my place, and I just got a panicked call from my mother that there are new baby turkeys running in and out of the turkey pen, and she is afraid they will get trampled.
I told her there was no way I had new baby turkeys. I've been collecting all eggs and all adults are present and accounted for. So I was wracking my brain, thinking maybe a hen got out and made a nest somewhere, but I haven't noticed any missing. And there are no chickens running around panicking that their babies are missing.
So my mom sent me this:

????? I don't even have ducks.

But they are following the turkeys around. I guess I'll have to wait until I get home from work to figure this out

 

[Quinstar]

My roo is easy-going toward people. I think I have a "guess" that it is just in-born temperament like people. Some of them are nice and some are mean.

But I may be way wrong and I have definitely heard of people breeding for more people-friendly traits.

My guy was broody-raised and I was very much "hands-off" except when I did need to handle them (which was very little). The broody mamma was not aggressive or afraid of me and let me touch the kids whenever I wanted. She also came to me bringing the kids when I had food...or really whenever I was present hoping for food

Since the mamma wasn't aggressive toward me, perhaps he learned from her?

Mama (not biological, not sure who his real mama is) is as sweet as can be and I let her raise them. He's definitely the boldest chick out of the hatch. The pullets still run from me, but he'll stay within a few feet to see what's going on.

I have found the breeding a mean rooster, gives you mean male offspring. It has happened everytime I used a mean rooster so far. Now almost all my roosters are nice, I still have few that are waiting to have their bad day.

Some people say handling makes them mean. Some say if you don't handle them it makes them mean. I have done both ways and both way work sometimes, and sometimes they don't. I have come to the conclusion that is doesn't really matter how you raise (with the exception of treating them like dirt, because then they are pretty likely to be mean), they are going to be mean or nice, regardless of what you do.

Well, by that logic I have no hope. Daddy was jerk, so I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed and see how the lil guy turns out. I really don't want another mean rooster. :-/ Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky this time.

 

[Quinstar]

My parents are staying at my place, and I just got a panicked call from my mother that there are new baby turkeys running in and out of the turkey pen, and she is afraid they will get trampled.
I told her there was no way I had new baby turkeys. I've been collecting all eggs and all adults are present and accounted for. So I was wracking my brain, thinking maybe a hen got out and made a nest somewhere, but I haven't noticed any missing. And there are no chickens running around panicking that their babies are missing.
So my mom sent me this:


????? I don't even have ducks.

But they are following the turkeys around. I guess I'll have to wait until I get home from work to figure this out

OMG!!! Too funny! Maybe a mama duck was close by and the babies got confused? Looks like you have ducks now!!!

 

[atrueb00]

My parents are staying at my place, and I just got a panicked call from my mother that there are new baby turkeys running in and out of the turkey pen, and she is afraid they will get trampled.
I told her there was no way I had new baby turkeys. I've been collecting all eggs and all adults are present and accounted for. So I was wracking my brain, thinking maybe a hen got out and made a nest somewhere, but I haven't noticed any missing. And there are no chickens running around panicking that their babies are missing.
So my mom sent me this:


????? I don't even have ducks.

But they are following the turkeys around. I guess I'll have to wait until I get home from work to figure this out

What a random surprise! Hope that you wanted ducks or can find someone to re-home them.

 

[bradselig]

Hey y'all. I've been absent for a while, but I'm still around stalking from time to time. Just wondered if anyone had any tips on keeping a cockerel from becoming aggressive as a roo? I just lost my roo, Carl, this week. To say I'm devastated is a bit of an understatement. He was an extremely aggressive roo, but I loved him anyway. His favorite was to try and sneak attack you from behind when you weren't paying attention. I have another 12 week old cockerel (hatched from a broody) that I was trying to rehome, but seeing as we no longer have our rooster, we've decided to keep him. I'm happy that we are keeping him as I've grown really attached to the little snot. He's a barnyard mix, but he's beautiful. He's solid blue with some barring starting to show up. All this to say, it would be really nice if he wasn't as aggressive as Carl. Carl's aggressive nature was his downfall and I really don't want Lil Gray to end up the same way. Is it possible to temper them or is having a friendly rooster just a pipe dream?

Honestly I have found no rhyme or reason for aggression. I've had nice roo dad produce even chicks and devil roo dads produce docile chicks. I really don't cuddle or love on my chicks, so I'd say my Roos are all with limited handling and yet still get the nicest Roos and aggressive Roos. I wouldn't give it hope yet!

 

[bradselig]

Here are some pics of the silkies I produced, sold, and purchased back lol. I plan on keeping the blue cream looking one and the partridge with the biggest head poof. The buff colored pair will likely be sold as a trio with my other buff hen as well as the white roo, partridge with smaller crest, and the blue with gold leakage. I have some hens/pullets I can sell with the Roos as well if anyone is interested.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

My parents are staying at my place, and I just got a panicked call from my mother that there are new baby turkeys running in and out of the turkey pen, and she is afraid they will get trampled.
I told her there was no way I had new baby turkeys. I've been collecting all eggs and all adults are present and accounted for. So I was wracking my brain, thinking maybe a hen got out and made a nest somewhere, but I haven't noticed any missing. And there are no chickens running around panicking that their babies are missing.
So my mom sent me this:


????? I don't even have ducks.

But they are following the turkeys around. I guess I'll have to wait until I get home from work to figure this out

Congrats on your unexpected arrival! They're cute!