Is there a way to improve my chances of having a friendly roo?

[renart]

Slip em a $5er and show him a glimpse of your stewpot ..

Other than that, I am not sure.

 

[CathyRN]

what a handsome roo that is ! very cute !

Re: nice roosters....I have a friend who has a huge Buff Orpington Roo, he is nice

 

[onecent]

I gotta also come to to defend the silkie roo

,I had 3 sweet ones, no problems at all,..... and my RIR roo liked me, but he didnt like anyone else

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Please, Please don't tell me now that SLW roos get mean! I have one on the way from McMurrays to raise for my mom's new flock. Of course, it would be nice if he gets tough enough to keep her nasty nippy little chihuahuas at bay.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

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I think it depends on the individual, as SilkieSue said. But I personally won't risk having the same experience when there are so many other breeds to try. Also I am emotionally traumatized from it and don't even want a roo that LOOKS like that roo. It took me 3-4 years to want chickens again.

 

[mulewagon]

I favor a three-pronged approach.

a) Get a breed with a reputation for docility.

b) Be aware of chicken body language. That "cute" little sideways dance is a precursor to aggression, so back him off when he does it. Also, the chicken who steps out of the way is the loser. Never step out of his way - don't chase or kick him, just walk with confidence.

c) Train him from the beginning to keep his distance. Carry things to wave in his face until he backs out of arm's reach. Keep that up until he stays back automatically.

The main lesson I've learned is don't wait for the rooster to become aggressive. Train him before he ever thinks of attacking you.

I don't think that coddling vs not coddling makes the difference, it's whether you're doing things that the rooster interprets as submission. If you stride after him and scoop him up masterfully for a cuddle, he'll feel dominated. If you move back and step aside for him, he'll see you as vulnerable. And then you're toast...

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

I had a most wonderful rooster until just this past weekend, when I was forced to cull him because his crossbeak was cutting some of the hens necks when he mated them. He didn't do it on purpose. It was just the way that his deformed upper beak was formed -- it grew into a shape that could easily cut a hen during normal mating practices.


That rooster was an Ameraucana or else an Easter Egger, and he was about as gentle and loving as any chicken could be. He was also a great leader in the chicken yard. I hated culling him, but had to in order to protect the hens.


His son, a mix of him and a Barred Rock hen, has never been aggressive either. I'm not sure how good of an alpha roo his son will be, because I've had to wait until after this brutal winter storm passes before I can merge him and his three hens with the hens that used to belong to his father.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Make sure you are the dominant rooster. Keep him in his place .

Not sure you can keep him friendly, but I hear you can stick him in the freezer next to a frozen chicken and he will be pretty polite when he asks wht the other one did to tick you off.

 

[onecent]

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with butter & jelly!

 

[dwdoc]

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WOW! Kinda Harsh...

--A male.