Loving on your rooster

[gimmie birdies]

People say don't love on your roosters (hold and cuddle), I don't care, I love on them and will continue to love on them. I hatch my own chicks and love on and hold the roosters from the time they hatch. The roosters start out more curious then the hens any way. if you pay attention enough they will come when you call and want to be held. My roosters have never fought me, because they know if they get near me I will pick them up. I never shoo them off with my foot either.

Below is my rooster "Pip", he is 3 months old blue cochin bantam/LO, I didn't hold or cuddle him when he hatched, all the chicks went outside to a brooder pen with his pullets. Just 2 weeks ago I moved the pullets to a bigger pen. Since now is the time young roosters like to hop on the young pullets, I pulled him out of the pullet pen and put him in with the older hens. He stopped hoping on hens, since the older ones put him in his place and he has no friends, but me. So even though I didn't hand raise him I have been picking him up and holding him as if he was hand raised. He loves it. He come if I call, and follows me about the coop as I do my chores.

I would also like to say, this rooster will be the perfect size. Med. I like a rooster to not be too big, or heavy. It saves on hens backs.

 

[Kat C]

Why would anyone say that? Its your rooster, hold and love them if you want. I can't imagine what harm anyone could think could come from doing that. Did they tell you why you shouldn't do that?????

 

[Folly's place]

Cochins are such sweet birds, and beautiful. It's great to have a wonderful boy!
Mary

 

[Mrs. K]

That is the beauty of this forum, lots of different ideas, but they are your chickens do them the way you want.

Mrs K

 

[4 ever Orpington]

People say don't love on your roosters (hold and cuddle), I don't care, I love on them and will continue to love on them. I hatch my own chicks and love on and hold the roosters from the time they hatch. The roosters start out more curious then the hens any way. if you pay attention enough they will come when you call and want to be held. My roosters have never fought me, because they know if they get near me I will pick them up. I never shoo them off with my foot either.

Below is my rooster "Pip", he is 3 months old blue cochin bantam/LO, I didn't hold or cuddle him when he hatched, all the chicks went outside to a brooder pen with his pullets. Just 2 weeks ago I moved the pullets to a bigger pen. Since now is the time young roosters like to hop on the young pullets, I pulled him out of the pullet pen and put him in with the older hens. He stopped hoping on hens, since the older ones put him in his place and he has no friends, but me. So even though I didn't hand raise him I have been picking him up and holding him as if he was hand raised. He loves it. He come if I call, and follows me about the coop as I do my chores.
View attachment 1340173 I would also like to say, this rooster will be the perfect size. Med. I like a rooster to not be too big, or heavy. It saves on hens backs.

I love my Roosters also. Have never produced a mean one yet. Good luck.

 

[ashlierami]

I absolutely love this topic! I thought I was the only one that loved on my boys! I have an all rooster flock as well as a roo and hens flock. I love on all of them. I pet them I carry them around. I have even carried them to their roost at night if it's raining and they don't want to leave the porch and get wet. My boys follow me around and look thru my windows for me. They are absolutely the cutest birds ever in a stalker way lol. If I don't come outside for awhile they peck the front door. They know their names when I call. They have never attacked me or shown aggression. They playfully fight amongst themselves but boys will be boys. They know the sound of the treat jar shaking and come running. It's beautiful to know there's other people out there that love their roosters to. I often get alot of stares from the neighbors since I usually have a line of roosters following me around the yard to do various things. I have had my boys since they are 2 and 8 weeks old which was back in July 2017. I also hate when I do post something and ask for advice on byc and someone suggests how unhealthy it is that I have so many roosters. I am aware of that and I handle my situation. I ask for advice on byc about other things not about how I shouldn't have more than one roo for 15 hens. I think it's to eachs own and that shouldn't be brought up unless I ask how I should manage a flock of more than one roo. I chose to keep my soosters because I couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of or eating then just because they are boys. They have a beautiful life here at my place and i dont see anything wrong with it.

this is them waiting on the porch railing for me.

this is my roo that has the hens.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Kat C... there is always someone...

 

[gimmie birdies]

Ash- all your roosters are neat, and they all know they are loved- look at those puffy chests.

 

[RodNTN]

I love my roosters, especially "Charlie" my Dominique, he is such a sweetheart
Ping:

Satchmo with his favorite girl:

Linus:


Charlie:

 

[Folly's place]

There are many choices we can make, and many different rooster personalities. It's great to have sweet boys who like this kind of personal attention, and all your roosters are very handsome!
When the cockerel wants to be a jerk, loving on him doesn't improve things, IMO. It's certainly best to have wonderful polite cockbirds, who reproduce the same great temperments, because that's what we all want to have. The rooster should be 'nice' regardless of being cuddled or not.
The four roosters that live here right now are nice, not aggressive when I do handle them, and that's how it should be. It's also fine to not make them pets, my choice.
Some will get along with each other (like mine right now) and some won't. Again, it's individual. Too many in a flock will usually overmate and annoy the hens, not good for them.
People asking for advice because they have a difficult cockerel, or a bad situation already, will get a range of opinions, often because they aren't having fun with their birds, as you are.
Mary