I like to raise cockerels of breeds that interest me, and select a likely good one as they grow. It does help to have experience, and that comes from having the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Because I'm paranoid about biosecurity, no older bird ever enters my flock, so adopting an older nice bird, great if he's actually healthy, won't be advice I'd give.
Generally I've found that the 'friendly' cockerels are actually overly bold, and are more likely to become human aggressive as they mature. I have a 'hands off' approach to raising cockerels; they should respect my space and stay away from me. other folks do the opposite, and either way, genetics is a powerful force and will hit them at some point.
Mary
Because I'm paranoid about biosecurity, no older bird ever enters my flock, so adopting an older nice bird, great if he's actually healthy, won't be advice I'd give.
Generally I've found that the 'friendly' cockerels are actually overly bold, and are more likely to become human aggressive as they mature. I have a 'hands off' approach to raising cockerels; they should respect my space and stay away from me. other folks do the opposite, and either way, genetics is a powerful force and will hit them at some point.
Mary