Need Advice! Which rooster do we keep?

[donrae]

Cinnamon. I think too many roosters don't drop a wing for the ladies and then you get your almost violent matings, which are disturbing to me, personally. That's my second criteria for a roo, first being he doesn't challenge me.

 

[RainbowBirds_of_a_Feather]

Aloha,

Wow this is gong to be hard. With the information you provided. I feel you have a more affinity for Cinnamon. But just be careful with the boot that you show him that could cause aggression. It's almost similar to training them to fight. He will look for that object and peck, that means if you are wearing flip flops you will get a mean bit. So I have to discourage you all from doing that if you decide to keep him. Just to keep you all safe. But other than that he sounds like a wonderful roo to the hens. He will definitely assist in the chick rearing. (My first pick)


If you decide to choose Bobby. That will change the Dynamics of the flock. Seeing that they respond to Cinnamon as alpha, it would take the hens a while to allow him to breed with them and for you to get fertile eggs. He may be skinny but usually that means he has less feed due to the fact that the alpha roo will chase the other males away when the flock is feeding. Then the next male will eat and the spoils go to the weakest. He may be jumpy but that is how low ranking roos are in my flock. But they are also friendlier in my opinion. But seeing that you feel that you don't want his type of genes than that is a no to him. (He would be my second pick but cause of the gene thing he should go)


For Domino, I like that name but you indicated that he has pecked already and he has a look that seems like he will dig at you. I say no way on that one only because he is biting the hand that feeds him. If you feel uneasy about the roo than your suspicion are probably right. The thing that also caught my eye is that he has no beard. I personally like my EE roos to have beards. but hens I do not mind if there are no beards but as long as they lay blue I am content. But ultimately I would say no to him. (But he would go in my book)

Cinnamon would be my keeper only cause he seems to be more of what you are looking for. But again it is your decision on which roo you would keep. Hope this helps.

 

[8WarEagleChicks]

Thanks again for all the replies.

I think Mrs. K's advice may win the day.

I'd hate for anything to happen to my little ones.

my 5 year old will not be happy

...one of those hard lessons in life.

On the plus side that would free up some space in the coop for birds who actually lay eggs!

Thanks again!

 

[abhaya]

I have an EE roo who is absolutly the sweeyest roo i have ever seen. he is very alert and watches the gal bug i have yet to see a feather out of place on the hens from breeding. he has never showed any sign of agression to either be or any other creature. he does have crowing contests with my silkie roo sometimes he always wins

That being said
With kids I would make sure you can trust your roo. I would rather have a roo who is not a perdy but trustworthy.

 

[8WarEagleChicks]

Well Mrs K you were right.

Both Cinamon and Domino chased my 6 year old across the back yard today when he went into the coop to gather an egg!!! The six year old is such a nut I thought they were wary of him...but I guess they consider his loudness and flapping arms aggressive..now that I think about it it is aggressive behavior in the eyes of a rooster.

Anyway both Roos earned solitary confinement for the rest of the day and are in the garage (away from the girls) tonight. I am anxious to re-home all the roosters since I really can't trust any of them.

My husband thinks I am nuts since I was telling him we would hold off on re-homing the roosters...we would wait and see who we would keep come spring. And now I want them gone yesterday!

Amazing what one day can bring. We did have an EE roo last year (got eatten by a fox, I think when he flew out of the run while we were not home!) we raised him from day one, the kids picked him up chased him around...he never offered to peck or made the growling rooster cluck...just did his wing dance ...so I was hopeful maybe we would have an EE like that.

No more roosters here until we can be all alpha males in his eyes.

Thanks everyone!