Polish Rooster Attitude, Is It Normal For The Breed?

[LoveOfFeathers]

I’ve had the pleasure of owning a good handful of polish roosters throughout my chicken journey and unfortunately i’ve never met one with a good temperament. They love to attack and seem to be ill tempered always looking to flogg a leg. Have i just had bad luck with them or is this the norm for polish roosters?

 

[DemeterAD9]

Any breed can be aggressive, even those touted to be the nicest. I can't say for sure it is a breed thing but it can be a genetic thing. An aggressive roo is more likely to produce aggressive sons, which is just one good reason not to keep them around. I certainly wouldn't be breeding from stock that is aggressive, just as I wouldn't be breeding from birds with other defects like cross beak.

Then there's the raising of the bird in question. Some people say socializing them while young is how you raise a nice rooster but I'd say it is the opposite. Hands-off approach has worked best for me, works even better when you can raise them among older birds to teach them the ropes and learn manners. I'd rather have a timid rooster who keeps his distance than one that comes at me any time I'm outside. Luckily I got both a relatively friendly rooster and a timid rooster who tends to hang back, but it took another 7 before them to get the two good ones!

 

[LoveOfFeathers]

Now that I think about it, most of my polish chicks have been raised under a heat lamp and more respectful roosters are normally the ones raised by a hen. I will try putting him with my dominant hen and see if she straightens him out. My hen from this polish line is a complete doll and loves cuddles.

 

[Mrs. K]

Personally, I think it is the luck of the draw. The questions is what do you want from your chickens? Pets? don't keep a rooster. If you can't cull, don't hatch, and if you don't hatch, you don't need a rooster.

Roosters are meant to manage flocks, if you like watching that, then get a good rooster. They really don't make the best pets, I too am a believer in hands off, but then I don't handle my chickens either - I just watch them.

Training roosters really tends to be training people. They (the rooster) really don't have much brain to work with. The way to get a good rooster is to not keep a rotten rooster.

Mrs K

 

[Closing Time]

My experience is limited to our current roo (the buff laced in my profile). He showed up at our house last September (when that pic was taken) and followed me around all day, even waiting for me in the garage when I would go inside. I have no idea how he was raised. I estimate he is around a year old now. He was with us on a one on one basis for a month before I got him some older pullets. He has always been polite and respectful since he has been here, and I was a little worried he would turn into a hormonal jerk this spring. Well he hasn't yet, crossing my fingers it stays this way.

He is lovely to his ladies and has never as much crossed an eye at us. I always gave him the treats and let him show off to the girls like he had found them. To be fair, I haven't handled him, but he scoots out of my way when I tell him to and he comes running like the girls when he hears me. He may still turn ugly, but we've been lucky so far. As with all animals (and people for that matter), I think it's really hit or miss on an individual level.