Raising a good rooster

[autumnw]

Okay, so I haven't had chickens in about a year and a half and have chicks coming in three weeks. I only ordered pullets this time because the last time I had chickens I had a very bad experience with roosters. Last time my straight run chicks had three cockerels in the bunch. One mysteriously died around 16-18 weeks, it looked like he drowned in the waterer with no foul play but who knows, I gave one away a couple months later because the remaining two started fighting, and the last one started getting very mean and attacking so I couldn't let me chickens out of their run and into my yard anymore.

I was originally set on just having hens, but I'm getting a little worried about neighborhood cats (I'm in an urban setting) and know that a rooster will protect my girls. So, is there a way to raise a good rooster or is it all up to personality and chance? I hate the thought of raising one rooster after another just to have to put each down for being aggressive towards me or my sons when they get older. Any suggestions of any kind are helpful, lol!

 

[vstoltzfus]

I have 3 roosters, and I think it's mostly personality. I try handling them as much as I can when they're chicks, and I feed them a lot of treats. I want them to think well of me. But all three of them still occasionally attack me, especially if I have something in my hands. Make sure you wear long pants to protect your legs, and stand up to them. If they start to attack me I give them a good swift kick. That usually makes them back off.

I love having roosters! They protect the flock, and I have baby chicks to boot!