Realistic Expectations for a Rooster

[C Siena]

We are moving in the near future and will be taking the hens with us. Not sure if this is a question that can even really be answered, but will having a rooster around, even if it's the younger one, offer some reassurance to the hens as they adjust to a new environment? Or, if he's just as worthless as his father, is it best to start fresh with a new rooster at the new location?

How young? The hens/pullets can also pick on a rooster. Our neighbor had 100- 6 month old pullets and they went after the 2- 4 month old cockerels and the 1 yr old roo. I mean after, attacking, pulling feathers. It may have been the large number but they were ISAs and 2 of our 3 ISAs, will try to chase the Malinois away from their water bowl.

 

[hollandhens24]

How young? The hens/pullets can also pick on a rooster. Our neighbor had 100- 6 month old pullets and they went after the 2- 4 month old cockerels and the 1 yr old roo. I mean after, attacking, pulling feathers. It may have been the large number but they were ISAs and 2 of our 3 ISAs, will try to chase the Malinois away from their water bowl.

He is 3 months now and will be 9 months at the time of the move.

 

[C Siena]

He is 3 months now and will be 9 months at the time of the move.

If he's not a problem now, I think it can't hurt to watch and see how he matures, as your putting dad in freezer camp. Others may have a different opinion.
Edit: I meant his dad.

 

[ChimkinNug]

Like others have said, the attitude/behavior is more of an individual trait rather than breed specific. You'll get good and bad from any breed of rooster. I have three Whiting True Blue roosters - two purchased as chicks and one raised on my farm. They are all incredible. But as incredible as they are, I have a one strike policy. If they cross my line once (flogging), they go to freezer camp. Given your description, I would send him to camp immediately. But I also wouldn't hesitate to try again with the same breed because you may just find the best rooster ever.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I'll agree with soup for Dad. Mainly just chiming in to say if the young guy is doing ok at time of move I would keep him around as the stress of the move is going to have an effect. Adding a new guy before then increases this stress level. If you decide to off both boys I would give it some time after the move before introducing another roo. Let the girls get settled.

Are you moving their coop also? This helps with having their familiar roost in new surroundings easing the stress.

 

[hollandhens24]

I'll agree with soup for Dad. Mainly just chiming in to say if the young guy is doing ok at time of move I would keep him around as the stress of the move is going to have an effect. Adding a new guy before then increases this stress level. If you decide to off both boys I would give it some time after the move before introducing another roo. Let the girls get settled.

Are you moving their coop also? This helps with having their familiar roost in new surroundings easing the stress.

The coop is staying, as it's a fixed shed on a concrete pad. The wholeeee environment is going to change from farm land to mountainous, new coop, and I am going to eventually go for free ranging after some time at the location. Fortunately since this is around fall/ winter I am hoping that it lines up with their off season in a way that allows them to focus on adjusting to the new environment.

 

[C Siena]

The coop is staying, as it's a fixed shed on a concrete pad. The wholeeee environment is going to change from farm land to mountainous, new coop, and I am going to eventually go for free ranging after some time at the location. Fortunately since this is around fall/ winter I am hoping that it lines up with their off season in a way that allows them to focus on adjusting to the new environment.

If it is molt time when you move, possibly up their protein to 20ish%.

 

[AuntiePatriciaUSA]

I currently have a Whiting True Blue rooster who is a year and a half old. This is my first time having a rooster and he was ordered from a hatchery and raised in the flock under five mature hens. I was under the impression that raising a rooster with older hens might improve his manners. He will be a chicken tender in the next two weeks due to bad behavior. He is cowardly, constantly sneaking up behind me, attempting to trap me in the chicken coop, has jumped and gotten my friend’s toddler in the back while they were chicken sitting, and I have noticed he's not particularly nice to my hens. He will often peck them, seemingly out of the blue, and will jump at some of the hens while they are feeding, I am assuming just to assert his dominance? The hens will sometimes try to get away from him when he attempts to mate and I have seen him mount and then not successfully mate. I have hatched chicks from him, but I have also had multiple clear or presumably infertile eggs from the same chickens that I have hatched eggs from. The hen to rooster ratio is only 8 to 1, so I would imagine he should have no trouble managing, though I haven’t seen any signs of over-mating like missing feathers. Additionally, I watched the other day as a hawk landed on a post 15 feet from my flock, and the rooster did nothing, the hens did nothing, everyone froze. I would have at least expected him to usher them to safety under a vehicle (within 5 feet of the flock) or the porch? One of my hens was actually attacked by a hawk for the first time in 2 years of free ranging (separate occasion), which had not happened prior to having a rooster. I have read that his focus on non threats like humans detracts from focusing on actual threats. Are my expectations for the rooster unrealistic or is he falling short of what a good roo should do?

Follow up question: I chose for my first rooster to be a WTB because I wanted the production factor, fun factor of the blue egg gene, not too large, and supposedly excellent for free ranging. What other roosters are worth looking into that aren’t too large, have higher production genetics, and are capable free rangers. My hen numbers are increasing as well, as I currently have pullets to add to the flock. Egg color isn’t of import, but “fun” is always appreciated. If you made it this far… thank you!

I have had aggressive roosters who chased and threatened to attack me, so I put an ad on FREECYCLE. A nice Vietnamese PhD student at the local university came to get them. He knew exactly how to peacefully subdue them and took them away. So far I have used his rooster removal service twice; I don't tolerate aggressive roosters.