Replacing aggressive rooster

[Kmarkee]

So do you handle the girls just not your boys? I like the girls to come running for treats when I call for them.

 

[Shezadandy]

Everyone in our flock comes running for treats- it's the universal language. As long as the first group is "trained" (the question is more who trained who) to come get treats- the others will fall into the same pattern and make a beeline for the treats.

I handled them all if I'm brooder raising them- up to when I can tell. If I have a broody hen- which is how I raise most of mine now- I socialize as much as she's willing to let me. If she calls them to her every time I show up, I just leave them be and wait til they're weaned and then I'll start socializing with them on the roost.

But the boys I leave completely alone unless there's a physical issue that needs to be addressed like any injury with blood. In that case, I try to take the "doctor/patient" kind of attitude about the whole thing.

 

[Kmarkee]

I’m not sure I’ll know early enough which ones are boys. My kids like to handle them while in the brooder.

 

[Shezadandy]

The biggest giveaways are leg and foot size- and the next biggest giveaway is comb size. Compare the chicks to each other. If you know which are full siblings, all the better- direct comparisons make it easy. Weight is another good sign. The boys will be bigger.

Again- up to the 4-6 week period is when we stop handling them. If most of them are straight-combed (and if memory serves, the breeds you mentioned are straight combed), it should be pretty easy to tell. The boys will have bigger combs and possibly some wattles too- their legs will be thicker, and their feet will be longer. I've had a couple be obvious at 2-3 weeks old.

Also - not always- but in my flock, usually --- the first chick to hatch is almost always a boy. The only exception was the one glorious time I got 3/3 girls from hatching eggs.

Here's one at 24 days.

 

[Beer can]

Almost every time I've had hatchery roosters they turn out aggressive, hatcheries apparently don't cull for aggression. See if you can find a breeder that has a rooster that culls for aggression.
I've had some really good roosters.
I tend to believe aggression is genetic like some say. I've tried to breed out the bad in my naked necks with no luck. Newest one I thought was going to turn out good, now that he's over a yr old, same thing it's like they just turn dumb. This one will be in the soup pot soon.
I've crossed the naked necks with my jersey giants that have good roosters and have a couple cockerels hoping they turn out good.