Rooster behavior

[centrarchid]

My experience involves mostly American Game roosters. Over the last ten years I have been working with American Dominiques and their hybrid with American Games. As kid we kept RIR, Barred Plymouth Rock, and White Plymouth Rock although those seldom reached maturity on the male side. Those that did were good natured although birds of same stock kept by neighbors were not pleasant. Difference I attribute to husbandry methods. Neighbors then and many people I see now interact with roosters in a manner that is not allowed here. No aggression towards rooster and their charges nor recoil if a bird pecks you.

 

[Mimi13]

If you want to keep roosters, I would consider getting Orpingtons, Cochins, Orloffs, and Rocks.

I have five 10 week old cockerels: a Welsummer, SLW, NHR, and 2 Naked Necks. I only wanted the Welsummer and SLW roos and so far, knock on wood, they seem to be the two best ones. The other three were oops roos and my NHR pullet, whose name was Lucy, had to be renamed. And he earned the name Lucifer and will be the very first bird I process, with glee! While Lucy was a curious little chick, Lucifer appeared and was the devil himself. All of his devilish ways were evident at about 5-6 weeks. I will keep one of the NN’s, so those two boys will have to audition for me and I hope I choose the right one.

 

[Kessel23]

I have five 10 week old cockerels: a Welsummer, SLW, NHR, and 2 Naked Necks. I only wanted the Welsummer and SLW roos and so far, knock on wood, they seem to be the two best ones. The other three were oops roos and my NHR pullet, whose name was Lucy, had to be renamed. And he earned the name Lucifer and will be the very first bird I process, with glee! While Lucy was a curious little chick, Lucifer appeared and was the devil himself. All of his devilish ways were evident at about 5-6 weeks. I will keep one of the NN’s, so those two boys will have to audition for me and I hope I choose the right one.

Good luck, hopefully you pick the right roo!

 

[BlackHackle]

I would keep the Welsummer and the SLW

 

[centrarchid]

I can not make assessments on rooster behavior until they are nearly a year old. Some are more than a year old before being handling extensively. Others are handled starting at hatch. Start of handling does not appear to be important with respect to final outcome.

 

[Kessel23]

Yea, my leghorn rooster was not handled at all and I thought he would turn out nice but he just started to be aggressive recently, he is nearly a year old.

 

[Mimi13]

I would keep the Welsummer and the SLW

Yay!

 

[Mary Walton]

My profile picture is of my Welsummer rooster "Cammy." We got him to protect the ladies after we lost one to a hawk and he takes his job VERY seriously! I have no doubt he would fight any animal to the death to protect them. However, I am the only person who can go around him. He overtly attacked me a couple times and after doing some research I began establishing my place in the pecking order by picking him up, cuddling him (carefully) and holding his head down for several seconds while telling him I AM the top rooster! Getting to this point took more courage than I knew I had, but something had to be done, we couldn't go into our own yard! He no longer shows any overt aggression to me but if I ever let my guard down, BAM he hits me from behind.

 

[thornito95]

Ahh the particular rooster I was referring too was raised after a school hatched and some negligent parent allowed the child to raise the rooster alone for a couple of months then threw it into a pen with less than 5 hens as well as a 3-5 year old Rhode island red. Lester was a way smaller cuckoo maran . So yeah he was a deranged little guy when I got him but I loved his craziness because I understood why.

 

[thornito95]

If anyone is in N Florida and has an overly aggressive rooster they wish to part ways with but not kill do get ahold of me