Rooster Behavior?

[rwgrout]

Hello Chicken Lovers!!!

I've been lucky so far and have only been getting hens but my luck has run out and this year I ended up with 3. I plan on keeping one. As I watch their little personalities develop I notice that one is much larger and dominant than the other two. My question is: If I decide to cull the dominant one, will one of the others get bigger and become dominant or will their personalities pretty much stay the same?

Thanks!

 

[chickens really]

How old are they? What breeds? Cockerels mature at different rates and just because one is bigger now and more dominant doesn't mean he is bad..It takes a year before they are Roosters and definitely by 9 months old they are Hormones but need to learn how to properly look after the ladies...

 

[Folly's place]

Yes, if the top cockerel is gone, another will move from second to first. That's normal, and not a problem.
Problem behaviors, IMO, include causing injuries to pullets or hens, or any aggression towards humans. The cockerels mature sooner than their pullet flockmates, and will be chasing and acting like the stupid adolescent boys that they are but actually injuring anyone crosses a line for me.
I don't try to make pets with the cockerels, they need to move away from me and respect my space at all times. I'm not a flock member! I bring food, and don't participate in the flock pecking order, and they need to see that.
How old are they? What are your plans? If chicks, who will be the best fit with your hens? If you want a future sire, eliminate any with structural flaws first. Then, keep them for a few months to evaluate temperament better.
It's complicated, and not always possible to pick the right one, but give it a try. If it doesn't work out, there's next year...
Mary

 

[rwgrout]

Yes, if the top cockerel is gone, another will move from second to first. That's normal, and not a problem.
Problem behaviors, IMO, include causing injuries to pullets or hens, or any aggression towards humans. The cockerels mature sooner than their pullet flockmates, and will be chasing and acting like the stupid adolescent boys that they are but actually injuring anyone crosses a line for me.
I don't try to make pets with the cockerels, they need to move away from me and respect my space at all times. I'm not a flock member! I bring food, and don't participate in the flock pecking order, and they need to see that.
How old are they? What are your plans? If chicks, who will be the best fit with your hens? If you want a future sire, eliminate any with structural flaws first. Then, keep them for a few months to evaluate temperament better.
It's complicated, and not always possible to pick the right one, but give it a try. If it doesn't work out, there's next year...
Mary

Thanks! My plan for keeping a roo is really for "natural" reasons. Meaning for what a roo does for a flock. If I get chicks - great; but I'm not specifically looking to breed or show. I only have a few hens so keeping 3 roos is really not an option. This info really helps in making my decision on which to keep. I want to keep the one that will be best for both the hens and humans

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

It's pretty much a crap shoot with cockerels. There are those that seem to be perfect roosters and then there's the attack birds. It's really hard to determine how your boys will turn out until they've grown. Just make the decision on which one to keep and move on from there. However, you need to make sure that you really want a rooster. If you really don't need a rooster I would suggest trying to rehome them immediately before you get too attached. I hope this was helpful.

 

[rwgrout]

How old are they? What breeds? Cockerels mature at different rates and just because one is bigger now and more dominant doesn't mean he is bad..It takes a year before they are Roosters and definitely by 9 months old they are Hormones but need to learn how to properly look after the ladies...

I have 2 polish mixes and 1 frizzle. They are all about 5 months all and all crowing They are so cute!!!

 

[chickens really]

I have 2 polish mixes and 1 frizzle. They are all about 5 months all and all crowing They are so cute!!!

What's the dominant behaviour your seeing?

 

[rwgrout]

It's pretty much a crap shoot with cockerels. There are those that seem to be perfect roosters and then there's the attack birds. It's really hard to determine how your boys will turn out until they've grown. Just make the decision on which one to keep and move on from there. However, you need to make sure that you really want a rooster. If you really don't need a rooster I would suggest trying to rehome them immediately before you get too attached. I hope this was helpful.

Thanks! Right now they all seem to be respectful of us when we go into the coop. Even the dominant one moves away. The only aggression is my eldest hen who likes to come peck my feet until I give her a pat on the head

 

[rwgrout]

What's the dominant behaviour your seeing?

1 of the polish is much larger than the other and he's the one that crows the most; both polish come from the same hatching. He is also the one that moves the others away when I come into the coop. Nothing aggressive, just what I would expect to see (from my non-roo owning point of view)

 

[chickens really]

1 of the polish is much larger than the other and he's the one that crows the most; both polish come from the same hatching. He is also the one that moves the others away when I come into the coop. Nothing aggressive, just what I would expect to see (from my non-roo owning point of view)

I'd pick from the non Frizzle Cockerels..