Rooster Chat

[TheTwoRoos]

Here is my Rhode Island Red cockeralm

He tried crowing a few days ago but got my other rooster started.

 

[microchick]

Young roosters are jerks. Their hormones are rampaging and they have all the romantic finesse of a 12 year old boy at a school dance. Try not to be too alarmed or make too much out of they way they are acting because they are acting exactly like what they are. 4 hormonal little jerks. Their behavior will settle down eventually but at this point in time it will be hard to pick rooster and lieutenant for your girls. I always promote 2 roosters for a flock in case something happens to the flock master or something happens that it takes 2 roosters to manage the threat.

Also you cannot be too quick to pick. Roosters do not mature until after their first birthday and even after that you may see some drastic personality changes in them.

Do not feel bad about giving them a whack every now and then. They usually deserve it and in all truthfulness, if it makes them give you a wide berth, good for you because that is what you want them to do. Sooner or later one of the 4 is more than likely going to challenge you and its up to you to always be prepared for that contingency.

If you can stick it out with the 4 of them together, they will work it out among themselves. It's just surviving the equivalent of rooster adolescence that's the real challenge.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

@Victoria-nola What I will do when trying to choose one rooster is pull them all to their own separate pen. Rotate who's out with the hens to see how they interact, no more than a week and the other young roosters should still be in sight so there's less risk of them fighting. If fighting breaks outs remove the main aggressor permanently. I keep lots of roosters, but I also keep lots of hens, and always manage my young roosters and remove if necessary. You don't have enough hens, so I would keep only one rooster in order to keep the peace and not to have your hens constantly harassed.

 

[Flock Master64]

This looks like a great threat!! I'm in!!
Hello everyone, my name is Jacob but call me Jake. I currently have 1
Chocolate Cuckoo Cockerel 2 months old names Flint. He is the second rooster/cockerel that I've had. My previous one was a Black Copper Marans 2 years old but he was killed in a battle with 3 raccoons. My parents say I'm only allowed one rooster or cockerel at a time

 

[microchick]

Hi Jake! Glad you could join us!

 

[Victoria-nola]

Young roosters are jerks. Their hormones are rampaging and they have all the romantic finesse of a 12 year old boy at a school dance. Try not to be too alarmed or make too much out of they way they are acting because they are acting exactly like what they are. 4 hormonal little jerks. Their behavior will settle down eventually but at this point in time it will be hard to pick rooster and lieutenant for your girls. I always promote 2 roosters for a flock in case something happens to the flock master or something happens that it takes 2 roosters to manage the threat.

Also you cannot be too quick to pick. Roosters do not mature until after their first birthday and even after that you may see some drastic personality changes in them.

Do not feel bad about giving them a whack every now and then. They usually deserve it and in all truthfulness, if it makes them give you a wide berth, good for you because that is what you want them to do. Sooner or later one of the 4 is more than likely going to challenge you and its up to you to always be prepared for that contingency.

If you can stick it out with the 4 of them together, they will work it out among themselves. It's just surviving the equivalent of rooster adolescence that's the real challenge.

Thanks for responding. I guess we've decided to rig up a bachelor pad to give some space and rotate the roosters through to see who seems to be doing better. The hens are so upset by being ganged up on that we cannot just let this continue without change. It's super altered their behavior and they've almost stopped laying because of the stress. The roosters are trying to jump them when they are in the nestbox.

 

[Victoria-nola]

@Victoria-nola What I will do when trying to choose one rooster is pull them all to their own separate pen. Rotate who's out with the hens to see how they interact, no more than a week and the other young roosters should still be in sight so there's less risk of them fighting. If fighting breaks outs remove the main aggressor permanently. I keep lots of roosters, but I also keep lots of hens, and always manage my young roosters and remove if necessary. You don't have enough hens, so I would keep only one rooster in order to keep the peace and not to have your hens constantly harassed.

Ok, we've figured out how to rig up a bachelor pad. I will do my best to give them some security but we don't have the resources to build another FortKnox coop.

After putting up with two aggressive roosters in our lives, I'm now saying that the first sign of aggression toward me and the rooster has to go. I can't live in fear again. I notice when the current cockerels size me up I get nervous. I'm not letting on, at least not knowingly, but I'm just not going to put up with actual aggression again.

It's the constant harassment of the hens that has me so worried. It's markedly altered their behavior in very negative ways.

 

[Flock Master64]

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[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok, we've figured out how to rig up a bachelor pad.  I will do my best to give them some security but we don't have the resources to build another FortKnox coop.

After putting up with two aggressive roosters in our lives, I'm now saying that the first sign of aggression toward me and the rooster has to go.  I can't live in fear again.  I notice when the current cockerels size me up I get nervous.  I'm not letting on, at least not knowingly, but I'm just not going to put up with actual aggression again.

It's the constant harassment of the hens that has me so worried. It's markedly altered their behavior in very negative ways.

That's great to hear. Your hens should be really happy too. It bugs when the rooster is happy but everyone else is miserable, in those circumstances I don't feel bad about the rooster.

Roosters will definitely pick up on any hesitation. Carry a stick if it makes you feel better and more powerful. I use a long handled fishing net to catch my roosters and they all respect me and scatter when that comes out.

A rooster should always give you his back or side, but never stand squarely looking at you, especially after they hit puberty. Mine give me their backs and will often flap their wings, they do the same when a rooster more dominant than them comes near.

The best way to raise them is to pretend they aren't even there. I don't often acknowledge mine, especially if I'm walking in a direction they happen to be. They always move. The day they don't move is the day I will suspect trouble from them. If I was frightened by a particular rooster he would be gone because that will never work out. Sometimes you just have to get the right roosters.

 

[Amelia Egghart]

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Welcome, Jake! He's beautiful.