I'm pretty hands off when it comes to roosters. In other people's experience.... does a rooster tend to get mean with hands on, hands off, or no difference? I will probably never want to carry a rooster around to 'calm them down' but I could put more effort into feeding them by hand if it would promote a gentler rooster. Or is it really a luck of the draw and you don't know what you have until they mature?
I raised a rooster I’m so proud of last year, and it was the most hands on I’ve ever been with the raising of a rooster. Certain breeds can have a predisposition to being friendly, i.e. cream legbars are an incredibly friendly breed and probably the one I’ve had the best luck with for roosters. BUT genetics are not the only deciding factor, I believe it’s 80% how it’s raised in my experience.
This cream legbar rooster I recognized very early in the group with chicks because of how he would respond when I picked other chicks up. As soon as I knew he was likely a rooster I began handling him every day as much as I possibly could, holding him until he fell asleep, feeding him out of my hand, sitting in front of their cage when they were younger or having my hand in holding some of them, etc. even as a juvenile he remained so calm with me and would even still fall asleep if I sat him in my lap lol.
I want to say between 12-16 weeks ish is when they really start getting the hormones and rooster attitude, this is when they’re going to test you. It’s so important that if he puffs up, runs at you, tries to chest bump your calf or anything you don’t cause him harm (don’t kick like some people would). I always responded by merely stepping toward him or stamping a foot only. You want to show you’re in charge but not cause harm and make a mean rooster.
Now he’s grown up to be amazing with the hens, always keeping an eye on them and on anything that could be a threat, getting in the middle and separating them when if they ever start fighting, he’s so gentle with them— but he’s still good with people. I still regularly pick him up even though he’s absolutely huge.
I think sometimes people have the idea that roosters that are good with hens are mean to people and roosters that are good with people are rough on/bad with hens, but it’s definitely not the case!
Nope, they're mutts. Mixes of mixes.
