Rooster Theory

[JHillgrove]

I wonder about roosters. I have tried for a few years now to get a good rooster, but all the roosters we have start out just fine but then get mean and start attacking my kids and even me. Then we have to kill them. I have visited other farms and the roosters just walk around and ignore the humans. What up with that?

What I am wondering is...

If there is more then one rooster, will they be less likely to get aggresive?

Because at one point I had 4 roosters, they were still young but we all got along great. I got rid of 3 of them, and all the sudden the 1 left started attacking us.

Right now I have 3 roosters, they are 5-6 months old. We are getting along fine, but I am worried that they will begin to attack us.

Please tell me your experience with roosters.

 

[galanie]

Aggressiveness is due to genetics. Hatchery roosters seem to give people the most problems. It also depends a bit on the breed. If you want a rooster, I'd advise you get a breed that's known to be pretty laid back, and get it from a breeder, not a hatchery. I don't mean the farmer down the road necessarily. Most breeders cull aggressive roosters unless they have a trait that the breeder must have, and even then most will only use them on a limited basis.

All this won't guarantee you get a nice rooster, but your chances will be hugely improved. There are quite a number of good breeders that frequent BYC.

 

[ChickenPeep]

I have very nice, cuddly roosters. i dont know if you are willing to do this, but the reason theyre snuggly and nice is because as chicks, they lived in our house in a cage and we saw them every morning and held them.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

My hatchery buff orp and mille fleur d'uccle were hateful little beasts. Got rid of them both.
My ameraucana and silkie line rooster are fine. The silkie boys are actually kind of sweet. The ameraucana boys aren't terribly friendly, but they are not aggressive either. They just do their job taking care of their girls. I NEVER worry about them being mean. Both my silkie line and my ameraucana line came from reputable breeders.

Personality is an inheirited trait. If the parents are mean or skittish or easily freaked there is a strong chance that the offspring will be too. If the parents are calm or sweet or friendly there is a good chance that the offspring will be as well. Yet another reason to not keep a mean rooster around!

At any given point I have 4-10 roosters hanging about the farm. There are four main roosters in my breeding pens and then the random young roosters that are growing out until I can find a home for them or they get eaten. All I have noticed about having a bunch of roosters around is that they are louder. Once one of them crows they all tune up. It's like they egg each other on.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Quote:
That only works if they are predisposed to being cuddly in the first place. If they are aggressive to start with this teaches them to me MORE aggressive. The two rooster that I had that routinely drew blood everytime I went out were both hand raised in the house and I handled them every day. One of them used to sit on my lap and get loving and petting until he hit adolescence. Then he was the worst rooster I have ever seen. It was horrible.

Almost every chick I hatch goes through the house brooder. All are handled. All are given treats and petting. They all come out with distinct personalities. Within one hatch some will be excessively friendly and come running for treats when they see me while others run screaming in fear. It all has to do with which line they came out of. Once I have identified the male chicks I quit loving on them. I still hold them so they can be handled. I still give them treats, but I make them wait until the girls have gone. Basically, I become the head rooster and they become submissive. Then once they are full grown I am still the alpha rooster. It is exactly like how the outside roosters behave towards the adolescent roosters in their pens.

Roosters are no different from bulls or rams or billy goats. They are just smaller. They are still walking bundles of testosterone once they get past puberty. They aren't really pets. They live to do roostery things (protect their girls and make more babies). Trying to turn them into lap animals is fighting against their very nature. Every now and then you get one that loves petting, but that is not their purpose. I'd rather have a good rooster who does his job over one that wants cuddling. We have the girls to cuddle. The boys are there to take care of the flock.

 

[Dutchess]

Quote:

EGG each other on!

 

[JHillgrove]

Ok, thanks for all the posts.

Right now I have one Brown Leghorn rooster, 1 Rose comb Banty rooster and 1 Dominique rooster are any of these breeds known to be more aggressive or docile?

Also, when are they out of adolescence? What I mean is, at what age are they going to get aggressive ,if they are going to be aggressive.
Does that make sense?

 

[Eggcessive]

I have 5 roosters in my flock of 37, the dominant fellow being a black copper marans who crowed at 5 weeks, although he was the most shy and picked on chick. The most docile and the biggest weenie is my salmon faverolle--even the hens push him around. The buff brahmas have asserted their authority only to be put in their place by BCM. Our little millie fleur d'uccle is about as cocky as can be, but he learned his place quickly at the bottom of the roo order. They are all about 16 weeks old, so hopefully no one will get too mean.

 

[darin367]

i've found at 6 months of age you will have a good idea who's naughty n who's nice!!!

 

[JHillgrove]

Quote:
If this is correct I wont know for sure until the middle of September. Wish me luck.

Any ideas of how I can help them on their way to the nice list?