Roosters

[Farmgirl283420]

I wanted to start a thread that discussed roosters. From them being rough or gentle to your hens to being good with people or attacking you. I have my own rooster and have given away four others but I haven’t given much time for learning about roosters so hopefully I can learn something! I would also love to see pictures and hear stories! The rooster I have now is a Cochin named Royal he is a year old and has never attacked a human. He is great with my hens and pullet.

My other roosters all went to a great home!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

@GirlsHuntToo @MamaPoult @fluffycrow and @everyone else!

 

[Coops Dad]

I have two excellent roosters over the main flock; the rest went here.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I have two excellent roosters over the main flock; the rest went here.
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That would be a good option except that I raise them as pets so I think it would be too hard for me! What breeds are your two roosters that are alive?

 

[Coops Dad]

They're American Bresse. Big bodied, broad shouldered, tall boys. They're over a very mixed flock.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

The only ones I am keeping after butchering is over is:

Jack - Black Australorp x Rhode Island Red
Buddy - Rhode Island Red
Oscar - Barred Rock

I don't have pictures of them but all of them are really great with new baby chicks, my hens, and would never bite any people. My favorite is Jack, but maybe it's just because of who he is named after.... idk!

 

[MysteryChicken]

I've got so many Roosters/Cockerels.

My big boy Goliath will follow me like a puppy.

He's a gentleman to his ladies.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have kept chickens for years, and have had a lot of roosters. I have had two outstanding roosters out of all of them, one more that was pretty good. Chrome who was an expensive Biefelder and Captain, a mutt red, with a green tail, and Bye - who was never suppose to be kept as a flock master, ugly as sin, but simply checked off ALL of the other boxes:

• Good with people
• good with grandchildren
• calm
• ladies adored him
• broke up fights in his girls
• tidbitted to his girls
• kept his girls together
• good with chicks
• beautiful crow
• found and created nests for the hens (they never quite liked them, and he was good with that)
• good with predators warnings until the last one got him

I have had two roosters since Bye, snowman got aggressive. I have Longjohns - he is a middle of the road rooster - a nice bit of eye candy... but only checks part of the boxes.

Roosters are a crapshoot. I have a slim theory, that you get better roosters if they are raised in a multi-generational flock, under older birds and you do NOT MAKE A PET of him. This forum is filled with stories where the darling becomes the nightmare. They really are not good pet material.

If you cannot butcher a rooster, my advice would be to re-home him ASAP. A lot of them do not work out, especially for inexperienced people. The traits that people think indicate that the rooster likes them, are often times pre-traits to not respecting people.

If the OP has children under the age of 6 and especially if they share a yard with them, I strongly recommend letting the rooster go. Rooster are opportunist and will attack children first, often times in the face. It has often ruined the whole chicken experience.

On rereading the OP - and see their rooster is a year old and is doing fine, that is a good sign, but always be aware.

Mrs K

 

[16 and me]

This is Pedro, King of his castle.

He is an excellent roo at 3 years old. He is a gentlemen to all, and a very fine protector of his ladies.
To better understand roos you have to understand males in general. They are providers and protectors, with the primary goal being to procreate and preserve their flock. If they see you as a threat, you're in for trouble. If they see you as one of their flock, you're in for trouble. Respect is key. If I'm crouched in the garden and the hens come to see what I have, it's cute tous humans, but the roo may see me as trying to woo his girls away from him or as crouching in submission. So as he approaches I acknowledge him and stand. He always gets first few pecks at the food in my hand, which he drops for the hens. When they are all circling him for his favour, he is at his happiest and I start to drop grains and seeds for the rest. I avoid picking up hens in his presence when possible, as he would feel the need to protect them, putting our relationship in jeopardy.

This is Sammy, who is in the penalty box:

Sammy wants to be a good roo. He is good with people, but he just doesn't want to be #2 roo and he isn't winning over the flock with charm. He's 7 1/2 months old and wants to establish his kingship by overthrowing Pedro & bullying the hens into submitting to him. He may well be a great roo for a flock with only him as king, but his days are numbered here I'm afraid.

 

[MamaPoult]

@GirlsHuntToo @MamaPoult @fluffycrow and @everyone else!

Thanks for the tag! I'll comment soon!