Roosters

[agarnp]

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. View attachment 3801169My other roosters all went to a great home!

He’s a looker! I have two Rhode Island Reds and the older one jumped at me from behind a couple of times but when he attacked my husband he got payback and he didn’t do it again..I still carry around a stick just in case because the other rooster is young and I think those hormones kick in and they get a little cocky. They are both good to their hens though and I just try to keep my distance. Roosters are interesting with their behaviors

 

[agarnp]

I've only had 2 from separate batches from a year apart that ended up human aggressive.

But the worst ones I've ever raised over the years were Rhode Island Reds which seem very genetically prone to human aggression.

Oh yes…if I ever have one again my choice would be anything but RIR…they can’t be trusted either!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

He’s a looker! I have two Rhode Island Reds and the older one jumped at me from behind a couple of times but when he attacked my husband he got payback and he didn’t do it again..I still carry around a stick just in case because the other rooster is young and I think those hormones kick in and they get a little cocky. They are both good to their hens though and I just try to keep my distance. Roosters are interesting with their behaviors

Yes some roosters are like that! I got lucky with Royal!

 

[SchoolPsychMom]

I'm still pretty new to chickens. I started with Buff Orpingtons and Americuana that are turning 2.

I have my first rooster; a Rhode Island Red just turning 1. Surprise! BAD job on Tractor Supply: 3 chicks turned out to be White Leghorn NOT Barred Rocks (1 of which died within days) and 1 of 3 Rhode Island Reds was NOT a pullet. We call the rooster "Him." I can't say as he's great with the girls. He pecks at them frequently (my Reds are all pretty jerk-ish in this regard) especially when scratch/scraps are tossed. I have never seen him give anything to my ladies. Although he likes to lead, he can't seem to keep them together. He's the only one who consistently navigates to the front yard, but will outrun the girls on the return resulting in confused hens running along the fence. Obviously, Him is not what I wanted.

However, my neighbor has lost 10+ chickens to a pair of owls in the past 4 months. I've lost 2 even with a storm wrecking my run and damaging the coop where they used to be safe at night. My 5 and 7 year-old nieces came to visit 2 weeks ago and ran up to my flock shrieking and flapping (yes, they were corrected & educated) with no harming coming to either girl. My husband picked Him up from the top of the freezer and carried him to the backyard a few nights ago without incident.

Maybe Him isn't so bad?

 

[Evadig]

I have two rescue roosters, a Phoenix and a Twentse.
The Phoenix is named Winston Churchill and he's wonderful with the girls, not so much with humans. But he is handsome!
The Twentse is Stanislaw; he is also good looking, except for his comb, and he is the perfect rooster - good with the hens and polite to us.
I'll add pictures later .

 

[chickyturkeyemulady]

I agree with 16 and me (and BTW Sammy is quite handsome). Roosters do best raised by chickens in multi-generational situations and not as pets (I do this with my turkeys as well - it saves a lot of injuries to juvenile/teenage males). If you want a pet, have a pet hen. I think genetics have less to do with aggressiveness (not nothing, but less) than how they are raised.
Early in my chicken raising I tried to handle my roosters a lot when they were young. They grew up to be obnoxious. The ones that turn out nice have been ones that I handled only as needed (spur/nail trimming, moving, etc.) then otherwise let them be roosters.
I currently have 31 hens and 3 roosters. Wally is an older SLW with great body conformation, but one double spur and one long/one short wattles - he has not passed this to any of his offspring. He's good to his girls, easy for me to handle if needed, and has never been threatening toward me or anyone who's gone into my poultry yard. His son, Walter, on the other hand, is not trustworthy - he's ok, just don't turn your back on him. Basically, he's insecure - thinks I'm going to take his hens. He has his own pen with his girls as he would like nothing better than to oust his daddy. Reinhold is a Copper Black Marans cross that has grown up in the multi-generational group. He's gorgeous, he's not aggressive toward anyone, and he lives with Wally and several hens. Wally has his hens and Reinhold has his - they don't fight over hens, food, or people.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I'm still pretty new to chickens. I started with Buff Orpingtons and Americuana that are turning 2.

I have my first rooster; a Rhode Island Red just turning 1. Surprise! BAD job on Tractor Supply: 3 chicks turned out to be White Leghorn NOT Barred Rocks (1 of which died within days) and 1 of 3 Rhode Island Reds was NOT a pullet. We call the rooster "Him." I can't say as he's great with the girls. He pecks at them frequently (my Reds are all pretty jerk-ish in this regard) especially when scratch/scraps are tossed. I have never seen him give anything to my ladies. Although he likes to lead, he can't seem to keep them together. He's the only one who consistently navigates to the front yard, but will outrun the girls on the return resulting in confused hens running along the fence. Obviously, Him is not what I wanted.

However, my neighbor has lost 10+ chickens to a pair of owls in the past 4 months. I've lost 2 even with a storm wrecking my run and damaging the coop where they used to be safe at night. My 5 and 7 year-old nieces came to visit 2 weeks ago and ran up to my flock shrieking and flapping (yes, they were corrected & educated) with no harming coming to either girl. My husband picked Him up from the top of the freezer and carried him to the backyard a few nights ago without incident.

Maybe Him isn't so bad?

Sorry your rooster isn’t very good! But like you said maybe Him isn’t so bad!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I have two rescue roosters, a Phoenix and a Twentse.
The Phoenix is named Winston Churchill and he's wonderful with the girls, not so much with humans. But he is handsome!
The Twentse is Stanislaw; he is also good looking, except for his comb, and he is the perfect rooster - good with the hens and polite to us.
I'll add pictures later .

Can’t wait to see them!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I agree with 16 and me (and BTW Sammy is quite handsome). Roosters do best raised by chickens in multi-generational situations and not as pets (I do this with my turkeys as well - it saves a lot of injuries to juvenile/teenage males). If you want a pet, have a pet hen. I think genetics have less to do with aggressiveness (not nothing, but less) than how they are raised.
Early in my chicken raising I tried to handle my roosters a lot when they were young. They grew up to be obnoxious. The ones that turn out nice have been ones that I handled only as needed (spur/nail trimming, moving, etc.) then otherwise let them be roosters.
I currently have 31 hens and 3 roosters. Wally is an older SLW with great body conformation, but one double spur and one long/one short wattles - he has not passed this to any of his offspring. He's good to his girls, easy for me to handle if needed, and has never been threatening toward me or anyone who's gone into my poultry yard. His son, Walter, on the other hand, is not trustworthy - he's ok, just don't turn your back on him. Basically, he's insecure - thinks I'm going to take his hens. He has his own pen with his girls as he would like nothing better than to oust his daddy. Reinhold is a Copper Black Marans cross that has grown up in the multi-generational group. He's gorgeous, he's not aggressive toward anyone, and he lives with Wally and several hens. Wally has his hens and Reinhold has his - they don't fight over hens, food, or people.

I would love to see pictures! That’s good to know I raised all mine to be pets because I thought they were girls. None of them were that mean but only Royal was nice! Even was too but he was a silkie and couldn’t see well so he would run into you and flip out! Poor guy!

 

[bulldoggrrl]

I was my roo’s number one hen and mama. Of course he was an only “child” but we really loved each other (I know that sounds corny, maybe respect is a better word). He is pictured in my avatar. When he and his bro was little they were supposed to be hens, but guess what!? We named them Pearl and Ruby and after they both started crowing, they were Pearl and Ruby the Roo Brothers! Ruby went to my sweet veterinarians farm where he has adoring ladies. Pearlie Roo remained with me until a dog going by in a truck ran jumped out of the cab and ran toward him when he was atop the fence and Pearl jumped down to protect his yard. Unfortunately, my sweet Pearlie Roo lost that fight . I now have four ten week old Australorp chicks who are the ultimate in sweetness, but I severely miss my Roo. He was one of a kind