Tell me about your sweet gentle roosters!

[DonyaQuick]

This is Ziggy. I've only had him a month so far, but he is such a good boy. He was being rehomed because he was getting picked on. He's about a year old.

He tidbits and dances for the ladies and is very gentle stepping up on them. He was a gentle huggy boy before I got him and I will keep giving him hugs as long as he keeps asking for them nicely. When I don't have a camera out, he melts and goes to sleep on me. He also joins the hug pile with my hens when I sit in the run with them. Even though he's a teddy bear, he will call out threats and come running if he hears a hen scream - so he will defend his ladies too. He moves out of the way for me when I'm doing chores and doesn't try to block me from doing anything in the coop/run or from interacting with the hens. I realize Ziggy's behavior may change over time; if it does I will try to address what I can with training.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

What breed is he? He is gorgeous!

Thank you! He is a Blue Maran mix.

All the nice roosters I’ve had are mixes. I have many mixed cockerels right now, and they are quite nice boys! This is Pancake, his daddy is Gus, the first rooster I posted, and he is the sweetest, most mellow thing ever-

A better picture of Gus’ full body-

 

[kcan2]

Thank you! He is a Blue Maran mix.

All the nice roosters I’ve had are mixes. I have many mixed cockerels right now, and they are quite nice boys! This is Pancake, his daddy is Gus, the first rooster I posted, and he is the sweetest, most mellow thing ever-View attachment 3125356

A better picture of Gus’ full body-View attachment 3125357

Is Gus wearing a bowtie!? What a gentleman!

 

[mccmeadows]

this was Mike. he was a splash BLRW who left a hole in the farm last week when he bizarrely passed after choking - turned purple and aspirated and couldn’t be saved. the most gentle guy who never so much as took a feather off a hen. he didn’t care who we stuck him with, it didn’t matter if it was 2 or 12 hens, big or small, he loved all his ladies equally. he was sweet towards us and had the best crow, but was reserved with it. our other rooster was a monster, so Mike will be the gold standard we uphold for our flocks going forward. he’s buried under a hickory tree in the forest and will be so missed.

 

[kcan2]

this was Mike. he was a splash BLRW who left a hole in the farm last week when he bizarrely passed after choking - turned purple and aspirated and couldn’t be saved. the most gentle guy who never so much as took a feather off a hen. he didn’t care who we stuck him with, it didn’t matter if it was 2 or 12 hens, big or small, he loved all his ladies equally. he was sweet towards us and had the best crow, but was reserved with it. our other rooster was a monster, so Mike will be the gold standard we uphold for our flocks going forward. he’s buried under a hickory tree in the forest and will be so missed.

View attachment 3125361

Mike is so regal, I really admire his coloring! I'm sure his hens miss his presence, it sounds like he was an A+ wonderful boy.

 

[Anime2lover]

I just gave my gorgeous but aggressive rooster away and am feeling the hole he has left on our farm. He was my third roo and I have had to get rid of all of mine so far… The first was a Welsumer and mean from the get go, the second (same age as first but he was the beta roo) was a big lumbering Buff Brahma and the hens hated him (he was not aggressive to me at all, but did none of the rooster stuff for the hens except mounting them and he was too big), and now my SFH roo, who was fine for two years and then turned more and more aggressive over time (he’s 5 now, so I worked with him for a while).
I want a GOOD roo so badly, but how do I get one?
Would love to hear all about your good roos - breeds, did you get them as chicks or later, did they stay good or turn after a number of years? Did you have older hens with a younger roo and how does he win their hearts? (mine have never been impressed by a rooster)

This is big red, he is a five yr old easter egger rooster. He has always been calm, He's great with the ladies, excellent with chicks, and great with new birds. Big red has defended new hens from other flock members and looks after his babies, and those we introduce to him. Not once has he attacked any of us, except the kids (whom we had to promptly teach them how to behave around his girls because they used to chase them. We didn't want them turning him mean). He has also saved some hens from his protégé whom is still learning how to be a good rooster. The hens all love him to.

 

[Stephine]

this was Mike. he was a splash BLRW who left a hole in the farm last week when he bizarrely passed after choking - turned purple and aspirated and couldn’t be saved. the most gentle guy who never so much as took a feather off a hen. he didn’t care who we stuck him with, it didn’t matter if it was 2 or 12 hens, big or small, he loved all his ladies equally. he was sweet towards us and had the best crow, but was reserved with it. our other rooster was a monster, so Mike will be the gold standard we uphold for our flocks going forward. he’s buried under a hickory tree in the forest and will be so missed.

View attachment 3125361

Oh, he was drop dead gorgeous! I am so sorry!!! How sad to lose such a wonderful rooster. Sounds like he was just the type I am hoping for. Where did you get him?

 

[Anime2lover]

Oh, he was drop dead gorgeous! I am so sorry!!! How sad to lose such a wonderful rooster. Sounds like he was just the type I am hoping for. Where did you get him?

This is my roo, big red. This was taken just after it rained.

 

[Stephine]

This is big red, he is a five yr old easter egger rooster. He has always been calm, He's great with the ladies, excellent with chicks, and great with new birds. Big red has defended new hens from other flock members and looks after his babies, and those we introduce to him. Not once has he attacked any of us, except the kids (whom we had to promptly teach them how to behave around his girls because they used to chase them. We didn't want them turning him mean). He has also saved some hens from his protégé whom is still learning how to be a good rooster. The hens all love him to.

Five years old and still wonderful! What a dream! I have been wondering if an Easteregger might be a good choice, since they tend to be more mellow… Did he come from your own flock or a hatchery?

 

[Stephine]

This is my roo, big red. This was taken just after it rained.View attachment 3125393

Very handsome! I love all the vibrant colors in the roos, especially the oranges and rusty reds…