Tell me all about roosters

[IamRainey]

One thing that can help with young, hormonal roosters is having older hens around who won't tolerate his misbehavior and will keep him in line.

Yay! I can check that one off!

 

[IamRainey]

Our previous rooster started out attacking my daughter then slowly moved his way up the human hierarchy to me then my 6’2” husband. He was relentless with my daughter though. To the point where she hated going outside if he was out free ranging. He started his aggressive behavior at around 4 months.

Oh! That sucks for your daughter.

My grandson's school used to have chickens and a rooster. Their rooster was aggressive and chased the kids. But they thought it was funny. I guess it might be if there are enough of you to keep the roo distracted so he couldn't focus on one target and you're fast enough.

The whole flock was gone when school opened this year.

My guy will be 4 months old next week so I guess I'll find out if he's a gentleman pretty soon. So far, things are sounding good.

 

[LABElle1225]

After 4 bad Roos and daily drama I added 2 - baby Brahma brothers. No bad habits to break total clean slate. I sent the to the main flock while smaller than ALL my hens. They tolerate my weekly health check plus grooming. Swifter feather duster works amazing and has a long reach. Zero tolerance zero excuses. If you need a defense weapon to walk your yard - send him to freezer camp ASAP.
I don’t do hen saddle aprons. If a roo does his dance and song properly the hens squat. If they can’t be bothered to act like a gentleman - bye buddy.
Yes they are clumsy at first and if n elf my girls looks rough HE goes to a small coop until feathers and combs heal.
It’s not easy to see or hear a hen chased and forced to participate. Watch some videos. Have a time out pen ready. A fight over a specific hen involves proving who can beat on and violate her more than the other. I have a red star. She was a favorite. She’s permanently bald and missing half a comb. I was only gone for a day.
If one has the stones to ambush and rough up and unwilling hen in front of you - bad news. Don’t try to re home an aggressive chicken sexual predator. Freezer camp.
I made excuses, my girls wore aprons during a hot summer month. After a week of doing chicken laundry and trying. To protect disheveled hens I was done. I care for the flock and keep them healthy, my girls bust butt and lay tons of eggs. Why should we suffer?? Sadly the bad Roos behavior rubbed off on a great one and both were sent to freezer camp.
Most important if he’s even a little sketchy towards a human of any age he has to go. Roos will hurt small children badly.

 

[LABElle1225]

Oh! That sucks for your daughter.

My grandson's school used to have chickens and a rooster. Their rooster was aggressive and chased the kids. But they thought it was funny. I guess it might be if there are enough of you to keep the roo distracted so he couldn't focus on one target and you're fast enough.

The whole flock was gone when school opened this year.

My guy will be 4 months old next week so I guess I'll find out if he's a gentleman pretty soon. So far, things are sounding good.

Omg!! That’s insane! Get the kids out of that place!! The faculty felt a rooster was more important than children’s. Safety??? Near us a 7 year old was attacked by the family roo and needed stitches and PT to repair leg - spur damage. That’s disturbing.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Roosters are like that one nursery rhyme. When they're good they're very very good and when they are bad they're just awful. Going to a quality breeder increases your likelihood of a good one because temperament can be genetic, but otherwise the advice you've got is sound.

 

[meetthebubus]

I cuddle my 9 month old rooster but that is bc his personality accepts that then another roo-hen almost 3 years old who Will let me hold her only to care for her but does it calmly, then a third rooster who will eat from my hand but NEVER wants to be touched 2 yrs old and has never challenged me in any way.

So roosters are great and I agree it's important how you handle them according to what they want while keeping your spot as head flock member always evident to them. Imo

 

[IamRainey]

Omg!! That’s insane! Get the kids out of that place!! The faculty felt a rooster was more important than children’s. Safety??? Near us a 7 year old was attacked by the family roo and needed stitches and PT to repair leg - spur damage. That’s disturbing.

Really. It's OK. The rooster is already gone along with his hens and some goats. And many of the parents are really sad to see the animals eliminated from the environment.

Owl, the rooster, was never near the very young children who were in their own area. And the 7 year and olders enjoyed the sport. ...and probably, if the truth were told, provoked the chases.

We're in the dry canyons of SoCal. Fire is a much more significant danger and that's something we have to live with and cope with the best we can. Sometimes this Los Angeles "city living" is not for the faint of heart.

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

Yeah I would agree with not bringing In strangers during his young stage .Mine was a nice cuddly lap baby and showed 0 signs of aggression until I sent him on holiday with relatives. He’s attacked them 4 times now and doesn’t let anyone but me pick him up or take his hens. The only reason they haven’t killed him yet is because they don’t own him lol.

 

[LABElle1225]

Really. It's OK. The rooster is already gone along with his hens and some goats. And many of the parents are really sad to see the animals eliminated from the environment.

Owl, the rooster, was never near the very young children who were in their own area. And the 7 year and olders enjoyed the sport. ...and probably, if the truth were told, provoked the chases.

We're in the dry canyons of SoCal. Fire is a much more significant danger and that's something we have to live with and cope with the best we can. Sometimes this Los Angeles "city living" is not for the faint of heart.

Glad to hear. The spurs hurt. If skin breaks you need antibiotics. I was very attached to our bad guy and procrastinated removing him. They were part of our original crew and the first we ever culled. I was a wreck. After the first it was zero tolerance.
Hearing a normally friendly bubbly hen scream in terror, lay down and give up, then see 2 Roos tear her comb and feathers out while violating her is nothing I want to relive. My 9 year old and my husband were bothered and shook up. Even the dog would try to intervene. (We were swimming an acre away and immediately went to her) He was such a beautiful happy friendly goof ball until something just snapped.
Idk if it’s just mine but brahmas don’t appear to over mate like Wyandotte, RIR, Marin, and EE. They don’t crow but do attempt to woo the ladies Mostly in The AM but if the gal walks away he tries another. Our others stalked and ambushed almost 40 hens everyday all day long - including mamas with babies and non layer pullets.
I have found it helpful to give them a few girls only time each week. Especially if my gut says hormones are amped up. LOL plus courting My ladies is a privelage not a right. Cordless Dremel works wonders on nails and spurs and is quick.
I’m from suburban Detroit (currently In Lakeville, Michigan) but have family scattered between LAX and Ontario. Love the area and weather!
I am totally jealous! I can only manage a few warmer weather birds.. - Cemani and melanistic Phoenix hens. The Roos tails don’t agree with snow.
My flock stole my heart. How these characters do it is a mystery. Thank god im Just a gal who has a barn full of chickens.
Mo prefers to sleep in...

 

[Fishkeeper]

I don't think it's accurate to refer to bad roosters as rapists, or what they do as violation. That implies malice and understanding. Animals don't really have a concept of rape, as far as anyone can tell. What bothers the hens is the overall rough treatment, not the mating itself. It's definitely a bad trait in a rooster, but they aren't being malicious, and it isn't really comparable to rape. Think of it more like an overly rough dominance display. When most birds (excluding ducks) mate, it's a bumping of cloacas, there's no penetration involved and probably not much sensitivity anyway.