The truth about roosters

[JoMama]

Quote:
I'll sign up for one of those roos! I had to get rid of my White Silkie because it turned out to be a boy. I tried to keep him at first, but he was just way too loud. I found him a good home, but it was still sad as I had raised him from a hatchling. I'm in the city too.

 

[chickie momma di]

Hay everyone. This is part reply part rant. hope its ok but here goes. i have 2 roos in with my 3 girls. one is a buff orph (chubbs) one is part silver lakenvelder and part barred rock. the 1st roo chubbs is the oldest and is sweet to his girls in where he never eats without offering to the girls 1st, brings the food to them if they don't come when he calls and protects them fiercely.

he has even saved the life of a chick that fell outof the nest with his warning call. doesn't crow alot and when he does it is a very deep low tone so it realy doesn't bother anyone. my neighbors even like it. they say it makes them feel like they are realy in the country.
my problem is with roo 2 (Clyde) true to his name the little derelict. very noisey. never stops crowing. ever. 2am, 2pm,6am, 8pm.........

get it. and his tone is high and very loud and anoying. i've kept him only cause his hatch mate Bonnie stays by his side even though he a big jerk. he doesn't protect the girls, takes their food, kicks the shavings out of their layer boxes, and pokes holes in eggs. but the worst thing and deal breaker is that he attacks everyone (humans) . we have to keep a constant eye on him cause he'll attack from behind. jumped on by b-inlaw's head and scratched him in the face. not good nor will it be allowed. i've tried all the be good tricks that worked so well with chubbs but i've come to the conclusion that he is just not trainable. i hate to admit to this cause it just feels like failure on my part.
i've always said that i'd never do it but i'm right on the edge of making him chicken soup/pot pie/nuggetts etc.....
he's just too mean to rehome.

it kills me though. he's so beautiful. he's like the guy that everyone stares at in love but won't date him cause he's an as_ h _ _ _......
so i guess just like someone said earlier you just can't tell if a roo will be good and bad. even some of the bad ones can be turned arround but some never will. it's like a 50-50 shot.

 

[mkwags]

First off, Gritsar and Tala, thanks for sharing your links. Both very helpful.
Question 1. Can a bantam rooster really mate with a big hen, barred rock, americana? It doesn't look like it would work, but?
Question 2. A few of you rooster lovers have said that your roosters let the hens eat first/bring them treats. Do they do that on their own or is it learned from when they are chicks and you make them wait a moment for their food, as per one of the links I read on here. Thanks all. I really do appreciate your comments, and at this point think my roosters are good ones, and perhaps I ought to keep them. By the way, Number 2 rooster, now never crows. Funny, but just last week he was making noise and now he doesn't!

 

[25bengood2me]

My roo was given to me . he was #2 at his last home. He is a very gentlemanly roo, does not harass us humans in any way. He stands to the side, and observes our actions with his 1 and only hen. When they are alone, he will walk up to her side, then she assumes the pose, and he steps up to his job. He rarely musses her feathers!

 

[kelidei]

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You know this made me think---- my two dogs are noisier than my roos--- they bark at anyone/thing that goes down the road--- now I am in an unincorporated area with farm animals every where--- so I don't have to worry --but you know what I bet in residential areas there are many dogs that probably make more noise than most roos would!!!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
A bantam roo will sure give it his best try. He likely doesn't even realize he's not the right size for the job.
Good roos are just instinctively good to their hens. They want that hen to favor them and allow them to father lots of her chicks, so they feed her to keep her strong, protect her, some will even show the hens the nestboxes and mimic how to use them.

 

[tiffster011]

Quote:
True that!!

 

[chickie momma di]

gristar my chubbs has done that. we looked at him like what's your problem get out of there but that makes sence now why he would be doing that.
we thought he was having an identity crisis or something.

 

[speckledhen]

You may be able to break him of the dancing-at-humans thing and maybe not. To me, it's bringing us down to his level, something you don't want to encourage. I never kick a rooster, which may start him fighting back. On the rare occasion I have a disrespectful rooster, I scoop him up (while telling him that I'm NOT one of his women, LOL) and take him around so the girls and the other roosters can see him being humiliated and pet him and love on him. I don't allow mine to dance at me, though once Isaac hadn't seen me in two weeks (he's my buddy). When he saw mom outside, he ran as fast as he could and momentarily forgot himself and did a couple dance steps, then pulled up short, but he is not one to do that. He knows who is in charge here and respects my DH and myself like the gentleman he is.
If it's real aggression, you most often cannot reliably fix that. He'll just get sneakier about it.

 

[LaSombra]

and yes, roosters relax at night anyway. When up on the roost, my rooster will let me faun all over him and will cuddle with his girls. In the daytime, he's like a sergeant.