Unofficial survey about roosters.

[WindyOaksYokes]

RIR - had three of them (16 weeks): 1. mean as heck 2. on the gentle side. 3. (this one is now 18 weeks) depending on his mood... he could be quite aggressive. Oh yah, and I have another that is 14 weeks... doesnt mess with anyone YET.

Barred Rocks I have 2 (now 18 weeks). both are more on the gentle part, neither one has attacked any of us. only one of them "Big Boy" will allow me to pick him up. I think the other is still skittish after being attacked by a dog

Partridge rocks are only 14 weeks right now... they wont come near us and have shown no aggression towards any of us

Silver Laced Bearded Polish (18 weeks) I have 3 of them... 2 of them very aggressive, one of these does attack... and the last one... very gentle!!!

Golden Laced Bearded Polish (18 weeks) one of these in my bedroom right now... he got hurt... very gentle... maybe because he is hurt. Another one very aggressive... will attack us... the other one... just does his own thing pretty gentle.

Light Brahma I have 2 (18 weeks) both are very gentle even with the hens... But the worst for putting up at night... if there are any hens out... they refuse to go in until all are accounted for... it is so funny.

Tes

 

[RebelsHope]

I have one RIR banty I got from Tractor Supply Company and at few days old. He is 3 now. Called Red, like Red Formen, from that 70's show because he will attack from behind. If you turn around he stop. He has attacked me a few times when I needed to go some where and he was in the way. He won't back down, is not really really nasty though, follows me but doesn't attack unless I turn my back on him.

 

[wren]

Some roosters who do not have any other rooster to pick on will focus their pent up aggression on whoever else is around. I know a lady who's rooster wanted to kill her husband, until she got a stuffed animal that looked like a rooster and put it in the coop. Whenever the roo got angry he would beat up the stuffed animal. It worked like a charm! So I wonder if some roosters need another one even if they are separated by a fence to satisfy their natural behavior/instinct.

 

[chickiebird]

This is my first year int the chicken world, but I have had 3 silkie roos (thanks to my con-artist brother). I got them at around 5 months old. They were all docile with people, but could not get along together. One was very timid and got picked on a lot. I found homes for the shy guy and another one, and kept one. He was beautiful, and not at all aggressive. He unfortunately died defending his girls from a raccoon. He did a good job, though - not a single hen was touched.
Now I have my eye on a six-month old Banty roo at the local feed store - very pretty and very friendly!

 

[Chirpy]

Ok - so I've done a breakdown of all the chickens mentioned to make it easier to see and give people an idea about which breeds might be better to have for a rooster. I only noted those that were roughly four months old or older (as that seems to be when many roos start misbehaving). If someone said they had many of a breed I gave them credit for one.

I have the name of the breed and then a number with a slash and another number. The first number will be for good roos (who haven't shown aggression to people) and the second number will be for the bad roos!

Standard/Light breeds

Australorp 0/3
Barred Plymouth Rock 5/0
Black Sex-link 0/2
Blue Orpington 1/0
Brahma 3/0
Buff Orpington 2/0
Buff Orp/RIR mix 1/0
Cochin 3/1
Cuckoo Maran 1/0
Dominique 1/0
EE 7/2
Golden Sex-link 1/0
Jungle Fowl 1/0
Leghorn 3/2
Maran 1/0
Mille Fleur D'Uccles 2/0
Naked neck 1/1
Old English Game Bird 2/0
Polish 4/3
Red Sex-link 1/0
Rhode Island Red 4/3
Salmon Faverolle 0/1
Silkie 8/2
Turken 3/0
Wyandotte 1/0


Bantam Breeds

Black/partridge Cochin 2/0
Cochin 1/1
Leghorn 1/0
Old English Game 1/0
Partridge Wyandotte 1/0
Rhode Island Red 0/1
Silkie 2/1
White Crested Blk Polish 0/1


So - I'd love to add to this so if anyone else wants to chime in it would be great to hear from you.

Hope this was informative for all of you. I really appreciated the information.

 

[Heidi]

One white cochin roo, 16 weeks, still sweet as pie. Made his first crowing sound yesterday.

 

[SillySilkies]

I had a HUGE Cochin rooster named Rocky (he was a rescue-got him as an older gentleman) and he was the most docile, sweetest, responsible (w/ his hen), trusting rooster I ever met!! (RIP Rocky-miss ya bud!)

Currently I have a very sweet white 3 yo Silkie rooster named Gandalph. I raised him from a chick and he is so gentle and sweet. He takes such good care of his "girls"......perfect textbook example of how a roo should take care of his flock. I just love him (I pick him up all the time and kiss and smush him and he just takes it all in stride).

I also have another partridge Silkie roo who I bought at an auction at around 6 months old. He's a little standoff'ish, but not mean at all. He's so low key and I can pick him up and clean his face, etc... Another sweet roo definitely.

Then there was "Chicken Man" who was in a class all by himself. He was a black Silkie and came w/ the other roo from the auction. (He was very young when I got him-probably around 4 mo old and had bent toes, which added to his nuttiness). He was the coolest, most friendly and hysterical rooster I ever met! What a personality on that guy!! He hung out w/ me in the barn all day long....followed me in and out of the horse stalls when I mucked. He was the best little pal. When I'd walk by he'd do the "chicken dance" towards me and I'd just crack up. He'd try to herd me on occasion. I'd just laugh and scoop him up and plant kisses all over his face! He was a great guy! (RIP ChickenMan--in my heart always).

Now there are a few wandering roosters on the farm where I board my horse and some of them (Arucanas) keep their distance, but there's one who's warmed up to me and doesn't run anymore. Probably b/c I always bring corn and bread for him. I have not petted him yet, but he now stands next to me and just watches me. He's never tried to attack me and now comes over to where ever I am and hangs out. He's a big silver and black Arucana.

There was also a very similar Arucana rooster that behaved in the same way on another farm where I house sat for the owner summer after summer and he eventually warmed up to me. I was able to pet him eventually. (Again--treats are definitely the key! HaHa!)

Then of course there was a RIR rooster on the same farm that I would never turn my back on....incidentally he's the reason Rocky was beaten up and kicked out of the coop. I had to rescue poor Rocky from HIS SON!! Such is nature... LOL

 

[rosyposyosy]

my banty cochin penelope was the sweetest little roo!!

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Breeds I have/had Roosters of...

1 Phoenix: 1 aggressive attack on DD. Easily caught, never floggs/stalks, bites or pecks me or DH, lets other roos breed in front of him. Incident w/ DD was only one, has never showed signs of aggression before and since incident. Recently even protected on of my young birds from an older hen by roosting between them.

2 Japs roos (1 passed on) both easily handled. No attacks, ever on people. Both very sweet with girls. Both have/had started fights with older roosters. Aggressive with mating.

1 Lakenvelder roo: Definite top roo when I had him. Great with girls, standoffish with people, Never shown aggression to people, Very firm with other roos. Regrettably sold to make room.

3 EE roos All aggressive, all attacked people, pets and even other chickens. Would run across the yard to flog any person and all were turned into dinner.

1 Redcap roo: Quite, standoffish. Never had an issue with him, except trying to catch him. Sold at 1 yr old.

1 Campine roo: Very gentle, first one to meet me when I went out back. Never caused fights, was low man on the totem pole and excepted it. Died of unknown causes...heart attack I believe.

1 Australorp X ? roo. Very protective of his girls (my 1st roo) Died protecting them from a fox. Very friendly w/ us and easily handled.

1 WLRC named Felspar. Very sweet, followed us around. never attacked. Has bad case of gout and we had to put him out of misery at 2 years.

2 Golden Polish roos. Both quiet. Easily handled. Both sold one at 6 months the other at year because they got picked on too much.

4 Silkies (2 are currently cockerels) 1 was very nasty, bit, pecked and even killed SSH I had.

Was "disposed" of. His brother, very sweet gentle. My DD could pick him up, very good with the girls. Sold just recently as a pet to make for better quality Silkies. My 2 new Silkies cockerels are very sweet...so far.

1 la Fleche cockerel, 10 weeks. Standoffish...that's all I can say about him so far.

1 turken cockerel, Tom, 10 weeks. Very friendly.

And Hiro, Silkie/Phoenix X cockerel. 10 weeks. Extremely friendly. one of my favorite birds.

I think that is all the roos I have or had!

 

[skeeter9]

I have only had 2 roos - both Ameraucana/EE. One was a year old when he died protecting his girls from a huge coyote. He was very sweet and loved people. Never aggressive or nasty. The other was "relieved of his duties" (RIP) when he was a year-and-a-half old. He was horribly aggressive to all humans. He would stock, flog, chase, ambush, etc. He drew blood many times. Both roos were hand-raised by us from day-old chicks. They were handled daily and treated very well.

Lori