Virginia

[JamieW]

Been busy at work like everyone! The girls are doing great but I am thinking my rooster will be leaving the coop, either in a pen or a pot. He is very aggressive to my daughter. My quandary is that I live in the Civil War battlefield at Bloody Angle and there is hundreds if not thousands of acres of park land around. I was noticing varmint tracks around the coop so two weeks ago I bought a couple traps. I have caught Four raccoons, two possums, and two squirrels since putting out the traps. I worried that during the day Iat need the rooster to defend the flock if something gets in the run. Would a less agressive rooster still protect the flock?

 

[finnfur]

Been busy at work like everyone! The girls are doing great but I am thinking my rooster will be leaving the coop, either in a pen or a pot. He is very aggressive to my daughter. My quandary is that I live in the Civil War battlefield at Bloody Angle and there is hundreds if not thousands of acres of park land around. I was noticing varmint tracks around the coop so two weeks ago I bought a couple traps. I have caught Four raccoons, two possums, and two squirrels since putting out the traps. I worried that during the day Iat need the rooster to defend the flock if something gets in the run. Would a less agressive rooster still protect the flock?

Jamie love your tag line LOL
I dont think many Roosters protect their hens much except from another Rooster . But it has happened.
At night the Rooster is usually on the highest place in the coop roosting - so the critters will get the hens first - its pecking order.
If they get aggressive I make sure they get a swift kick but I don't train ours to be real friendly.
If they don't get the idea its the pot.

 

[Animals970]

Been busy at work like everyone! The girls are doing great but I am thinking my rooster will be leaving the coop, either in a pen or a pot. He is very aggressive to my daughter. My quandary is that I live in the Civil War battlefield at Bloody Angle and there is hundreds if not thousands of acres of park land around. I was noticing varmint tracks around the coop so two weeks ago I bought a couple traps. I have caught Four raccoons, two possums, and two squirrels since putting out the traps. I worried that during the day Iat need the rooster to defend the flock if something gets in the run. Would a less agressive rooster still protect the flock?

Oh my goodness, Spottsylvania must have way more varmints than Floyd!!, we catch maybe a coon or possum or skunk every 2-3 months at least!!

 

[JamieW]

The problem is there is a lot of building happening here and pushing the animals into the park and giving them more food sources for scavenging as well so they prosper.

 

[finnfur]

The problem is there is a lot of building happening here and pushing the animals into the park and giving them more food sources for scavenging as well so they prosper.

Yes they were building around me in Smithfield and I caught 14 in 3 months

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
i'll disagree with you there... I had one silver grey dorking take on a hawk and win (lost the rear lobe of his comb tho) and firmly believe extra roosters are a good thing to keep the peace in a free range flock.

as for the question about rooster aggression... a rooster does NOT need to be aggressive to be a good flock protector. he DOES need to be people friendly or he'll become dinner, no matter what else he does.

I currently have 2 Dorking, 3 LF blr Wyandotte, 1 bantam blrw, and 1 EE free ranging with the girls... oh and 6 sfh teenage boys too! the girls are severely outnumbered but 'their' roos keep the peace when the younger guys try to get uppity.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

i'll disagree with you there... I had one silver grey dorking take on a hawk and win (lost the rear lobe of his comb tho) and firmly believe extra roosters are a good thing to keep the peace in a free range flock.

as for the question about rooster aggression... a rooster does NOT need to be aggressive to be a good flock protector. he DOES need to be people friendly or he'll become dinner, no matter what else he does.

I currently have 2 Dorking, 3 LF blr Wyandotte, 1 bantam blrw, and 1 EE free ranging with the girls... oh and 6 sfh teenage boys too! the girls are severely outnumbered but 'their' roos keep the peace when the younger guys try to get uppity.

I agree 100% with this statement. I don't care how good a roo is at protecting his flock, if he is aggressive towards ANY human, it's a one-way ticket to freezer camp. Some people say they have had success at curbing the aggression (by doing different things, like pushing roo down till he submits, parading him around in front of his girls tucked under an arm, etc etc.) but I NEVER have. I even worked with my favorite roo, Zeus, for 3 months, and I tried EVERYTHING...but even though he'd behave himself for a few days, he'd be right back at attacking me or my young boys. Needless to say, he became dinner.

Like a lot of others have said, there are plenty of non-aggressive roos out there that need a good home. Don't waste your time and effort on one that is mean...find a new one.

 

[Animals970]

I have two roos as of now and they aren't aggressive, but they just kinda look at me like 'get away from me and my hens' so, I don't know if that's the beginning of aggressiveness? or what.


Also, I got some new chicks!!!, yay!!

 

[pysankigirl]

I have been so lucky with my roosters...never had an agressive one. I think because I have several and they freerange that maybe they are too worried about each other to focus any aggression on the humans that are bringing the food? it's a theory...

 

[MistyMountain]

I have been so lucky with my roosters...never had an agressive one. I think because I have several and they freerange that maybe they are too worried about each other to focus any aggression on the humans that are bringing the food? it's a theory...

I like your theory and look forward to testing it once my roos mature. Current king of the coop, Willie, takes his job seriously and has proven he can protect the girls from hawks during the day. He roosts near the door and will meet anything that approaches the coop at night. My husband had to lock the chickens up one night for me and I forgot to tell him to make himself known before he gets to the coop. Willie met him at the door. About ten times. Needless to say, Willie's current job is only temporary and once his successors are ready, he will be making a career change to the kitchen.