What goes into raising a friendly roo?

[azygous]

I am curious, how do people train roosters to be handled at a show, since you are supposed to be so hands off to keep them from aggression?

You may want to look through the threads on this forum. https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/16188/exhibition-genetics-breeding-to-the-standard-of-perfection Some discuss showing roosters.

 

[45ishChickenMom]

I guess we got lucky with our EE roo too. Our birds were all 3 days old when we got them. We didn't plan for a rooster, but my kids became so attached that we still have him. He actually lets all of us pet him (even my huge husband) and will come when called by my teenager. He's never been aggressive towards us, except for once when being introduced to our beagle (who is fine with all the birds now). The only problem is we have only 3 hens. They each wear a saddle, as Clyde likes to mount them often. I know the ratio is off, but he seems like he's well behaved enough aside from wanting to procreate as much as he does. If and when he breaks skin or the hens start to cower in the corners, then we will rehome him with a friend who has a bigger flock and already said she'd take him. I agree though, it's in the breed make up. I'd love to say it's in the way Clyde has been coddled since Day 3, but that doesn't seem to be the case for others. All our birds are really pets (with the benefit of providing eggs).

 

[Marty1876]

Roosters...cant live with them, cant live without them!

IMO, its the Roo. I always handle youngsters, kids do too. Game birds and Bantys Boys give me the most trouble. Occasionally some other bird has attitude, but Games and Banty Boys can be nice too.

I think that its whats inside the Roo is whats going to make him who he is. If he's persistantly naughty, there is little to be done but disqualify him from your program. If ive had to kick them to spare shin cuts more than twice, give up.

Just handle him, respect his body language, then cross your fingers.

 

[Shadow920]

I lucked into a lovely adult rooster who is good to his ladies and not aggressive with me. I did not raise him. I think the key is not to coddle them when they reach their 'aloof' stage. My 12 week old Orpington rooster who I packed around like a football as a baby (had to carry them over to their tractor daily and back to the coop at night until they were big enough to live in it) demonstrated subtly that he was no longer digging being picked up. He would hang back while the hens jumped into my arms for their ride outside. I acknowledged that by not handling him as much. They are in the tractor all the time now so I haven't picked him up in some time. I think those memories of me gently handling him are still there, but I do believe they need to feel secure as the leader of their flock.
I have a tiny bantam roo that is going to be trouble and probably an early cull. He is no bigger than a hamster but runs over to peck my hand every time I open the door of the tractor. Some just don't have it in them to be nice.

eah i have two rhode island red roos who are still chicks. they will grow up mean despite my handling but they'll make good flock leaders for someone. they peck me when ever i reach into to do whatever, but they are really protective of the younger cochin chick that i have in with them. the reds are two weeks older than the cochin who is five weeks.

 

[mandamay28]

I have a week old Orpington Roo ( at least thats what I ordered) and I was wondering the same thing. At what age do hormones usually begin to kick in?

 

[Fallenone05]

I recently got a roo from a neighbor and he's excellent. I've heard that Speckled Sussex are a good breed and I see why! He's gentle with the girls and keeps them safe in the yard, breeds them only seldomly when he's feeling randy, and shares food really well. He also gets the girls to bed thirty minutes before dark and makes sure everyone is there! He's still a little young (I think between 7-9 months), but he's absolutely wonderful.

He is skittish about my hands but if he sees me working the soil with my hands he's right there to get bugs and help by scratching around. Occasionally he runs behind me but he's never aggressive about it. It seems like he's trying to see what I'm doing, or if I have food!

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I think it is luck of the draw for the most part but EEs seem to have universal praise. Many production breeds have more aggressive boys. Breed is a huge indicator.

 

[mellcrowl]

Breed plays a big role in this. I've had 25+ roosters. At one time I had 13 all free ranging together in the same mixed flock. As stated above, you're going to find a lot of mixed feelings on this one.
As a general rule of thumb I have found Orpingtons, New Hamps, Wyandottes, and Cochins to be awesome in terms of easy to handle. My absolute least favorite breed in terms of roosters are Rhode Island Reds. I have had 3 of these guys now, each one worse than the last. The first two were both fairly aggressive, with the second being so bad I was having to walk in the coop with a hog board to protect my legs. he became soup rather quickly. The last wasn't outrightly aggressive, just a bit flighty and nervous, but I never once saw him breed a hen or even so much as attempt in the year he was around. Other breeds which should be noted are Leghorns, Pheonixs, and any of the game breeds.
Once you find a breed that suites you, my next advice is probably a bit controversial, but this is what I've found. Roosters raised in flocks with more than one rooster tend to be less aggressive than those who are the sole male in the flock. What I've seen is that when you have a couple boys (given you can keep enough ladies, 6-10 per roo, in your space) they tend to be much more relaxed and not so on guard, making them less stand offish overall. This could be because there are more eyes on the ladies and they feel safer, I don't know, but that's been my experience over the years.

 

[Echetino]

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[tacmomma12]

I am following this thread closely. I have 4 - 4 week old BLRW chicks I bought straight run from an awesome local breeder. I have suspicion that at least one, and possibly two are roos. If we end up with any, I am going to try keeping one at least. The breeders roos were really nice, and didn't seem pron to agression.

I had a roo sent to me by accident by My Pet Chicken. Ordered hens, but one of my two Australorps I knew almost from day one what he probably was. He wasn't aggressive, and was actually my favorite of the flock until his hormones got rolling.

He COMPLETELY changed, and not for the better. He was usually stand-offish, and when he tried to get in my way I did what everyone said to do. Walked through him, didn't move out of his way if it wasn't where I was heading, etc.For a couple of months, all was fine and I was optimistic. However, he started trying to charge at me/attack. He didn't have his spurs yet, but as I have young children I didn't want to risk him actually getting a piece of me or my kids. So after a few times of my having to boot/block him with a bucket, I posted an ad on here and found him a better home where he had a much bigger area and more ladies, and no kids.

So, this time I am crossing my fingers that if I am right and we get a roo, I have a better draw in the temperment department. If I end up with two roos, the breeder said he would help me by taking him back and/or finding a new home. I don;t have enough room for more than one big boy! I am really hoping we've only got one though, so I don't have to pick.