What rooster should I keep?

[Savanna’s chickens]

I allowed myself ONE rooster! How do I choose! They are still young should I see who treats the hens better? Or who is nicer? Or should I just basebit off looks and if they are both very nice and treat the hens great HOW WOULD I DECIDE! How do YOU choose who’s a keeper?

 

[RodNTN]

I do love to have beautiful roosters, but I would decide which rooster to keep based on behavior.
You can find beautiful roosters just about anywhere, but roosters who will treat their hens (and people) with respect are worth their weight in gold

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Best one for me looks good,is friendly,treats the girls right,and fairly good breeder.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

As well as a great protector.

 

[JedJackson]

I allowed myself ONE rooster! How do I choose! They are still young should I see who treats the hens better? Or who is nicer? Or should I just basebit off looks and if they are both very nice and treat the hens great HOW WOULD I DECIDE! How do YOU choose who’s a keeper?

Pick one that isn't overly friendly and is a little afraid of you. Those are the ones that are most likely not to become human aggressive.

You don't say how old they are, but just keep an eye on them. Usually these things work themselves out and you will probably know when the time comes. An even temperament is the main thing I look for.

 

[Savanna’s chickens]

They are fully feathered n out side I think around 5-6 weeks maybe 7 can’t quite recal their exact age they are still nice but they are pretty young so they are going to be one is a barred Plymouth Rock/ Cochin mix and the other is unknown (they came from a friend who wanted to try out their new incubator)

 

[BreanneRN]

And, if they both are equal on all the above stated criteria, keep the one that has the best sounding crow! One you can stand to listen to in the morning! (I was thinking of having a contest where everyone could post a vid of their rooster crowing and we could rank all the roosters on features such as deepest bass, most classic sound, most melodic (easy listening) and even, most annoying/irritating and maybe even most unusual/atypical! I have been listening to my collection and one Speckled Sussex has a MUCH nicer sounding crow than the others... And my EE rooster Johnny, has a loud, shrill, blasting crow that he repeats through the day, and if I go out in the middle of the night, he will start then. But he is kind of a nice little guy otherwise...

 

[HuskerHens18]

The way I decide who stays in main flock and who goes to rooster flock is by observing the way they lead the hens. I try to be nice and give them two months after puberty with my hens.

A main flock rooster must NOT:
Hang back and ignore the hens.
Only mate with a single hen all the time.
Peck at or bully hens away from treats or food.
Be the first one in the coop at night.
Mate hens who scream and/or try to resist.
Pull feathers out while mating/being rough in general.
Follow you.
Won't give you space while you walk by.
Be the first to dive for cover in case of hawks.
Attack, charge, or crow at you.


A main flock rooster MUST:
Always be within the group of hens.
Mate all hens equally.
Call hens for treats and food, and allow them to eat first.
Be the last in the coop at night. (Bonus: herding the hens in the coop at night)
Let hens go who resist mating.
Being gentle while mating hens.
Leave you alone.
Make a wide circle to give you space.
Be the last to dive for cover, chasing all hens to safety first.
Never attack, charge, or crow at you.

Your hens will usually prefer one rooster over another if you watch them long enough, but if they don't then you pick the one who will benefit your hens.
Basic good roosters protect, feed, and respect your hens.

 

[BreanneRN]

And, just from the descriptions, I think I might go with the Barred Rock/Cochin mix, for predictable disposition, and if he is barred, progeny can be sex linked.

 

[Sneebsey]

I wouldn't base my choice on breed by any means; you can always get a wrong-un out of good parents.

I would watch for the following traits;

Growth; he should be quick to mature, get nice red comb and wattles early. The pullets he fathers will be early layers.
Health & vigour; he should be generally healthy, and while others may seem weak or lethargic at times, he will not.
Curiosity; he should have a healthy curiousity in you when you provide food and water. Please note that this does not include physically touching you; he should keep a respectful distance.
Disposition; he should respect the other birds. When food is brought out, he should be calling everyone to enjoy it with him, rather than fighting over it.

As they grow into maturity, you should then begin to watch for the traits @HuskerHens18 has suggested. A good cockerel will respect both you and the hens in his charge. Remember to also train this good behaviour; they must learn not to crow or mate hens in your presence, and to keep a respectful distance. If he does follow you, he should be making a happy chuckling noise, never a growl or an alarm call. To train him, advance on him if he does any of these things, and if he doesn't back down, a gentle boot will let him know who's boss.