What's your opinion on roosters?

[kmollyhughes]

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Great story and super cute photos! Love the photo of your daughter enjoying the company of her roo- so darling! And the roo just looks like he is enjoying the petting too. Our roos are my personal favorite of our chickens, other than the OEGB hens- they are so friendly!

We also have a large flock of 83 PRIR and OEGB plus a partridge cochin, and 16 of them are roos. This is how I always think of them, rowdy, energetic and moving! Shockingly, the boys are all friendly and get along. It is very common to see a clump of 3-4 roos lying together, or hanging out with some hens, perhaps with some trival rivalry during mating, but nothing that has been serious. With the exception of our tiny OEGB roo- the undisputed master of their universe- the boys are for the most part pretty well behaved, as they grew up together and the hens dominated them. If the OEGB gives the big boys the stinkeye, they run off whimpering which is always funny. Maybe one day they will challenge him, but the OEGB always outsmarts them at every turn, and the hens adore him. lol One roo in particular has a special place for me...Rhode Island Rhett. He lost an eye heroically protecting a hen from a vicious raven attack the day before Xmas eve. This photo was taken only a week after the attack, and from his good side, you can't tell how badly he was mangled, poor guy. He went from No. 1 cockerel to bottom of the pecking order that day. This fellow let me handle him immediately after the attack and layed his head trustingly against my shoulder while we checked his injuries.

"Master of the universe" ~ that made me smile because its so true. They really do think they are amazing don't they!? Lol Sorry about your poor roo. They will literally jump on the backs of the predator for their girls. Sad, and expected all at once. Love them.

If you have a rooster your hens quit squatting for people.

Most of mine will still squat for me to get a good scratch. And they all squat for my three year old because she seems to be just the right height. She can walk around with chickens all day. One in her arms and a whole parade behind her.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

^ Not true. I have a rooster, he mates the hens, but they'll still squat if I walk by or step over them.

I love my rooster, he's probably my favorite among my small flock. However, there are alot of requirements if you want to be a rooster at my house, and temperament is at the very top of that list. He not only has to treat us, the caretakers, well, but he better treat his hens like little queens too.

Here's my Early, since everyone's sharing

 

[kmollyhughes]

^ Not true. I have a rooster, he mates the hens, but they'll still squat if I walk by or step over them.

I love my rooster, he's probably my favorite among my small flock. However, there are alot of requirements if you want to be a rooster at my house, and temperament is at the very top of that list. He not only has to treat us, the caretakers, well, but he better treat his hens like little queens too.

Here's my Early, since everyone's sharing

Aww! Handsome little man. Silkies are the funniest roos to watch. My black roo has the funniest dance he does for his girls. Like a little country line dance but all crazy and quick. Lol.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Now I'm imagining him doing his rooster dance with chaps and a cowboy hat!

 

[kmollyhughes]

Lol! Yes!