When can a roo remain a roo...

[RaeRae2]

That's an interesting point about the selective breeding for certain traits. Last week we had some people over and the one guy was just amazed at how many hens the rooster was breeding. I have 14 hens and the guy said he was watching the rooster running from hen to hen just constantly breeding. He'd jump off one, and go after another. The guy was making a big joke out of it, and it was a bit embarassing. He said he saw the rooster grab one of the black and white hens (Hamburg) by the neck and throw her down to the ground.

All my chickens I've owned over the years have either been directly from a hatchery or directly from hatchery stock. I have never bought selectively bred stock from a breeder who breeds purebred. So is it possible that hatchery bred roosters just tend to have bad traits.

I will never forget a Production Red/Leghorn mix rooster I raised from an egg. He came from a batch of eggs I got from a friend. All her stock is hatchery and she raised chickens strictly for production reasons. Never for pets. This rooster got to be about 5 months old and he started chasing hens without mercy. That sucker could run 5 miles a day chasing hens. One time I caught him with the toe of my boot and sent him sailing up into the air as he was in a dead run chasing a screaming hen. He flipped through the air, landed on his feet running and never missed a beat. He was running my hens into the ground! That stupid rooster would be panting and exhausted but he'd catch sight of a hen and take off running again. I gave him away to someone who was going to put him into a huge flock with multiple roosters and she said that would reform him. I don't know what ever happened. The dumb bird.

I keep a razor sharp machette hanging near the door of my coop, I find it hard to miss with...unfortunately over the years, roosters have been bred to cover many hens, probably more than they should, personality traits not even considered. I find my game cross with a straight comb much more gallant than the same with a peacomb. I've had roosters run across the field to molest a broody hen with chicks. So long rooster. This is the time of year when I'm really scrutinizing this years cockerelles and watching how they treat their flockmates...I want to breed for color, but if attitude isn't there it goes.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I think it has everything to do with it. This year I had four of six hens go broody, the roos was happy with two. Two bad I lost him to a predator, but this years are his offspring so two of them will make it to spring.