When will I know if he is a good one?

[Cluckerzfamilyfarm]

My Austra white started getting testy around 10-11 months. And is not calming down much. Testy is looking more like tasty

 

[Shadrach]

Ime there is no 'safe' age.
There is a world of difference between domesticated and tame.
I've had roosters that were well behaved in one set of circumstances but downright dangerous in others.

If you provoke, mistreat, misunderstand, or mishandle any creature you risk an aggressive response. It's knowing what constitutes any of the above in the eyes of the rooster that makes the difference in behaviour. Spoiling, as in over petting, too much handling in an inappropriate manner, showing aggression, or fear may all produce undesirable behaviour if not immediate, at some later time.

We seem to accept that a dog for example needs training in order to make the dog safe in a human domestic environment. A rooster is no different in this respect. As many dog trainer will tell you, it’s the owners that need the training rather than the dog. Many of the problems I read about here in relation to a roosters behaviour are easily attributed to the owners lack of understanding of the nature of the rooster.

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

Ime there is no 'safe' age.
There is a world of difference between domesticated and tame.
I've had roosters that were well behaved in one set of circumstances but downright dangerous in others.

If you provoke, mistreat, misunderstand, or mishandle any creature you risk an aggressive response. It's knowing what constitutes any of the above in the eyes of the rooster that makes the difference in behaviour. Spoiling, as in over petting, too much handling in an inappropriate manner, showing aggression, or fear may all produce undesirable behaviour if not immediate, at some later time.

We seem to accept that a dog for example needs training in order to make the dog safe in a human domestic environment. A rooster is no different in this respect. As many dog trainer will tell you, it’s the owners that need the training rather than the dog. Many of the problems I read about here in relation to a roosters behaviour are easily attributed to the owners lack of understanding of the nature of the rooster.

All great points. I have no idea what I'm doing. Pretty much "flying by the seat of my pants". I'd never mistreat anything and do try to treat them with respect. I wish I hadn't been gifted so many birds for my first go around, but everything happens for a reason. I've learned more than I ever thought I could in the past couple of months but I have to be honest. I NEVER thought there'd be so much to learn, and so much unknown about them. It seems that they are really considered "disposable" and not worth the effort to save by most. And...who knew that they'd be so frail and susceptible to so much? I'm a worrier by nature, so I guess this gives me a place to put it to use. Thanks for your insight.

 

[Cayuga momma]

It really is just a wait and see. I had 2 roos. I adored one and put up with the other. Well it turned out the one I adored was just too rough with my girls. So I kept the other one. At 20 weeks he decided to attack me. I tried everything, but he wouldn't give up, so off he went to freezer camp.
Now I'm just gonna wait awhile before I try again. So many roos out there in need of a good home, I can afford to be patient.

 

[llombardo]

My boy collapsed in front of me yesterday. Super scary. I never moved so fast in my life. I believe he ate something and it got stuck.

All I know is he let me do whatever I needed to do and he got to come to work with me for observation. I'm hoping he will be ok. I almost called off work, to stay home with him, but he is eating, mating and dancing like normal.

 

[Shadrach]

All great points. I have no idea what I'm doing. Pretty much "flying by the seat of my pants". I'd never mistreat anything and do try to treat them with respect. I wish I hadn't been gifted so many birds for my first go around, but everything happens for a reason. I've learned more than I ever thought I could in the past couple of months but I have to be honest. I NEVER thought there'd be so much to learn, and so much unknown about them. It seems that they are really considered "disposable" and not worth the effort to save by most. And...who knew that they'd be so frail and susceptible to so much? I'm a worrier by nature, so I guess this gives me a place to put it to use. Thanks for your insight.

A point you make regarding the diposability of roosters is one that I see so often. I'm pleased to read you may think differently.
I'm not a believer in the good rooster/bad rooster division. I beleive many that get killed for their behaviour could be rescued. Many people just don't have the time or the interest.
This site is full of advice regarding rooster training, you just have to work through what seems sensible and if that doen't work, try another approach.

 

[chuckachucka]

11 months-ish is the time when I and a few people I know have noticed that some roosters turn bad.

That's so interesting! I have a roo who was well behaved until around that age when he started biting my ankles and feet. For a few weeks he became sneaky and unpredictable. But thankfully with training he learned to be polite again.

 

[Criticalicious]

One thing I don't see discussed often is what a huge difference it can make raising a rooster within an established flock versus a new one. I just started this year for the first time, and I raised my flock from day one. The only role model for my rooster has been me, and we're both sort of flying by the seat of our pants, as it were. We are learning together; whereas if he was raised in an established flock with mature hens to guide him, he might turn out differently. In other words, there are a lot of factors at play here as far as how a rooster turns out. Too often people send the rooster to freezer camp and blame genetics, when there was much more going on than that.

 

[WVduckchick]

Flock dynamics make a huge, HUGE difference in cock/erels.

 

[Morrigan]

Flock dynamics make a huge, HUGE difference in cock/erels.

I've read that it is best for a cockerel to be raised with older hens, and perhaps an older rooster that will check some of the adolescent craziness. Are there other flock dynamics involved? I'd be interested in what your experience has been.