When Will I Know If My Cockerel Will Make a Good Roo?

[Aunt Angus]

Hi! I have a teeny tiny Sebright cockerel. He is 11 weeks old and beginning to try to act like a rooster: crowing, tidbitting, paying really close attention to his female flockmates...

I have been reading a lot of articles about cockerel/rooster behavior. I am wondering *when* I will be able to tell if he is going to be a good rooster or an aggressive rooster. Any advice for what I should look for and when?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Here's his pic. This is Picotee.

 

[Mvan42]

The aggressive roo I have started around a year old, attacking me. Then as time went one he was attacking the whole family.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The aggressive roo I have started around a year old, attacking me. Then as time went one he was attacking the whole family.

Yikes! That's awful - and what I'm afraid of. Were there any early behaviors that might have hinted at his aggression? Or was his change pretty sudden?

 

[CalBickieMomma]

My Rhode Island Red roo started coming at me in the coop when he was around 6-7 months old (this was years ago so I don’t remember the exact age), so the next time I went in I ‘charged’ him first and picked him up and showed him I wasn’t going to tolerate being attacked. Basically just held him so he knew he wasn’t bigger than me and I wasn’t afraid of him (mind you he got plenty of cuddles and attention as a chick). After doing that a few times, he got the picture and I had no problems with him at all.

I also recently read the article about letting roosters do their natural thing, and I totally respect that, but I didn’t want an aggressive pet, and since my chickens stay in their run/coop most of the time, I didn’t need to worry about predators out in the open (so I didn’t need to rely on the rooster to keep them safe). Might be a different situation with you.

Anyway, just keep a look out for the more aggressive behavior and nip it in the bud early by standing your ground and picking him up and holding him if you can (unless you need him to be a good guard of your hens). Hope this helps. Again, my goal was always to have nice roosters, so I’m not sure if my method would also result in a roo that is a sweet pet and good guard chicken . Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The rooster that attacked me was perfectly fine for about four years. I don't know what caused him to "turn." His son, a yearling, is perfectly fine so far and is actually subordinate to a cockerel I got this spring. So far the two of them seem to have the 20 hens divided up fairly evenly, but loosely and I don't see any fussing between them. My attitude is that a cockerel or roo is a good one ... until he isn't. I won't be playing any rooster games or trying to engage in any way with a bird who starts threatening me or mine. I'm not a rooster trainer. Give me attitude, fly at me - your new name is Soup.

 

[centrarchid]

I suggest you confine the little guy in a pen that is about waste high. Confine him by himself. The interact with him multiple times per day. Do not retreat or return aggression if he comes as you. If he gets sassy when you approach pen or prepare to provide feed, then stand still a moment until he settles. Do not reward aggression with any sort of response.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I suggest you confine the little guy in a pen that is about waste high. Confine him by himself. The interact with him multiple times per day. Do not retreat or return aggression if he comes as you. If he gets sassy when you approach pen or prepare to provide feed, then stand still a moment until he settles. Do not reward aggression with any sort of response.

Should I do that now before he gets aggressive? Or is that what I should do if I witness any aggression? He's been pretty chill so far. He has not shown aggression towards me or any other humans in my household, only my big girls (hens) when they get too close to his flockmates.

ETA: And how long would I keep him separated? This is very doable in my current setup.

 

[Trimurtisan]

Here's his pic. This is Picotee.
View attachment 1881227

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I just love Picotee. I've yet to see a picture that wasn't just great!

 

[Aunt Angus]

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I just love Picotee. I've yet to see a picture that wasn't just great!

I just love him, too! That's why I am so concerned about him staying the nice little guy he is (so far).