Which breed of rooster will protect my hens best?

[chicken farmer]

My easter egg rooster is ok at it but he wont attack anything if it gets to close to the hens except when a hen gives out the danger call. He wont attack cats,or dogs really...but he loves to attack my leg/foot all the time. I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish I would of got at least 2 roosters in the same flock for more protection and security. I have 2 differnt flocks. 1 has 3 silkies (bantam pen) and then I have the (large chicken pen). I wish I would of got 2 in the large chicken pen when my EE rooster was younger but now he is almost a year old and very territorial and would not let another rooster around his flock.......it sucks cause I definatly dont want to get rid of him. I dont know what to do????

 

[Chickenlover20]

Hi All -

Have you noticed whether roosters of some breeds protect their hens better than others? If so, which breeds are best?

Thanks!

I would say go for Jersey Giant rooster!!
I used to had one, he WOULD fight back to my german shepherd, Until she stop chasing the hens.
He's might be HUGE but I heard that Jersey Giant are best for protecting the hens.
But depends on rooster's gene and their personality.
My JG roo used to be friendly roo after the fox attacked his flock, he CHANGED to MEANEST rooster I ever had, He will attacks me and my family also friends.

You can try with that breed.

 

[Chickenlover20]

How are Jersey Giants on crowing? I want a loud crower.

My god.. the Jersey Giant crow are SOOO loud.
I love their crow.

 

[heronz]

I had a Delaware rooster that would protect his flock at any cost.
Killed rats without thinking twice.

 

[chicken farmer]

I had a Delaware rooster that would protect his flock at any cost.
Killed rats without thinking twice.

Love it

 

[akashia26]

right now i have 3 roosters, a 4 yo silver laced wynedotte, and 2, 9 month old mutts. henry is a bit old but is mean as a snake. doesn't like anyone or anything except the other chickens. you have to watch him while you are outside, but nothing messes with his hens. red one of the younger roos has a better disposition but is also very protective. black is a coward and headed for the pot sometime soon.

as a kid my grandpa swore by gamecocks and bantum/gamecock mixes. never had more than 1 at a time though. i remember 1. called him bo. came home from school one day with bo attacking something on the ground. went to investagate and found a redtail with a spur still stuck in his head. seen another kill a possum and one a fox. if i remember right both roos died from the fights but still pierced something vital before going down. problem with them is they were mean as hell. good with the hens and chicks but hated kids and didn't like anything else much better. they would fight to the death and you couldn't introduce a new roo. you might raise one if you were planning to get rid of the old one. but eventually if you waited too long they would fight and only one was coming out of it.

some think a mean roo belongs in the pot. i think if he does his job, bat him in the butt with a broom when he gets too uppity and let him do it.

 

[sweeters]

I have 4 roosters and 19 hens. They all have been raised together since they hatched. They are just 7 months old and just started to lay (the hens of course) in Jan. I started to notice that the roosters have become aggressive to 3 of my hens hurting my delaware hen pretty bad on her head. I have isolated her in a separate cage. I want to get rid of 2 of the roosters (delawares) and keep the other 2 a Rhode Island Red and Ancona. I want to know if 2 can co-habitate with all the hens or am I gonna have to separate all roosters from hens? Or if all else could I leave one rooster with all hens? I am new to this and don't know what to do. My hens are getting hurt. Please help!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I believe your problem arises with having too many roosters with so few hens. Also unless they are free range most of the time your roosters will be bullied to point of not even feeding themselves what they should.

What the baldness on head is is the cocks holding on to the hen with the only thing he can- his beak on their neck. This occurs with young roosters who are unexperienced and obviously with too many roosters per hens or area they are all in (some will not dance but jump quickly and hold on before thedominant rooster fights them back). You should have no problems with only two roosters to 19 hens and I'd bet a more docile acting flock.

Make your choice on which rooster and make a mental note of why? Is it they are the dominant or are they people aggressive? There is a difference. Also choose based on the offspring you want to achieve. But yeah, much will change by reducing to two boys and that's plenty of hens to keep them content.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

This thread was a fun read. It caught my attention due to recent research on Cornish- Indian Game. I definetley agree on personality winning the day but there is much to be said of each breed and their individual traits. Rhode Island Reds are easy to get along with chickens and very people friendly but do not tolerate easily new introductions or an immature cockerel trying to score. It's simply the nature of the breed. Here we hear many great tales of the game birds, though bantams and I've heard many a scary tale of grandparent's bantam devil birds.... There are awesome stories but a good cock I'd think, though not tried so worth a pellet of food, would be the Cornish. From what I've read they are the bulldogs of the yard. They derive from the Aseel which was said the be the gentle giant yet was a fighting bird. Your talking pure muscle with attitude yet great natured to humans if given due respect. Someone earlier said asian game, and many say american game but the bottom line is the household needs to live with them too so I'd go with the "gentle giants" to which the Cornish is a great all round bird for meat/eggs and of course your own crossing to for pure meat birds (grow a bit faster than the Cornish) to fill your freezer.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

as a kid my grandpa swore by gamecocks and bantum/gamecock mixes. never had more than 1 at a time though... ... went to investagate and found a redtail with a spur still stuck in his head. ..you couldn't introduce a new roo. you might raise one... but eventually if you waited too long they would fight and only one was coming out of it....

I have left young roosters on the yard too long and found one dead from exaustion from fighting his image in a shiney hub cap and another time I had one die from fighting his reflection in a chrome truck bumper.