Which Rooster should I ax?

[SmiYa0126]

Neither rooster is a good rooster. Cull both and try again. No one deserves to be attacked, people or hens. It causes tension in the flock, and it ruins your enjoyment of the birds - cull both of these.

If you want a rooster, go to the feed store, call the county extension agent, contact 4-h groups, a local poultry club. People always have too many roosters, and what you want is one that is so darn nice, he hasn't been asked to supper.

Culling the first rooster is always hard, but afterwards you will wonder why did you put up with that behavior as long as you did.

Mrs K

Just keep in mind if you get a rooster from another flock he may be a carrier for diseases, I traded my guineas for a rooster and they all got sick. He never showed any symptoms. Three of them haven't fully recovered. If you can wait I would raise them from chicks.

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

Welcome!
Human aggression is never a good thing, and he's likely to only get worse over time. He's a danger to any person who shows up, and can leap high enough to take out eyeballs. He should go into someone's crock pot, very soon.
Your other rooster might mellow out when the game cock is gone, and it's time to find out. He either will do well again, or it will be time to raise a few cockerels and try again.
Mary

I agree!

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I agree with them! Start over with a younger one. Check with friends who may be hatching some and will need to give one away.

 

[Petukh]

Thanks everyone for your responses, has been a while.

So one of my hens finally went broody, eggs are expected to hatch next, so I’m sure both roosters have sired some of the chicks, so today I had the Americana culled. The other one is slowly learning his place and doesn’t attack as much as he used, so long as you keep eye contact, but will probably cull him to once the chicks hatch a get a bit older. I’m hoping that cockers raised by their mother will be better behaved.

 

[Petukh]

Another update, so the rooster (the Spanish one) has become a lot more chill, and he doesn’t attack me anymore and usually runs to the opposite end of the run when I enter, but I still feel uncomfortable around him, since he still shows signs of aggression towards me when I approach the run. So might cull him later, but for now he does a good job of keeping the hens safe from hawks. I saw once a hawk attack (while free ranging), there was a huge commotion and by the time got there the hawk flew away but all the hens were safe and hid in the thickets but the rooster was still there strutting around, no sure exactly what happened but I suppose he chased the hawk away? He is very brave, but also a bit dumb, no self awareness of how weak he is, but because of that he is relentless.

My hen managed to hatch 3 chicks. I made the mistake of not checking on her nest after I put a clutch of 7 eggs under her, and over the time other hens laid in her nest and by the end was sitting on 24 eggs in the end, so most of them were too cold and didn’t fully develop and were at different stages I then bought 4 other chicks for her to adopt, but she only accepted 2 of them, and the other two I gave them to someone else who was raising a clutch.

So they are now completely feathered out, two of the chicks were the offspring of the Ameraucana rooster, one of which is also a rooster, no idea who the moms are, but the third one is definitely a barred rock (when she hatched she had the distinct black body with white spot on the head) mixed with the Spanish rooster, and she is now completely black like a raven, with a white throat and white wing tips, and I know she is from the Spanish rooster because she has the same leg proportions with the same gait, it’s very distinct, some what like a road runner, very smooth when they run, I think it’s due to them having narrower hips? I hope she doesn’t end up having issues with being egg bound if that is the case?

 

[Petukh]

Oh, and all my hens have recovered and they no longer have bald spots on their backs.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

I agree with @Ridgerunner

 

[Mr Spot]

I have an established flock of chickens with 23 hens and 2 roosters (1 Ameraucana and 1 Spanish game?) and they are all about 1 year old now. They were all raised together except for Spanish rooster (not exactly sure on the breed but suspect it’s a game) was introduced later as we rehabilitated one of them from our neighbors as they’re ratio was too high. Ever since we introduced the second rooster we’ve been having problems, it’s been several months now and the roosters get along fine, the Spanish rooster is now the Alpha and the Ameraucana is the beta, but our hens have been suffering. And I’m at the point that I’m thinking I need to ax one of them, they both have good and bad qualities and not sure if those qualities will change if they become the lone rooster.

Ameraucana (beta);
Pros: he is large and beautiful and he is friendly with humans.
Cons: he relentlessly mates with all the hens, especially in the evening, and because of that my hens have bald spots.

Spanish something (alpha)
Pros: he looks after the hens and keeps my Ameraucana in check when he gets too aggressive with the hens.
Cons: he is very aggressive with humans and never backs down, even when we catch him and pin him down, he will attack again when we let him go. He’s also fairly small and mostly skin and bone.

So I was wondering if the Ameraucana regains his alpha status will he be friendlier with the hens (he was nice to them before), or will he abuse them even more with no other rooster to chase him away?

On the other hand the other rooster is an alpha for a reason and would do a better job of protecting my hens (I let them free range) and I can manage him, and when I catch him he calms down and can be handable, but he is a serious pain in the butt. Also if my suspicion is true and he is a game rooster, then I’m not sure if I want to pass on those wild genes to the next generation?

Back in 1993 we got some Ameraucanas. It was about 15 to the best I can recall. We thought it was all hens but ended up with one rooster. As they grew, they were all good friendly chickens soon after that when they were about six months old the rooster started getting aggressive. Within a month it got to where my children couldn't hardly go outside without the rooster chasing them around trying to jump on them. Needless to say, he didn't last long around here I got rid of him. I've heard bad stories about Ameraucanna roosters since then and I will never have another one unless it's cleaned and ready to cook.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

The cockerels that your girls love, are likely the best choice to keep. The hens KNOW which cockerel will have THEIR best interest at heart, and they'll show their 'man' respect and affection.

This response may be helping me with a sure-to-come scenario in coming weeks. I purchased 10 straight run and soon would be wondering how to decide which gets to go to freezer camp. I think THIS is the answer. At very least may be a large consideration for cull selection.

Thanks, @Ebony Rose.

 

[Wild Claws]

Welcome to BYC!

Despite accepting the beta position this may still be competitive mating if it wasn't a problem before you added the second boy. I'd probably give him a chance first.

Human aggression is NEVER tolerated. The meaner the roo the sweeter the stew. He's GOT to GO!

Best wishes!

I agree!