Will the rooster survive or be dinner?

[frostbite]

12 weeks old Dark Cornish, good eating bird, didn't mean to have a rooster, but there he is.

I heard him crow for the first time this weekend.

He still hasn't started chasing me or attacking me, and if he stays nice, he can live. If he turns mean, he's dinner.

Today the cat went on patrol, circling the chicken run. The Roo was right there to challenge him, following him as he made his way around the perimeter. They didn't fight through the fence, I do believe the cat was a little intimidated.

He took a nap in my lap yesterday, and let me pet his back. Very uncharacteristic, he's usually a little more skittish, but maybe the cupful of mealworms in my pocket had an impact on his behavior. He still eats out of my hand with the hens. I told DH he needed to start sucking up to the bird like I do, so he'll stay peaceful around him too. Because DH is a softie, and in order to save the rooster's life, he is daily going out to flirt with the bird and give him a small bit of scratch.

At what age do they have their highest risk of personality change? At 12 weeks, can I expect stability, or is his testosterone still going to do weird things to him?

 

[Roosterlover5]

They start to really fight around a year old,when they become cocks,hence cock fighting. Sometimes they show aggression before then like biting or fighting. Sometimes you get a nice one

Hope he doesn't go in the pot

 

[Ted n Ms]

.My chickens are not pets. I have 16 pullets and 2 specked Sussex roosters. they are about 6mos. old. A few weeks ago one of the roosters tried me.I almost punted him out of run he went twenty feet. He now goes to back side of the yard when i go in. I will not tolerate a mean rooster.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Keep a very close eye on him. Make sure he knows you're the boss. Don't let him mate any hens in front of you--those are your hens, and he is subordinate to you.

Our rule is that a rooster gets one chance to make an aggressive move, like fluffing up and walking towards us. Then we (literally) chase him around the yard and kick his butt if we catch him. The second aggressive move=chicken soup for supper.

 

[Leghornmum]

I used to have a Leghorn rooster called Clooney who started to act up when he got some good-sized spurs. But then a couple of days after, he got chased by a giant Coydog that big all his tail feathers off...he never acted up again!