How do you get a good rooster????

[WhiteCastleFarms]

Recently we had to cull l one of our 5 month old cockerels due to aggression. Tonight our remaining cockerel flogged my son, twice. I know I have little experience but how on earth do you get a rooster who isn't human aggressive? I would really like to be able to hatch my own fertilized eggs. I also want my hens to be watched after. Is it just luck of the draw with roosters?

I debated answering this as my ways are not in any Textbook but I have Always loved ALL animals; you just need to find a way to communicate with them. With chickens it's fairly easy, they Love treats and Hate being chased. At one time, I had over 60 Pullets laying eggs and 2 a two Rooster Team watching over them. All I hand raised from 2 days old. The two roosters were brothers, one mean and one more docile. The 'mean' one had some kind of issue with my Feet and would attack me from Behind, until one day where he sunk his spur, (at 1.5 inches), deep into my joint between my big toe and foot; Through the solid rubber boots I was wearing. Throughout raising them I would Talk to them like you would a dog and when they did what I Wanted, they got treats! When they didn't, I would scold them and give them Empty bags of treats, (frozen corn, carrots and peas). They may not be the Smartest birds but all 60+ of Mine figured out by my Tone if they were making 'Mommy' Happy and that their behavior determined if I was going to have a Full or Empty bag of treats. When my 'Dominant' Roo attacked me I screamed out in pain and started yelling at him and throwing small sticks in his direction. All the chickens froze and stared at me yelling at him. I addressed the flock telling them I was upset and NO Treats. I left my blood on my porch for them to investigate. Ended up in bed, (Foot elevated for pain and swelling), for 4 weeks on Heavy antibiotics for a massive infection in my foot. Once I was able to Walk on it again, I grabbed two small bags of thawed veggies and went out when all the chickens were back in the pen, right before bed. Shaking the bags and calling them over for treats, I placed a wooden block in clear view of the open pen. They hadn't seen me or had Any treats since I had been in bed. They were Very happy to see me and formed the usual circle for me to pass out treats.
***Not Everyone will Agree or Like how I chose to Teach them but I've NEVER, (and NEVER Will), torture an animal!!***
I walked in the pen, (with combat boots this time ), grabbed the rooster that attacked me, flipped him over and carried him to the block of wood by his legs. I Immediately lowered him so his head was resting on the block, took my machete and severed his head completely. All the chickens watched as I brought his body, and head, into the pen where I hung it up with the head on the ground just out of their reach. After washing my hands with the hose, I grabbed the treats and in my Happy voice, proceeded to pass them out, tossing the First handful Directly in front of the remaining rooster and telling him they were His responsibility now. He ate his favorite, (carrots), and called the others over and I finished emptying both bags as I was surrounded by hens waiting for their share. After that, they rarely went without their beloved treats and if any hens squabbles, Roo-Roo, as I came to call him, took care of it Immediately.
I apologize if I offended Anyone with my way of teaching, and some may think it cruel or even a bit morbid, but what I do know is it worked. I Loved going out and talking to my chickens and even built up a Rapour (sp) with Roo-Roo. Here is a n Texas, the vultures are vicious when hungry and will and Have gone after live chickens! Roo-Roo had several calls he used for his girls and One for Me! 1st time I heard it I had NO Idea what was going on but grabbed my pellet gun and big stick and went out to see Roo-Roo fighting with 3 vultures. I ended up Losing a hen and Roo-Roo was bleeding but I killed 2 vultures and scared the other off. After that, when Ever Roo-Roo made that call, rarely but when needed, I would come to fight along side him! After the 'Emergency' was under control, I Always told him he was a Good Boy and "OK Roo-Roo, you can handle it from here!!" I like to think he understood me.

 

[dshaw42]

They both came from a hatchery. One was an Easter egger, a little brute. But the other one, who was left, is an Ameraucana. He was always so good to his pullets but we can't let him go after our kids. Perhaps hatchery cockerels run a higher risk of human aggression? Or maybe I should just wait on trying my hand at a rooster until my kids are older.

I have 2 silkie roosters…. Actually 3 since one of my two silkie hens have turned out to be a rooster. I also got two Ameraucana hens and again one is a rooster.
So now I have four roosters and six hens.
nit sure what I’m gonna do since the three silkie roosters are very loving.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I have 2 silkie roosters…. Actually 3 since one of my two silkie hens have turned out to be a rooster. I also got two Ameraucana hens and again one is a rooster.
So now I have four roosters and six hens.
nit sure what I’m gonna do since the three silkie roosters are very loving.

How old are the boys? Sometimes when they mature they can become not so 'loving' and will fight each other and may change their attitude towards you .. I have all Silkies and currently have 2 roosters in with 6 hens and 1 rooster with 1 hen in a seperate coop. The 2 roosters are fighting but no blood so far. .. You may be able to keep 1 or 2 boys with the hens and a bachelor flock of boys seperate if you want to keep them all, or get more hens?

 

[dshaw42]

How old are the boys? Sometimes when they mature they can become not so 'loving' and will fight each other and may change their attitude towards you .. I have all Silkies and currently have 2 roosters in with 6 hens and 1 rooster with 1 hen in a seperate coop. The 2 roosters are fighting but no blood so far. .. You may be able to keep 1 or 2 boys with the hens and a bachelor flock of boys seperate if you want to keep them all, or get more hens?

2 of my boys (silkies) are a 1 year old and 1 silkie is 13 weeks (just finding his voice) the ameraucana is 10 weeks.

How old are the boys? Sometimes when they mature they can become not so 'loving' and will fight each other and may change their attitude towards you .. I have all Silkies and currently have 2 roosters in with 6 hens and 1 rooster with 1 hen in a seperate coop. The 2 roosters are fighting but no blood so far. .. You may be able to keep 1 or 2 boys with the hens and a bachelor flock of boys seperate if you want to keep them all, or get more hens

I have 2 silkies that are 1 and a silkie that is 13 weeks… just finding his voice. My ameraucana is 16 weeks.
Smokie (the black silkie) is with my 4 teen hens and Snowball is with the 2 other roosters and 2 hens. So far fingers crossed they all get along. Now that’s not to say when they are free ranging the teens can be a little naughty to the younger hens.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I debated answering this as my ways are not in any Textbook but I have Always loved ALL animals; you just need to find a way to communicate with them. With chickens it's fairly easy, they Love treats and Hate being chased. At one time, I had over 60 Pullets laying eggs and 2 a two Rooster Team watching over them. All I hand raised from 2 days old. The two roosters were brothers, one mean and one more docile. The 'mean' one had some kind of issue with my Feet and would attack me from Behind, until one day where he sunk his spur, (at 1.5 inches), deep into my joint between my big toe and foot; Through the solid rubber boots I was wearing. Throughout raising them I would Talk to them like you would a dog and when they did what I Wanted, they got treats! When they didn't, I would scold them and give them Empty bags of treats, (frozen corn, carrots and peas). They may not be the Smartest birds but all 60+ of Mine figured out by my Tone if they were making 'Mommy' Happy and that their behavior determined if I was going to have a Full or Empty bag of treats. When my 'Dominant' Roo attacked me I screamed out in pain and started yelling at him and throwing small sticks in his direction. All the chickens froze and stared at me yelling at him. I addressed the flock telling them I was upset and NO Treats. I left my blood on my porch for them to investigate. Ended up in bed, (Foot elevated for pain and swelling), for 4 weeks on Heavy antibiotics for a massive infection in my foot. Once I was able to Walk on it again, I grabbed two small bags of thawed veggies and went out when all the chickens were back in the pen, right before bed. Shaking the bags and calling them over for treats, I placed a wooden block in clear view of the open pen. They hadn't seen me or had Any treats since I had been in bed. They were Very happy to see me and formed the usual circle for me to pass out treats.
***Not Everyone will Agree or Like how I chose to Teach them but I've NEVER, (and NEVER Will), torture an animal!!***
I walked in the pen, (with combat boots this time ), grabbed the rooster that attacked me, flipped him over and carried him to the block of wood by his legs. I Immediately lowered him so his head was resting on the block, took my machete and severed his head completely. All the chickens watched as I brought his body, and head, into the pen where I hung it up with the head on the ground just out of their reach. After washing my hands with the hose, I grabbed the treats and in my Happy voice, proceeded to pass them out, tossing the First handful Directly in front of the remaining rooster and telling him they were His responsibility now. He ate his favorite, (carrots), and called the others over and I finished emptying both bags as I was surrounded by hens waiting for their share. After that, they rarely went without their beloved treats and if any hens squabbles, Roo-Roo, as I came to call him, took care of it Immediately.
I apologize if I offended Anyone with my way of teaching, and some may think it cruel or even a bit morbid, but what I do know is it worked. I Loved going out and talking to my chickens and even built up a Rapour (sp) with Roo-Roo. Here is a n Texas, the vultures are vicious when hungry and will and Have gone after live chickens! Roo-Roo had several calls he used for his girls and One for Me! 1st time I heard it I had NO Idea what was going on but grabbed my pellet gun and big stick and went out to see Roo-Roo fighting with 3 vultures. I ended up Losing a hen and Roo-Roo was bleeding but I killed 2 vultures and scared the other off. After that, when Ever Roo-Roo made that call, rarely but when needed, I would come to fight along side him! After the 'Emergency' was under control, I Always told him he was a Good Boy and "OK Roo-Roo, you can handle it from here!!" I like to think he understood me.

I'm unsure where the teaching was involved.
You had two roosters. One mean and you ended up killing him.
The other was docile and he stayed that way? Is that correct?

 

[Granny23]

Spoil the cockerel, and he'll be mean. Raise him feral, and he'll never attack.

Often that's the case. People raising roosters, and who doesn't want to love, cuddle, hand feed, and all that good jazz with the adorable creature? Then, because he has no fear of you, he'll be at your heals. When you're raising them, don't give them any attention. If they come near, scare them off.
Yes. It's hard. I hatched out an adorable.cockerel, and I was the first face he saw. Something is wrong with him at first, so he was extremely docile, and wanted to be around me constantly. He'd just randomly fly up and perch on me for no reason! I've tried shoing the adorable thing away, and I'm hoping my efforts worked, but he's still a little too friendly...

I got back into chickens purely by accident when this little black chicken showed up between our houses on July 5th this year. He was a topic of conversation here because we couldn't figure out if she was male or female...until "she" started crowing. Pepper about 15 weeks now and we know he's a rooster and we think he is really quite handsome. We got him a Aracana hen "Rosie" for company 2 days later and they are attached at the hip. My granddaughter hand raised them inside the house for a couple weeks because we had nothing to keep chickens. They still will come sit and snuggle with me because I spent time with them too but lately if I want to pick him up to sit with me instead of his coming to me himself he lightly pecks my hand as if to say "no I don't want to right now" or even just to be picked up. He will come when I call him and comes to snuggle with me on his own.
We have 2 other hen chicks about 9 and 11 weeks and he is better with them as far as chasing and doing the pecking order but I still don't let them be loose in the same coop because he can be relentless at times with them. When they are bigger it will be better because they should be way bigger than him. I just had an 8x4 coop built which we combined with the 25ft area we covered beside our house.

 

[Granny23]

2 of my boys (silkies) are a 1 year old and 1 silkie is 13 weeks (just finding his voice) the ameraucana is 10 weeks.

I have 2 silkies that are 1 and a silkie that is 13 weeks… just finding his voice. My ameraucana is 16 weeks.
Smokie (the black silkie) is with my 4 teen hens and Snowball is with the 2 other roosters and 2 hens. So far fingers crossed they all get along. Now that’s not to say when they are free ranging the teens can be a little naughty to the younger hens.

.your silkies are beautiful!!

 

[Chickin Out]

Any rooster old enough to breed and aggressive enough to protect the flock is capable of hurting an adult much less a child. There isn't a way to guarantee you'll get a mellow rooster. Roosters and children aren't a good fit. If you find one good with small kids its rare

Have to disagree, I have multiple roosters, most are never aggressive to adults or children. If one is aggressive, it's usually an isolated incident here or there, not ongoing.
Children should be taught how to coexist with animals.

 

[Chickin Out]

Honestly, it's probably their age. Most roosters go through a nasty phase when they first get their hormones and are in that difficult teenage stage. It passes pretty quickly.

 

[McChooky]

Have to disagree, I have multiple roosters, most are never aggressive to adults or children. If one is aggressive, it's usually an isolated incident here or there, not ongoing.
Children should be taught how to coexist with animals.

Inexperienced children have no way of knowing that their actions could be perceived as a threat by a young cockerel .This is what causes most small children to be attacked .Children who've never been around chickens should not be alone with roosters .