# Mean roosters



## ace313 (Jul 1, 2017)

Does anyone have input on how to keep a rooster nice? I have had them in the past and after a year they are done in cause I get tired of fighting them around the hens


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

It's generally recommended one rooster per 10 hens. Young roosters have one thing in mind; mating, and will fight each other for dominance over a flock of hens. Sometimes a rooster will choose one or two hens to become his favorites and will over mate them causing feather loss and possible injuries. Roosters can also sense when a hen is not fertile, usually older hens, and may try to eliminate them from the flock. Of all the roosters I've owned, I've had only one rooster attempt to eliminate a barren hen. Needless to say the hen was my favorite and the over aggressive rooster went bye bye.
My experience is that the older the rooster, the better. I prefer roosters that are two years old or older. Older roosters take better care of their hens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Just like people, roosters have individual personalities. Silkie roosters are known to be sweet and gentle birds to both the hens and the humans in their lives. I've had a couple that liked nothing better than to attack anything that moved. 

The simple answer is, there is nothing you can do to change the personality of any one male. They're wired to be the way they are.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Finding a good rooster may be hit and miss. Silkie roos are "hen controllable". Some roos like Brahmas are pretty mellow. Roosters are very entertaining. I could watch mine for a long time when I go out to see the chickens.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

My buff orpington roo is very mellow, but he's the only one I've ever had that was nice..


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Cochins are nice,mellow roos once they get to be a year old or better.If you can put up with one that long.Once you get past that point,you should have a good rooster.


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## ace313 (Jul 1, 2017)

I think I'm gonna try handling him every day so he doesn't look at me like the enemy lol


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Ace. I've never had to deal with a nasty rooster. The important thing is to never back up if he comes at you. You must always be the one that makes him move. That's how a dominant rooster treats another roo. I haven't found anything working better.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

seminolewind said:


> Ace. I've never had to deal with a nasty rooster. The important thing is to never back up if he comes at you. You must always be the one that makes him move. That's how a dominant rooster treats another roo. I haven't found anything working better.


Except when the sneak up behind you and attack. The neighbor's roo did that to me. I had a bucket of water in my hands, he left screaming and dripping water. He never did it again.

My little d'Uccle never went after anyone unless they were turned away from him. He was smart that way. He'd get men running from him.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I've been flogged from behind.That rooster went up my back,ripping my jeans and leaving me bloodied.I had found him on the side of the road and he went back to the side of the road.I will not have a rooster that is mean.On the bright side,all of the ones I raised from day olds have been good roosters once they are over a year old.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

ace313 said:


> I think I'm gonna try handling him every day so he doesn't look at me like the enemy lol


Hahaha. I tried daily walks around my yard with a Salmon Faverolle rooster and it didnt work. So we played football; I was the kicker and he was the football. He loved playing football.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

dawg53 said:


> Hahaha. I tried daily walks around my yard with a Salmon Faverolle rooster and it didnt work. So we played football; I was the kicker and he was the football. He loved playing football.


Yep, and even if playing football with them works it's only for some unspecified time of their choosing that things go back to the way they were.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I've never had to play football, LOL.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

I had one nasty silkie rooster. I raised him from a chick. He was gone once he got nasty. I won't have mean roosters here, no need for them. My current roosters are all very nice.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I won't have mean roosters,either.Besides,most are nice,at least the breeds I had like Cochins,Brahmas and Wyandottes.The Cochin roos are really big babies.In my flock,Vern is the nicest,most lovable one of the whole bunch.He's the only roo left.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

The only nasty roo in over 30 I've had has been a Serama. He was sneaky and never grew out of it. He left with a hen. 
A "lower" roo is not allowed to stare straight at the alpha roo. It eats last. It can't mount a hen in site of the alpha roo. The low roo can't approach the alpha straight on. He can only walk closer from the side. He ALWAYS backs down. The alpha roo can make the lower move backwards or off the spot he's standing on. If these things don't happen, the alpha will attack and to lower roo will run. Making him move is like stalking him and maybe push him along with your foot, not football him. I like respect more than fear. I've had mostly Jersey roos, one BO roo, and a few Polish. The only roos that got along with eachother were white crest black and they were with hens. The rest could not establish an alpha/lower roo with eachother. But with me they did.

So those are the behaviors you need and start at first sign of a problem. If he comes out you, wear thick jeans and come at him and push him off his personal space. 

This is not a guarantee, but has worked well for me every time . My roos end up being with me and looking up to me with respect and hang out with me and the hens.


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