My first flock of chickens was one day old when I picked up my order at a local all-purpose hardware store. I’d ordered “straight run” –thinking I would have some hens for eggs, some young roosters for meat and one fine rooster to perpetuate the flock.
The plan worked out fairly well. Several of those hens are still laying eggs now—seven years later. The young roosters—and the ratio turned out to be 50/50—have long ago made their way into soups and fricassee. The one fine rooster—we named him Gregory Peck, because he truly was movie star handsome—watched over the ladies with determination and performed his duties with enthusiasm.
Too much enthusiasm, actually. Before long, the hens had no feathers on their backs and were in danger of having their skin sliced. We purchased “hen saddles”—and that didn’t work at all. I know, many people have good luck with these. Our girls either huddled sadly in the corner, not daring to move—or tried jumping out of the little cloth back guards. Imagine, if you will, wearing a straight jacket and trying to jump out of it. Didn’t work.
So, we gave up our plan for raising more chicks and sent Gregory to live on a farm. Really. As far as I know, he’s still living on a farm with his own harem and chasing the mailman. It was a sad day for us, though, because Gregory was a very fine rooster.
Since then, we’ve ordered pullets only or purchased fertile eggs for our broody hens from neighboring farmers. The young hens we add to the laying flock and the young roosters are named “Stew” and end up as…well, stew.
Last year, our broody Buff Orpington hatched 5 Copper Maran eggs. Three of those chicks were roosters. I sent two of them to a fairly local market sale, and kept one. Percival. And no, I’m not sure why—maybe I had missed the early morning (late morning/half the night/all day) crowing? Maybe I thought, once again, we’d add to the laying flock with our own rooster? Maybe I believed the Meyer hatchery blurb that said Black Copper Marans are “calm, quiet and gentle”.
Percival did start out calm and gentle (not so quiet). He let us pick him up and admire his beautiful iridescent feathers, and he did watch over the ladies—and actually seemed a bit intimidated by some of the older girls that had been ruling the roost.
And then…
…last fall…
Percy took a tumble. His leg was injured and he could not stand. I brought him into the house, confined him to a cardboard box in the mudroom, and hoped his leg would heal. The weather turned cold; Percival stayed in the box in the mudroom all winter. At first he crowed when the phone rang, when the furnace came on and whenever he felt the need. By spring, he was crowing only when someone didn’t knock on the mudroom door before entering, or when his litter needed changing. His leg never did heal correctly, but Percival was able to hop around quite ably, and since our grandchildren had made a bit of a pet of him, we sent him back to the chicken coop in the spring.
Three weeks after he moved back into the coop, Percival began terrorizing the hens and any visitors. These days, the grandchildren don’t go into the coop. I don’t turn my back on him either, especially if I hear him growling. Percy may be disabled, but he can still hop up and down like any healthy rooster; when he fluffs his feathers and drops his wings, the ladies know to scatter. He doesn’t have spurs, but he has a wicked beak attack.
Now, this doesn’t make Percival (nor Gregory Peck) a bad rooster. In fact, they are doing what roosters do—protect their flocks and mate with the hens. I know I don’t NEED a rooster. I don’t need more chicks this year, I don’t send the flock out foraging so they would need a rooster for protection, and we all know we don’t need a rooster to have eggs.
This is a story without an ending. How would you finish the tale? Would you keep the handsome, disabled rooster? Would you, gulp, send him to the freezer? Would you send him home with a farmer and not ask? Would you continue to wear heavy jeans and high boots when you head out to the chicken coop?
Would you remind me not to keep a rooster the next time there are chicks on the farm?
21 Comments
Yes Gregory Peck and Percival are very similar to my 40 odd Roosters, you see I couldnt understand why people didint want the pretty Roosters at the Poultry auctions and sales in Australia where I live.. So I started saving Roosters haha, good intentions, Bad Idea!
I then realised I would need at least 3 to 4 hens per Rooster..Poor Pocket was getting empty by now, I bought many different breeds of hens, some rescued (silly me), Some bought from Reputable Poultry farms, some from Poultry Auctions until! Haha I had become Obsessed with the Numbers and then started Incubating eggs, More hens and ROOSTERS which was not so bad as I was getting 10 hens per 3 rooster chicks..Well 2 of the chicks became Holly and Hollywood, Beautiful boys Golden Marans, Holly was the quiet one while Hollywood on the other hand became destructive and Angry and attacked every one and thing in his path, BUT as yu say they are dong their Job of Protection ad I dared anyone to enter as did Hollywood..Unfortunartely we Lost Holly as a 3yr old this year Hghly Strung Roosters only mate to a certain degree. Then I lost my Aracauna HENRY to age, as I lost several others also, am now down to 22 Roosters and Have stopped the Incubating, for now at least, I am also an Exotic Bird Breeder but my first loves are my poultry, I could never give up on my Roosters, they are endeared to me, I do however never fail to carry a water pistol or spray bottle of water in there with haha..Yes I am weary of the behaviour of the roosters but I do appreciate the 4.30am and 5am calls.. I do however sell off many of my 12 to 15 mth old hens after their first moult which gives them a new home and still in laying mode..many of my older hens stay with me as teachers and foster Mum’s until their final hrs..young roosters do go onto new homes with no questions asked..So I do relate to Your Story, Thank You For Sharing!
Got a beautiful free Ameracauna rooster off CraigsList 2 months ago, hoping for some babies of that variety. We let flock free range after we come home from work. He can be agressive, especially attacking shoes, because I think he may have been kicked a lot at his former home. A large stick helps hold him at bay when he gets too close, works fine. Read post by a vet assistant in Oregon who owns a flock of roosters-only. He suggests using phrase “Whooooo’s a goooood boy” said in a low throaty rooster like growly voice to calm roosters down. Unbelievable, but seems to work. Really glad we have him now! Raccoon got into our coop for first time ever last night and badly injured a hen. Another hen jumped on her back and flattened down like a broody hen over her, protecting her from atrack and loosing tailfeathers in the process. Our 2 other hens huddled in corner next to injured hen and her protector, while our rooster, named Buster, viciously attacked huge coon with his spurs over and over again. I was alerted to attack by the hen protector who was crying/screaming for help, so when I ran up there armed with a flaslight and a broom, I was able to see Buster’s mad ninja-skills first hand until the startled coon got out the way it wad weaseled in. Needless to say, we have fixed the hole in wire that coon made today and set live trap with marshmallows and grape jelly to try to snag him tonight. But if Buster hadn’t been there, all four of our hens would have been gonners. We were considering only keeping Buster for stud purposes until fall, but last night has drastically changed my mind. Buster is staying! ☺ Injured hen is being treated separately in hopes we can get her back all healed up by end of summer. Still in shock today, somewhat. Coon took off all skin on her back with puncture wound near upper back and claw to one eye. So glad Buster was there in thus moment if crisis! Go roos!!
I feel for your hens as I have a Domestic cat problem in Australia plus the Fox control, My geese made a large Hole in the wire while trying to protect the Chickens in pen next door with 2 roosters Coonor my Ancona and Alfie the Silver laced Wyandotte cross which also house my White faced Spanish and Ancona Hens as well as Chickens and rising Pullets.
The cat I cant stand as it is a vermin in my mind attacking my Poultry at every chance which annoys the Geese and Ducks and the Dogs..We are lucky in Australia to a Point with No racoons etc, but we have Snakes and Foxes plus uncontrolled Domestic Cat Laws that have been put into place but NEVER Reviewed!
I too have many Poultry injured by the Annoying Cat and Wild Birds, I use Yellow Sulphur Piowder on the wounds along with what ever antibiotic I get my hands on at the time, Some Survive and some Dont all you can do is try Your Best I pray!
I find it tis my Black and Red hens that I loose most of all in any instance, if they survive they become stronger from will or winning the fight, my white girls and boys appear to be the Brightest colour yet are rearly attacked as are the Barred Hens be they Plymouth or Cuckoo Marans…I keep a Close watch over my Blue Laced Golden Wyandottes as they are relatively New To Australia as are Many Breeds Now..
Thank You for Sharing!
I’m very disappointed that you removed my comment on how to stop a rooster from being aggressive. My father-in-law was a very gentle, kind man who had an assortment of animals which he always treated very well. One day he came into the house and the back of his shirt was shredded and his back was very bloody, caused by an unusually aggressive rooster. I cringe at the thought that my then little kids could have had this happen to them. Pop had to shoot that rooster which I believe could have been avoided if he’d shown that rooster early on that that behavior is not acceptable….chickens can be trained. In all due respect, I think you are doing your followers a disservice by portraying all animals as Disney characters that do not need direction. I love my animals and I treat them well and lovingly, I do not hurt them….even when showing them guidance. You wouldn’t let your child hit another without guiding them in the right direction, nor would you allow your beloved pet to bite people.
DJ If you scroll down, you will see your original post is there. How you battle the rooster until the rooster tires and then you follow for an hour to ensure the rooster sees you/humans as dominant.
We too have a rooster that is too mean. I have had a rooster in the past that was not mean to people. So we are going to stew the mean one once the younger ones get large enough to know what their going to act like around people. We want a rooster to guard the girls when they free range. Otherwise, I would not bother.
you are on the wrong end of pecking order. I have caught and held a roster on the ground making him lay his head down on the ground for several minutes to make him submit to me . if you are number one you have to let them know. watch them
I must say I have to agree with you as I too have done this with some of my roosters, Not to be agressive but a warning I am Bigger and Mightier I often say, I do this also with a spray Bottle of water in my hand as I find they do not like water except to drink, Not like the Gander or drake mind You who have no fear of spray Bottle or water Pistol but if I approach them when they show aggression they do Know I will take them On!
I have done this with My Goat Bucks and Rams who hurt much more if you turn your back on them, These Days as Age is catching My Partner does much of Feed outs and Yes he has been attakced so I then am called to calm the Nesting area..The Old Saying AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM! well it does in Humans Not in Poultry though!
I am pleased to hear someone else tackles the Might of the Mighty Rooster in this manner, Thank You!
Last year I ended up with several “barnyard mutt” straight-run chicks to add to my flock. I never had a rooster before but decided it would be nice to put my broody hens to use if necessary so I planned on keeping one. My “mutt” chickens turned out to be half Black Copper Maran and half Bantam-something…. who knows what. I finally settled on one rooster and he is fully grown now. He looks like a miniature Black Copper Maran rooster, and is just beautiful. He is slightly smaller than my biggest hens. I highly recommend a Bantam or half-bantam rooster in a flock of full size chickens. He does little damage to the hens’ backs. I can still tell who his “favorite madam” is, but she never gets damaged like I’ve seen happen to hens with full-size roosters. For me, a smaller rooster has been a great compromise…. and he may even crow a little quieter.
I too agree with Your Comment Jaimie, I also have Marans being Crossed with God Knows what when all were housed together some time ago. I have Pekin crossed Copper Marans as well as Pekin Roosters that have my Largest Rooisters run for the Hills, Plus I have a Croos Rooster named Bluey which appears to be a white Leghorn crossed with Something Possible Bantam that terrorise the Large Roosters on my back Verandah pens..exceptof course my Polish cross Named Pancho because he looks Mexican!
Pancho goes about his Business without a worry in the world, not like the other roosters that take to the hills and try desperately to hide inside which my dogs do not appreciate (although they wont attack the roosters they know They are not allowed in thier space so it should be the same for roosters) ..But Yes they say size can be deceiving, Like a chihuahua in the poultry world the Bantams have NO FEAR yet know how to impress the ladies regardless of sized, My dogs are Chihuahua cross Dingo Dad was the Chihuahua so believe me I do know the size can be Deceiving..My Greatest Bullies are named Samuel a Pekin cross and Mr Miller a Mille Fluer cross..
Thank You for sharing
Love you article, sounds like my home. We have ended up with 4 roosters, 3 with names and the 1 that got away! My hens to forage. Making them into stew does not come easily with me, but a necessity, as I am sure it is with most of us. One question? Have you heard of taking off the roosters Spurs? Once saw a video of them being removed with a dremal. Apparently it happens so quickly that the blood vessels are quaterized, and this then helps the hens being injured? Any advice or comments.
We bought 5 ducklings last year and ended up with 2 drakes. Our hens have bald steaks down their heads to their backs. One drake tries to take out my ankles if I don’t watch him when I feed the group or if he thinks I am too close to the girls.
We now have eleven 5+ week old ducklings and ALL the males will be getting new homes!!!
I only want the eggs; I will buy ducklings when I need them. Good luck to you.
I have such a hard time understanding “mean” roosters. I’ve had about 8 and all have been wonderful to deal with. Have you picked him up when he’s being aggressive, to show dominance? I’ve heard that works well.
Love my roosters! We have had one really mean rooster we called meany, he would attack me every chance he got. We free range so I had to keep an eye out for him while doing farm chores. Two of my other roosters would gang up on meany when ever he tried to attack me! Sadly a dog got one, to bad it wasn’t meany! One night I had enough and dressed in a thick coat and grabbed him after they came in for the night and put him in a large dog crate till we could send him off to freezer camp. All my other roosters have not been a problem, if they get fiesty and start coming at me I just whack them in the head and they respect me then on. I like having roosters and hatching our own biddies but it is not for everyone. I never would keep a mean rooster because you never know who he might attack.
What can be done about an aggressive rooster? This spring I got 6 chicks for my backyard coop. One Rhode Island Red turned out to be a rooster (and pretty he is) but he has a mean streak — he likes to peck, to the point of drawing blood! I hate the thought of putting him in the pot… is there anyway to “train” him not to be so down right ornery?
Thanks, jcw
My first foray into chicken raising was buying six day-old chicks from the local farm store. They were supposed to be all pullets but turned out to be two roosters and four hens. The Rhode Island Red rooster seemed to be the dominant of the two. I think he actually fell in love with me and when I didn’t cooperate, he turned mean. The other rooster, a Buff Orpington, became my protector. He would chase the Red away from me if he attacked. One night he chased Red all the way around our house and Buff ended up standing on his back in the lily bed. Buff would “escort” me up the drive to the barn to protect me. We eventually thought it was time for Red to become stew. Buff stepped up and was a great flock leader. He disappeared without a trace one morning last summer. Something got him and carried him off. I searched every inch of our 4 1/2 acres and checked the road ditches for quite a ways. I was very sad. I got a replacement rooster from a friend and he’s turned out to be awesome. He’s a mix of Buff Orpinton and Rhode Island Red and very handsome. Go figure. He’s not one to cuddle up to people but at least he is respectful of our space. And now, I finally have a hen that has gone broody! I’m anxious to see what beautiful babies he has made.
I had a mean rooster & got rid of him as soon as I could. I have a Brown Leghorn rooster now and he is doing a great job so far. I had the issue with one of my Barred Rocks and the feathers on her back. We made our own saddle & it did not work. Strange but after a few weeks of seeing her bare back, I noticed her feathers growing back. Not sure why, with nothing to protect her but there you go! I only had 3 hens so I figured if he could spread his affections a little farther with more hens maybe their backs could be saved. My Black Australorp went broody & I let her sit on 5 eggs. She now has 1 chick, the rest were either killed or rejected. The roo was harassing her & I moved her out of his area but found out that he was just chasing her back in & making her sit on the eggs! I bought some more hens from the feed store & 2 Reds and 1 Black Sex-Link have made it so far. That means he will have 5 extra hens to care for when all is said & done. My chickens free range so I need him to help protect my girls.
Final thought – I will not keep a mean rooster. Going into my yard armed against an animal that I feed & care for is just not for me.
I’ve had a number of tame turned nasty roosters over the years, and after a few “attitude adjustments,” they stop their attack behavior. Most critters need to know who is Alpha in the group, and that will be me. I will not allow a mean critter on my property. When they try to attack, we battle it out…him with his spurs and beak and me with my boot and a stick. When he finally backs off, I follow him around the yard for about an hour, close enough to keep him moving but not chasing him. Nearly all my roosters only took one lesson, but a few needed a reminder after a few months, This lack of aggressive rooster behavior also keeps my hens calmer. This is not mean or cruel, but a needed lesson for the benefit of my family and the flock.
Loved your article. I also have a rooster, big beautiful dark red with on white tailfeather, that has to be watched closely if you go near him and his ‘women’. He was also tame so I’m wondering if a tame rooster is meaner towards humans because they aren’t afraid of them. He put 2 large puncture wounds in my leg. I’ve always had roosters and they never attacked humans only the bobcat that seems to jump my fence every couple of years or so. This rooster has attacked all my dogs, any people and my potbelly pigs! Everyone on the place gives him and his girls a wide berth and the humans carry a rake. But I do love my roosters and will always have at least one. I currently have two.
I have 10 hen salmon favorelles with one rooster and he is great, however still the hens lose a lot offeathers on their backs. He struts around with them, and checks thinks out by keeping a lookout. I just wish heir feathers on their backs and head would be able to grow. At any rate, he is a great friendly rooster. I really cannot fault a mean rooster, as they make good protectors, however, if he is terrorizing the hens, perhaps should go. Not sure what you meant by terrorizing. Mine have become family, raised from chicks. Ps we had to give one rooster to a nice home with 11 hensas 2 roosters with ten hens were way too much for the hens. Seems about right now, although this guy could use 10 more easily. haha.
I received 12 chicks from a 4-H project. 6 of them were roosters. I gave 5 to a feed store and they sold them. I kept Rooster Cogburn. He didn’t start out mean either but, now, 3 years later, hes mean aggressive, attacks anything that comes into the yard, and also enthusiastic with the ladies, but hes almost two foot and such a beauty. He looks to be barred rock, and his mantle is silver. We do not go into the Chicken yard without a bamboo stick. We can keep him at sticks length this way. heavy pants don’t work with him. The last time he put a golf ball sized bruise on the back of my leg.
Try putting duck tape on the hens backs. It comes off after awhile when the feathers grow back. I also don’t know why I kept him.