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Originally Posted by Celeste I have two barred rock roosters that are about a year old. They are in the same pen with six hens, and so far, they are not aggressive towards us at all. If treats are involved, they will threaten (but not hurt) each other but not us. I really didn't mean to get but one rooster. I hope I don't have to separate them. So far so good. How old are they when they get as mean as they will get? If they stay like they are, we're ok. At some point, I may give one of them away. |
My Welsummer turned mean around age 1, the Maran is now almost 2. It seems that it takes a while for roos to "come into their own." Once they do that they start testing you, but most people have no clue the rooster is challenging them, so they get away with it and it fuels their "top roo" status.
I went to several chicken sites I think I've linked to before to understand roo behavior, and it really helped prepare me for dealing with aggressive roos.
Interestingly, when I've had 2 roos or more, they seem to focus on each other as threats, but when there is just one, then the human is the threat.
As for eating them, which is something I've just started to do with a few... (No, I don't do "it" myself... to much of a ninny, I have them "done" by the Amish)... yes the adult birds can be tougher than young ones, but my crockpot does a great job of braising the meat to a
Nice tender meal.
However, most of my birds are older hens who don't lay as much because they are pets and the thought of eating them is too much for me.
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