Speaking with people who have been terrorized by roosters.
I accidentally ended up with a rooster a couple years ago from a mis-sexed chick, and decided to keep him because I thought he could keep an eye on my little T. rexes while they were foraging. He was socialized like his brood-sisters, so I figured he'd be a decent pet as long as he never became too hormonal.
This bird was the biggest coward I have ever encountered. Any perceived threat- dogs, hawks, people- he would abandon the hens and go tearing across the stable parking lot to dive under a truck. Where he would hide for hours. I caught him one time when he tried to leave the hens to die, and he fluffed himself up while screaming that he was being mauled by a mountain lion.
Every evening when I'd herd the chickens back into their run, River would take off in the opposite direction, screaming, and go hide in the tall grass. Where I would search for a half hour before giving up and deciding he was just going to have to be coyote bait. After sundown he'd be spotted doing laps around the coop, trying to get inside. Our stable’s caretaker would have to drive down the hill from his house to open the door for this dumbass.
He was a Barnvelder- they're not lightweights. I have no idea why he was incapable of basic chicken dignity, much less terrorizing anything. I could describe him as Heihei’s fat twin.
We ended up giving him to one of our caretaker's friends who wanted a breeder that would add weight to his mixed flock's lines. Friend also has small children, so River being completely nonaggressive meant he was perfect for them. He's more of a family pet now.
