How To Raise A Rooster

Our cockerels are pretty much behaving themselves these days. The worst offense we've had recently has been one of them not liking my pink sandals and that was more funny than anything else.

I haven't been letting them mount a hen near me. If they do they get bumped off and told "NO! That's MY hen!" they don't challenge me. The most I get is an indigent and confused cackle from them out of them.

I do like the squirt gun idea, however. Now is a good time to pick up a super soaker at Dollar General's end of summer sale.

Don't let your guard down for a couple of months, watch when giving him your back, I think it's just a matter of consistency, some roosters will just try dominating once and they never do it again, they do calm down and mellow as they get older. Good luck.

@oldhenlikesdogs
Thank you so much for your help and advice I will keep an eye on him. I went out this morning by myself and he was a gentleman i kept up with the rules but don't worry I won't fully trust him for at least a couple months again. I can't believe how smoothly redirecting him has been and I'm afraid to trust it. At about what age should he start mellowing and his hormones level out thereby having less of an effect? I am grateful for all of your help and that his try at dominance was a tiny little peck to my leg(I hope if he tries again in the future it is nothing more than that too) I will keep you posted on how it goes with him and my mother and how he continues to do. I'm still hoping to hatch some of our silver laced wyandotte eggs this spring so I will be interested to see how his sons temperaments may be. That is assuming he doesn't act up and escalate before then.

It might take up to a year, though I judge mine by whether the move away from me when I walk towards them, mine move away with a cackling just like they do with a more dominant rooster, very seldom do I get a rooster who challenges me, it seems to be whether they are handled as chick, it makes them bold a bit confused as to where us humans fit into the pecking order.

As soon as I can identify my roosters I don't handle them and I let them develop a natural fear of me, when I begin to notice them harassing hens I start my training by tossing my can or you can squirt water, or make a sound, whenever they are doing something to make the hens scream, or are doing something I don't agree with, I don't let them come boldly forward for treats. And occasionally I will chase them away.

If your rooster is standing and facing you don't leave until he gives you his back first, it's a little body language, and a lot of confidence, I have seen the tiniest of bantam roosters control a full grown rooster, the more you observe them the more you will start to see the language of the chicken, keep me updated and stay confident, it sounds like yours was just trying out his new found hormones.

Will do thanks again. If you think of anything else please let me know.