Are all roosters mean?

[PipiOli]

I have just one rooster and now only 4 hens (one of my beautiful girls died on Saturday night :-( ).
I don't have a heart to give him back to SPCA because I know that they won't be able to adopt him out and will have to euthanize him at the end.

Do you think I should try to carry him around more often. And not let him intimidate me but show my dominance might actually help. I wouldn't be surprised if he was in puberty.

 

[speckledhen]

I have to say that the first Delaware cockerel I had turned nasty at about 24 weeks old. Was going to rehome him and had a home lined up before he started flogging me (his comb wasn't the best and was already planning to grow out a better one), but canceled that home. Decided that if he was going to end up in someone's crockpot, it might as well be mine. I did not want his aggressive tendencies to be passed on so he became stew. Sometimes, it's just a rooster's lot in life to be dinner. And some deserve it.

 

[PipiOli]

Quote:
Well we have our flock as out pets in backyard, enjoying the eggs but I could never kill any of them for dinner... unless the world is coming to end and I need to feed my dogs...;-) hihi

 

[babalubird]

So far, my 4-month-old 6 roosters (5 barred rocks and one production red) have been very tranquil around us. I had one peck at my foot and I came out of my chair and chased him to maintain dominance from the get-go.

I've developed a new appreciation of roosters and think they get a pretty bum wrap about being mean. We penned our 5 barred rock boys up with the new 3 week old arrivals without any serious reprocussions to give them a little adult protection from small nighttime predators and to begin their flock integration. No deaths or injuries. Pecks were "get outa my way", not the malice to kill or mame.

Do a search on training aggressive roosters and you'll find more info than you would think, one I plan to try should it be necessary, carrying the offending rooster around with you for 30 minutes with his head held down in a submissive position. I suspect this might have to be repeated occasionally as the rooster forgets or rebuilds his confidence to try to challenge you again, but it may be worth a try rather than make him someone else's problem and if you just won't send him to the stew pot.


When you're talking about those long colorful tail feathers though, I wonder if you got one of the fighting breeds or at least has some of that blood in him. Not sure I'd try in that case. One temporarily paralyzed my grandmother's arm one time, pecking her on the elbow nerve a good one. They're tough.

Connie

 

[PipiOli]

Quote:
My rooster has actually never got hold of any of us...yet... I think he is silkie. I might try carrying him around more often. Just catching him cause such a havoc that I feel bad fot stress out the other hens...

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Well we have our flock as out pets in backyard, enjoying the eggs but I could never kill any of them for dinner... unless the world is coming to end and I need to feed my dogs...;-) hihi

He was euthanized to protect the Delaware lines since they are endangered anyway; the worst thing to do is perpetuate an inferior line when they are on the brink of extinction as it is. And, in some sense, the scenario you described just may not be too far off anyway. Times are getting tough all over.

Just remember, aggressive roosters breed aggressive sons. No reason to do that, not ever.

 

[lfreem2]

My 20 week old Speckled Sussex roo is a gentleman. He is not overtly friendly per se (doesn't want me to touch him), but he knows I am boss and is respectful of my space. I have a bit of a gentlemanly agreement with him, in that when I come in with food or a snack, I will give him the first nibble. If I give a hen the first bite of something, I can just see in his face that he is not terribly happy about it, so he and I have come to an understanding of sorts that works for both of us (and I swear I think he gets it! LOL!).

He was sweet and cuddly as a baby just like the others, but while the hens remain friendly and enjoy me petting them, he simply scoots away if I try to pet him. It's perfectly fune and I understand his place.

 

[RHRanch]

I never have mean roosters, and I hatch and raise a lot of chickens. I have well over 100 right now, and 20-25 are probably roosters. Temperment has a lot to do with breeding and how the birds are raised. Sometimes tamed birds can become agressive because they don't have any natural fear of people and they lose thier "respect" for you. I keep all my birds friendly, but make sure I don't make them too tame - I feel it helps me avoid this problem.

 

[teach1rusl]

Honestly, most good homes probably won't want a mean rooster. You can offer him up for someone to eat - I've heard mean roosters make wonderful stew birds

Many roosters out there are wonderful chickens. Because it worked for me, I always advise getting an older rooster (older meaning more than a year old) that is known to be nonaggressive toward people and gentle on hens. You can't deny a proven track record.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I love my roosters. I've had a few kickers and some really sweet ones too. We don't have kids around so I haven't been too concerned.
Your rooster does sound like he just reached sexual maturity. My silkie mixes were not great fliers so hopfully yours doesn't get too high when he flies at you.

I have heard some people use a spray bottle filled with water and just a bit of vinegar. Set it on stream and give him a good spritz when he flies at you. But this might reinforce his view that you are a threat.

Carrying him around might help. But you have to catch him and pick him up, which hopefully he doesn't make too difficult. If he struggles or tries to bite you then gently but firmly pinch the back of his neck.

I have one rooster who is fine when he is free ranging but he will get defensive and occasionally kick when I enter the run, especially when I set down the waterer with the red base. So maybe you will figure out what sets him off and he will see you as less of a threat. Some roosters will be tempted to attack red rubber boots others will attack when they see someone run, unfortunately others will follow the perceived intruder around and wait for said intruder to bend over so they can get a really good kick in.