I had to kick some SERIOUS rooster a_ _ this morning. We had a little "come to jesus" meeting.

[Baggagolers]

I keep reading all these posts about 'MEAN' roosters. I have six roos, three big and three bantam. Yes, they may not all love each other, but they are never mean towards people. I pick them up all the time and they are tame, loving and cuddly. They are pets. Not one mean feather on their heads. I don't understand how so many say they have 'MEAN' roosters.

You'll understand it when you get a "MEAN" one. I've only had one mean one. The only person he didn't go after was my dad. He would go out of his way to go after anybody in the yard. When he knocked down one of the neighbors grandkids we found him a new home.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

I keep reading all these posts about 'MEAN' roosters. I have six roos, three big and three bantam. Yes, they may not all love each other, but they are never mean towards people. I pick them up all the time and they are tame, loving and cuddly. They are pets. Not one mean feather on their heads. I don't understand how so many say they have 'MEAN' roosters.

im going to tell you about a drake (duck) i had

so we had ducks all the time and they were sweet, well, we got 2 khaki campbells (hens) and a drake magpie, the drake, was MEAN, he would chase you and bite you (duck version of flog) and i would have to haul him by his neck and mak ehim go a sailing, never worked tho, hated that duck

so this is the duck version of mean rooster

 

[Kelly G]

Well....I went in there last night and didn't give him any time to decide his behavior. I decided I didn't want to look insecure or unsure, so I went in and snatched him off his roost/perch. I carried him around by his legs in front of his girls and the other rooster/hens in the other pen. He also accompanied me while I did a few horse chores - he really enjoyed helping me fill the water troughs and being upside down in the presence of the horses.

After about 10 minutes, I took him back into his coop/run and tossed him very firmly about 6 feet. He turned his back to me and went to the furthest corner of the run, and I just stood there. After a while he thought he'd like to go join is girls, and I blocked his movement by just shifting my weight forward in his direction. He returned to the far corner with his back to me. I held him there with my presence for another minute, and then I just walked away and went to finish my barn chores.

The barn is mostly out of sight from the chicken coops, but I could hear him crowing repetitively for a good 5 minutes.

I have no idea if this has worked, but I'm not fooling around. I don't want to breed forward any "crabby" jeans One more wrong move, and he's a goner. Every single other rooster I've had has been great....and I still own his brother - who isn't showing a hint of aggression.

I'll update more this weekend.

 

[Kelly G]

I keep reading all these posts about 'MEAN' roosters. I have six roos, three big and three bantam. Yes, they may not all love each other, but they are never mean towards people. I pick them up all the time and they are tame, loving and cuddly. They are pets. Not one mean feather on their heads. I don't understand how so many say they have 'MEAN' roosters.

If you have enough roosters, it will happen. Roosters aren't "mean" - even though both you and I have used the word. They are just being roosters...and some are just more aggressive/defensive/protective than others. Period. I have had many roosters through the years and always counted my blessings that I hadn't had a mean one yet....but it was bound to happen. It's a numbers game. Have enough of them through the years and you'll "understand how so many say they have a "MEAN" roosters."

My chickens are not pets. I don't play with them or pet them (I have horses, dogs, and cats for that). My chickens are a hobby that I enjoy immensely - I love to take care of them and watch them around my barn. I love the sounds associated with chickens - even the crowing. They bring me a ton of pleasure every day. But if I have a problem bird, it will be gone...and I won't think a thing about it.

 

[galanie]

Now you'll want to ease up on the reins a bit, give him his head, and see what happens when he gets over his initial scare.

 

[Kelly G]

Scooping him up in a fish net and then forcing him to the ground may also help - but do you want to do this with his sons and grandsons?

Nope. I don't. If he really just had a bad day and never does this again - he's safe. One more wrong move and he's going to be dinner for an underpriveleged family.

I said it here somewhere already, but I donate all my "extra" roos to a local church that feeds migrant workers and their families. Now, they will get not only my "extras," but also they will get this roo if he doesn't behave.

They come and pick them up and do the "dirty deed" themselves....which I appreciate. I also always send them with tons of eggs .

 

[Kelly G]

Now you'll want to ease up on the reins a bit, give him his head, and see what happens when he gets over his initial scare.

Excellent advice - and I figure that it's the only way to see if he has learned his lesson. I'm hopeful - I really do like him.

I also think that I inadvertantly created his birthday. Each morning, I go and open the pop door and I immediately walk out....I have a lot to do each morning before leaving for work.

I think that my leaving like that, has allowed him to believe that as he comes out the coop door and I leave - he actually believes in his little chicken brain that he chases me off each morning. So I think it's possible I inadvertantly allowed him to think he was chasing me off each morning....and yesterday he had gathered up enough courage to escalate his behavior.

We will see...heading out there shortly. I have a miserable headache today

 

[frogsnchickens]

Hello to every one. I am new to the site. I do so enjoy my chickens. I do not hold them etc. but I do love to watch, care for them etc... I enjoy the eggs for our family and to give to others, however I absolutely can not bring my self to eat one. They seem part of the clan so to speak. ha ha. Any ways all of that being said. I have a small flock. Started with 9 and a rooster. The rooster grew to be enormous. Way larger than the chickens. He was not so mean to me but to everyone else, and preferred to wait until your back was turned to go after you. No one could go in without a stick in hand. After he was becoming a little more aggressive and even started trying me, I had about decided he might have to be given to someone. But let me say that before that could happen, yesterday two coyotes jumped the fence into my chicken coop and my mean, horrible mr. rooster tore at those two, giving the chickens time to get into the coop. He fought and fought and they took him over the other fence into my yard before I could ever get my gun. In the end, they were gone when I came back out, mr. rooster lay dying, not moving only barely breathing. It was very difficult to put him out of his misery. So just to give credit to those mean guys.... they are absolutely JUST doing their jobs. Had he not been in there, I would most certainly not have 9 chickens any longer, maybe none. I will certainly get another roosster now. And have a whole new respect for why they act the way they do, even to people, including me after I have been absent for a few days.

 

[theoldchick]

Every day, when I socialize with my chickens, I make a point to move Stan around. I don't get snooty about it, I simply harden my gaze, make eye contact, and move assertively toward him making my kissy noises. I call it 'coop training for roosters'-my fowl version of round pen training for chickens. If he moves off I may follow him for a second or two. If he doesn't move off he gets a free flying lesson. 99 % of the time he gets out of my way. The 1 % he may think about showing off but quickly changes his tiny little mind when I keep coming for him. If he ever tries the sneak attack he's supper for the family down the road.

I think its neat you have a church nearby which is willing to process the roosters for you! If I had that available, I'd raise meaties just for them!

I will say Stan did have early training by being placed on his side while I held his feet. Again, no anger was involved, the activity was just a training maneuver to create a docile rooster. No extended trips upside down-I'm not sure how long his memory is. Just part of his day for him!

 

[ontimeborzoi]

So, chickenwhisperer...I clicker train dogs. I'm wondering what you click for with the rooster? Whats the first thing you click for, what do you use for a treat, and what is your end goal?