I may have finally "broke" my crazy cock

[Weetamoo93]

I know there are a lot of threads for aggressive roosters/cocks, so here's my experience thus far with my own and how it seems that I've "fixed" his attitude.

Last April I got my starter flock as day old chicks consisting of six females and one male. My endeavor is that these are the start of a self sufficiency breeding program. I've since learned that a single male was an error on my part as I had no others to choose from and select against him. All seven were peaceable and the then cockerel nonconfrontational.

Until about six or so months ago when I suppose he hit cockerel puberty and decided I was his rival. Worse yet, my toddlers were adversaries. It had turned into a game of keeping him away from my two toddlers and watching our backs. He put himself on the future gumbo list, but I needed a replacement.

I have NEVER backed down from his challenges and rarely reacted in violence unless he happened to sneak and get too close to the kids. Yes, I KNOW THIS IS BAD and I became hyper aware of his location during their brief daily free range period.

I looked up how to deter this behavior. I tried picking him up and walking around with him. I tried locking him up while I let the others out. I tried pinning him down like a rival. Most stinted the challenges, but nothing ever fully stopped them.

Until possibly today. Today he went about his usual challenge and I had it because it was just an altogether crummy day and I was already exhausted. I'd already figured I could thwart him by putting my hand directly in his face. So today I swiftly pat him repeatedly on his comb area, softer than needed to dribble a basketball. His lack of bifocal vision meant he couldn't see my "assaults" coming and could not effectively counter my "attack". He tried to back away, but backed into a corner. I continued to pat him on his head. He made a couple vain attempts to hop at my hand, but could not effectively aim and managed a sad flounder at the air. Then I pinned him down with my hand applying just enough pressure to keep him on the ground. He writhed free and walked away. This time when I followed, he did not turn around and instead retreated faster.

He tried twice more to challenge me, and each time I pat him on the head until he retreated without looking back.

When my daughters came out to blow bubbles, he walked up as usual to check things out. I stood up, snapped my fingers at him and told him firmly to go. He ran away, but this time to look for cover. He ran under a bush when I simply walked up to him snapping my fingers. The next time I walked up to him and the hens to get them more water, he initially retreated, then ducked his head and spread his wings like a hen submitting to a rooster.

Make no mistake, the little turd is still on the cull list, but I need to breed his replacement. I do not advocate breeding cocks that have proved to be aggressive, but I do not currently have any other option than to wait for a hen to go broody and raise enough chicks to select a replacement from. I may even content with one little cockerel and gamble it's better than he. I am not reluctant to kill this son-of-a-hen; I'm just reluctant to leave his role vacant when it is so critical to my starting breeding. Can't have chicks without a cock.

I'm going to keep this thread updated on if this now submissive behavior holds and how often I have to reaffirm my dominance. But I was pretty shocked at how well this fairly nonviolent method worked.

Photo of Bazil Bones, aka "Little Turd".

 

[Weetamoo93]

Day 2:

I let the birds out for their daily free range and emptied the compost in their run. I waited around a bit as usual and he ignored me until I started to walk away. He waited until I was fast enough to do a "sneak attack". I'd been watching him, of course, and turned to thwart him. He didn't have the usual gusto, but neither did he back away when I snapped my fingers. So I repeated my patting excercise from yesterday, forcing him to back up as I pat his head. He made a few attempts to hop up and almost fell on his back when I went down for another pat.

After backing him past the run, I stopped. He was fuming, huffing loudly with his neck fluffed out. He stepped aside and I stepped after him. He did not run but turned to me again. So I started patting him again and then pinned him down with one hand. He gave a loud squawk and writhed free. This time when I followed him he kept his head low and his pace quick. I returned to the house.

I came out later for more chores. This time when we crossed paths, he lowered his head. He started walking loosely in the direction of the kids and I snapped my fingers at him. He stopped apprehensively. I approached to redirect him and he ducked his head, lightly spread his wings, and retreated without looking back.

So far, so good. I may be able to keep him a while yet. Which is good considering my first clutch failed (some errors on both my part and the broody).

 

[Sally PB]

Hmmmm. I did not think of patting my roo's head as a way of asserting my dominance. I might just try this. Thanks for posting, and I'll be waiting to see what else you do to "Little Turd" to keep him in line.

 

[Tonyroo]

Sounds like a good technique developing, keep it up. I would like to try this someday, but don't have any violent roosters at the moment.
I'll keep a mental note of this.

 

[Weetamoo93]

@Sally PB , it's fairly aggressive patting and more or less in his face depending on how he holds his head trying to find my hand.

I only thought of it since I'd discovered just putting my hand in his face threw him off so much. Really, I was just fed up and doing my best to harass him back.

I hope it works for yours as well! I think pinning him down is a key follow up to the head pats.

 

[Weetamoo93]

Day 3

His one real run at my back was half hearted and I'm fairly certain he was chickening out (pun intended) by the time he was close enough for me to turn. I always am fully aware of where he is, but turn last minute to catch him off guard. There was no angry dance that I'd faced him or his usual huffing in indignation. His stance was more guarded than offensive and when I leaned in for the pat he only looked long enough to avoid before he turned to retreat. I almost got a pat or two in with him swiftly backing away and he made no jumps at my hand in rebuttal. He caught sight of the run door and exited. He glanced back enough to see if I was following, which I did for a brief while, but never attempted to confront me. I walked him under a nearby overhanging tree before letting him be. He rejoined the hens.

Outside time with my toddlers, and he didn't even perform an inquisitive pass. He only came near any of us if he was following the hens or scouting ahead, not that our yard is dangerous but it's something I've observed him do. When he did come near or pass, his stance and walk did not hold the stalking aggression, only vigilance for his hens. He essentially ignored us.

If I remotely approached him, he flared his wings like a curtsy while ducking his head as he turned away. If I continued toward them to redirect them from a given area, he all but lead the party away. While redirecting or following him, I still snapped my fingers to keep that as a command to back off.

Edit: went to check on my broody to see if either of my last two eggs were a) hatching and b) if she looked anxious and murderous. It's in their run under their coop, but completely enclosed with hardware cloth. Only place I could get her to settle and brood.

As I entered, there was bump against the very bottom of my foot. I turned and sure enough, it was Baz with his weakest attack yet. It was more like he was reminding me he was there and we were in his house then an attack, like a tap on the shoulder. I think he stepped against my foot or pecked at it. As soon as I turned to determine what had happened, he was stepping back and at the slightest motion toward him, he retreated fully with barely a backwards glance.

We're getting somewhere for sure. We'll see how much he settles in time.

 

[Weetamoo93]

Day 4

Released the chickens for their evening run and usual offering of whatever food scraps are in the compost. Baz is looking calmer in general and less like he's waiting for me to turn. He did a half run at me, but backed off to fast even for me to threaten him with pats. Even so, I snapped my fingers in his face until he had fully retreated which was much swifter. He never even took an offensive stance. I think he's testing my resolve to keep him submitted. He has no idea how gentle I'm being.

Afternoon time with the toddlers (yes, this is daily) and we had more encounters with him as the back where they usually reside during free range was being mowed. He did get uncomfortably close to the older child at one point when I was taking care of the younger, but looked more to be testing the "new" boundaries I have set than looking for trouble. Given his history, it was not too be tolerated or taken lightly. When I noticed him, I quickly approached, snapping my fingers and he hastily retreated. Problem was he attempted to retreat past both me and the toddler to hide under the nearby car. I cut him off and gently bat him aside. Unfortunately, he was pretty set on retreating beneath the car, so he tried a crazy roundabout to do so. His feathers were slicked down so I know there was nothing offensive about his tactic at all. I grabbed him by the tail, which incited loud squawks of protest and alarm and a bit of the submitting posture, and picked him up. I held him for a short time because he was a writhing mess. I set him down rather unceremoniously and he all but fled.

The next time he passed a little close, admittedly following his ladies, I clapped my hands loudly and he eagerly led the retreat. As soon as the mowing was complete, they all went to the backyard.

He seems to be settling into his "new" position with it's "new" boundaries with only small minor tests of my will now. I'd say he's almost fully "broke" now.

 

[Weetamoo93]

Day 5

We had a bit of a rebound, which I was fully expecting. It's not like a dominant animal to surrender. The chickens went out for their free range and he tried me a couple times. His resolve is still diminished on the whole, but in his cockiness he decided to test mine.

When I snapped my fingers at him the first time, he didn't slip so much into the defensive posture or turn from me. I forced him to back away, but I could tell he wasn't finished. I started to walk away and he waited some time before attempting the sneak attack. He did his angry dance and huffed loudly. I clapped at him versus snapping for extra emphasis and he hopped at my hand. Wrong move, buddy. I started patting at his face, forcing him to back away. He was certainly more spunky and hopped in vain at my hand a few times. So I pinned him to the ground, gently forcing his beak to the earth. But there was no squawk this time.

I released him to walk back to the house. Again, he tried a little run. He is definitely chickening out as he nears, like he's hesitating towards the very end. Still, that's not sufficient, so I pat him on the head and forced him back before grabbing and holding him. The fight in him was gone because he did not struggle whatsoever. This was the most calm he has been while held. I stood where he could observe the hens and I could continue to interact with my kids who had since come outside. When I set him down, he ran into the backyard without a second glance.

Any other time he drew near he quickly backed down and away at my approach and readily retreated if I pursued. There was at least one occasion that he resumed the old habit of stalking us, but it was abruptly ended when I redirected him with ease back to the hens.

The hens, on the other hand, aren't entirely helping with the situation because they've suddenly decided to hang around closer to the front yard while we're outside. And coincidentally that incites the toddlers to want to "go pet the chickens" and I have to stop them from chasing the hens. Bad cock or not, I wouldn't allow them to chase the birds anyhow.

As an aside, I had read a thread yesterday where several members seemed to agree this is fairly normal behavior from a young cock in his first year or two. It made me consider that his behavior may be accentuated by the fact that all my birds just turned one year and so there were no older birds to set an example or enforce any kind of manners in the flock dynamic. Which has me wondering if I should give him a bit longer leeway in being trained so that it will potentially ward future issues.

I realize that cock disposition is partially genetic, so he may just have some "bad blood" so to say that will need to be carefully bred out of the flock. Easier said than done, especially given the small numbers I am currently working with.

 

[Weetamoo93]

Day 6

Initially, today was going really well. I let everyone out while the kids were outside and Baz ignored us. He gave us all a passing glance and went out with the hens to the back.

However, we had an altercation due to a rather ridiculous scenario that just spelled trouble. I knew exactly where it was going as the whole thing played out. All the but one hen had passed by the children and I via their usual route behind a bush and along the fence. It passes right by the play area of our swings, slide, etc. Baz had decided to investigate the other side, pushing the boundary of stalking again. I went to correct him and the last hen ran around the bush along their usual route. No big deal. Unfortunately, my kids took their play to that side as well. Baz went to follow his hen, but I can't trust him to pass the children given his history, so I attempted to escort him. His understanding was that I was getting between him and the hens. I'm not making excuses for his behavior, but I get where his outburst came from.

He hopped up and scratched at me which prompted the patting treatment, pinning to the ground, and subsequently picking him up. He surrendered in my arms to being held, which I held him for a good while. I also used the opportunity to blunt his spurs, something I do regularly given his attitude. Upon release he walked away in quiet indignation to his hens.

Later I stepped out to check on the extension to the run my husband was working on. Baz ran up to challenge me once I see around the coop with my back to him. He didn't hesitate to run all the way to me for his angry dance. So pat at his face. I realized "pawing" may more accurately describe my action. He attempted a rebuttal, so I pinned him down. Once he refused to cease writhing, I let him up and followed him in his retreat to reinforce my dominance.

I put them away without incidence prior to leaving for church and let them out without issue when we returned.

However, when I went out for the evening to gather clothes from the line, he stalked up from the coop with that offensive stance. I approached, snapping my fingers and verbally commanding "Go". He did not attack or retreat, standing his ground defiantly. I reached down and pawed at his face, forcing him back. He gave a few hops at my arm, huffing loudly, neck flared. I have my timing down so that I almost push him onto his back. We were in open yard, so there was nothing to back him into, but I kept at it until he suddenly dropped into a crouch, brought his feathers tight to his body, and retreated. I walked after him all the way to the coop before returning to my laundry.

Hopefully today was a fluke, but he isn't doing himself a favor. I'm only reluctant to cull him before I have a replacement and I can tolerate him as long as his issue stays with me alone. I don't expect this to work a miracle on him, but to at least subdue him for the time being. I don't want to dilute my Partridge colors by resorting to a Barred Plymouth cock and I don't know the next time I'll be able to order the minimum chicks to acquire new stock from a hatchery.

 

[Weetamoo93]

I wasn't home for day 7, so...

Day 8

Due to weather, rather than move them into their tractor, I gave the chickens an extra free range period as my tractor is not well equipped to keep them dry. I let them out and Baz more or less went on his merry way for a bit. He made a run at me, so I turned to give him his pats, forcing him back towards the coop and run until he dropped fully from the offensive into almost a crouch to slink away. I followed him occasionally patting at him for additional reinforcement until he had retreated under a branch. I could've easily reached him, but my point had already been made.

My kids and I went outside not too much later and, while the chickens didn't necessarily stay away, he did not give us any trouble either. If he came a little too close for comfort, he was easily persuaded in another direction so long as it was not away from all the hens. I put them back in the run at their usual time with a treat of banana peels without incidence.

For their usual afternoon free range, he did require another short of patting, but more readily submitted. The children came out yet again and when I went to demonstrate the technique to my husband, Baz turned from me so that I could not fully show what I did. My husband prefers a nerf sword, but I'm finding my method much more successful. Perhaps because it's more in line with how two cocks may confront each other and force the loser to retreat.

We were all capable of approaching the coop and run to discuss an expansion of the run without him stalking us or displaying any aggressive or assertive behavior. A hen or two walked up to us to check for treats, not that I give them any aside from scratch in the tractor setup and compost in the run. It seems the flock dynamic is changing now that I've asserted dominance over Baz. They were not quite so friendly before, so perhaps his overall demeanor is shifting into a more humble cock.

Neither Baz nor I avoid each other or seek the other during free range so outside time is becoming more relaxed for all parties. I have a small budding hope that I can keep him for a few years yet rather than replace him ASAP. I would think having an established role of cock in the flock would benefit future flock dynamics.