Local animal rescue turns 39 roosters loose together

[ValCoo]

I personally find it difficult to understand why cockerels have an inbuilt need to be aggressive to each other. Can this be bred out of them? Or is that a stupid question?

 

[centrarchid]

I personally find it difficult to understand why cockerels have an inbuilt need to be aggressive to each other. Can this be bred out of them? Or is that a stupid question?

With games, subject of rescue effort, the aggressive behavior is bred in to not stop fighting once started. It can be bred out and has been done many, many times. A large percentage of the existing production and ornamental breeds are derived from game breeds. Gameness is not a viable attribute unless selected for, most of the time but their are wild examples as well. Similar selection for less aggression or simply flightiness has been done repeatedly with many domesticated populations derived from wild ancestors. With some like gamefowl compared to jungle fowl, the gameness (~ aggression but what it is relevant here) has been enhanced through selection.

 

[ValCoo]

Thinking of pit bull terriers - some say that it is the owner not the dog who is at fault if a dogs behaviour is aggressive and uncontrolled. I feel that a pitbull or similar breeds could never be trusted, maybe controlled to some extent. Would the cockerel owner's behaviour have any impact on the cockerel's behaviour i.e can they be "trained" to any extent to curb their aggression? Why I am asking this is that I have 2 cockerels which were hatched from eggs - 1 rather more aggressive than the other but I tend to use a broom to push them around a bit (not roughly) if their behaviour is in any way unacceptable - they appear to have full respect for me as long as I have the broom with me. Maybe I have just answered my own question? I realise 2 is a different kettle of fish to 32 of course.

 

[centrarchid]

Thinking of pit bull terriers - some say that it is the owner not the dog who is at fault if a dogs behaviour is aggressive and uncontrolled. I feel that a pitbull or similar breeds could never be trusted, maybe controlled to some extent. Would the cockerel owner's behaviour have any impact on the cockerel's behaviour i.e can they be "trained" to any extent to curb their aggression? Why I am asking this is that I have 2 cockerels which were hatched from eggs - 1 rather more aggressive than the other but I tend to use a broom to push them around a bit (not roughly) if their behaviour is in any way unacceptable - they appear to have full respect for me as long as I have the broom with me. Maybe I have just answered my own question? I realise 2 is a different kettle of fish to 32 of course.

When dealing with fish, 32 is usually easier to handle in confinement than 2. I work with fish a lot. Which means a species specific impact of confinement. Along same lines, aggression / gameness can be impacted more in some species than others. Dogs / wolves are more flexible than chickens but both can be impacted by experience. The aggression you are concerned with against you by cockerels could be increased by your actions with broom. I have a large number of roosters yet very seldom have them act aggressively towards me although if kept with someone that played dominance games with them, man-fighting would be more likely.

Experience, current environment and current physiological state in addition to genetics can impact how individuals and groups behave.

 

[ValCoo]

Don't agree that action with the broom made him more aggressive as I had no choice as this cockerel flew at me and others continually. I did spend a lot of time ignoring the behaviour and not "playing dominance games" after all it is a small creature compared to a human. I would walk the long way around it to avoid it. For some reason the other cockerel chased it off if it flew at me, it is much less aggressive. If my subdued behavior had worked I would have been very pleased but the cockerel became more aggressive rather than less. I don't think I appeared to be a threat in any way - (in my own view). I just noticed that when I cleaned the coop etc they seemed to accept me being there as long as I was cleaning. I discovered the presence of the broom had a calming effect, by chance.

 

[centrarchid]

Don't agree that action with the broom made him more aggressive as I had no choice as this cockerel flew at me and others continually. I did spend a lot of time ignoring the behaviour and not "playing dominance games" after all it is a small creature compared to a human. I would walk the long way around it to avoid it. For some reason the other cockerel chased it off if it flew at me, it is much less aggressive. If my subdued behavior had worked I would have been very pleased but the cockerel became more aggressive rather than less. I don't think I appeared to be a threat in any way - (in my own view). I just noticed that when I cleaned the coop etc they seemed to accept me being there as long as I was cleaning. I discovered the presence of the broom had a calming effect, by chance.

Good detail in descriptions.


1st bold. You were being submissive so he decided to make sure you stayed that way.

2nd bold. You do not have to be perceived as a threat, rather sometimes it is just that you are perceived as competition or an annoyance. You likely swat mosquitos or brush a spider off your arm because it annoys, no real meanness is required.

 

[ValCoo]

Fully understand - your comments are most helpful - thank you.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

.................. Why not support her efforts - everyone on this site send her a tenner to assist in her rescue centre.  More positive thoughts and behaviour  are called for here.

I'll pass on that, but I can send the lady 15 more useless roosters.
Funny thing, I always equated being "rescued" with a fireman rescuing a baby from a burning building or the Coast Guard rescuing somebody from a sinking ship but I never considered that preventing a chicken from performing it's intended purpose to be a "rescue."

 

[ValCoo]

You learn something new
every day so they say.

 

[centrarchid]

You learn something new
every day so they say.

Asking for "psychological" support is good but having rescuer learn form actual keepers of gamefowl is handily the most effective way for rescuer to learn and employ proper husbandry when large numbers of birds are acquired. Admittedly, most to the knowledge source will be skeptical about the rescuers motives but if your efforts are legitimate then that should not stop you.

There is a learning curve and failure to recognize it will cause repeated failures so being skeptical of learning something new everyday does not bode well for your efforts.