Reforming an aggressive rooster (project)

[LaurenRitz]

I have a pretty good idea what happened this time, and I should have anticipated it.

I got some meal worms to use as training aids. I gave him some to give to his ladies and he must have liked them a lot, because a few minutes later he came dancing toward me, begging for more. When they weren't forthcoming, he hunched down, gave me that sideways glare, and tried again.

I've seen this before, and it's one reason I prefer not to use food for training. My problem in this case is that he hasn't learned yet to see the treat as a reward for good behavior. Rookie training mistake. I knew better. Part of the problem in this case is the junior teenage monster rooster. The senior rooster starts tit-bitting and junior bird man pushes all the pullets away, grabs the treats and runs. Alternatively, he grabs whichever pullet tries to respond, which again pulls attention away from training...

I don't have any place to isolate him during this process, although I think I need to make the isolation cage a priority until I can figure out a bachelor pad.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I find myself incapable of just standing there and letting a stupid bird give me nasty bruises. Instead, I started walking toward him when he attacks. Not kicking or fighting him, just keep following him until he backs down.

It seems to be working, on some level. Tonight he flew at me but the spurs were not in play. He let me give treats to the ladies without attacking, and just watched as I entered the coop.

Still a lot of work to do, but I consider this progress.

 

[LaurenRitz]

@centrarchid
I have been trying to get the video you asked for, but it's not working. When the camera is out there he's on his best behavior. I suspect that again there's some difference in the way I am acting.

 

[LaurenRitz]

For a while the attacks were happening every time I went out there. They have decreased considerably, with only two attacks in the last week.

A few things I have noticed.

He responds badly when I challenge him directly, facing him down and staring. Not that this is my intent, but he would read it as a challenge.

He responds badly when I put my hands on my hips, especially if I am walking toward him at the time.

I have to keep my head up and not hesitate in approaching him. Head down is a definite trigger. Any form of hesitation is a trigger.

Getting down on his level (bending over, crouching, etc) is also a trigger.

I note that all of these seem to duplicate chicken behavior.

It seems to help if I talk constantly. I have begun to wonder if he can't see well and that's why talking helps.

I know I have not identified all the triggers, and I do not try to kid myself that the process is over. In fact, it has only started.

But good grief, going out there armored twice a day is irritating.

 

[Shadrach]

He responds badly when I challenge him directly, facing him down and staring. Not that this is my intent, but he would read it as a challenge.

Understandable.

He responds badly when I put my hands on my hips, especially if I am walking toward him at the time.

You've got your wings spread and that could be seen as threatening.

I have to keep my head up and not hesitate in approaching him. Head down is a definite trigger. Any form of hesitation is a trigger.

Lowering of the head and pecking at the ground, often moving towards the opponent is pre fight behaviour.

Getting down on his level (bending over, crouching, etc) is also a trigger.

No idea really what that's about.

It seems to help if I talk constantly. I have begun to wonder if he can't see well and that's why talking helps.

Chickens usually make a sound when approach the group. I call it their call sign.
It would be interesting to discover what information is communicated with these calls. One must be their identity and rank. Each chicken knows exactly who the other is and where they are in the heirachy.
I make a call when I go towards chickens and I do that call every time. For some unknown reason that call works well as a calming sound should something have disturbed them. It's like they are listening for confirmation that alls well.
Most creatures like to be talked to. I suppose at it's most basic one could reason that while the mouth is open and making sounds, the teeth aren't sinking into any body parts.

 

[agarnp]

Very interesting. Can you guess the reason for my screen name? One if my roosters, all of whom I had since little chicks and raised, has pecked at my hand twice and broke the skin. I chocked it up to an accident as I was feeding them treats from my hands. Then few days later he was standing on a board that is about knee high, and stretched the distance of about to feet to get my leg. He drew blood again and put a big strach with his beak right above my knee.
So, I called him my evil rooster and named him Lucifer. Sometimes Lucy for short.LOL.
We have a strange relationship. He always comes running to me when he sees me. If I give him treats he will make happy noises.
However I never trust him. I don't want to be wearing shorts anywhere near him.
He does give signs of wanting to attack me but is too big of a chicken to do it head on.
I will talk to him and always keep an eye on him. In a strange way I like this guy and want to keep him.

I know exactly how you feel. I have one of those

 

[LaurenRitz]

No idea really what that's about.

My guess is that it's an extension of fighting behavior. Usually I am doing something like collecting eggs or blocking the coop door open--arms moving, head down.

Chickens usually make a sound when approach the group. I call it their call sign.

Mine usually starts with "Hi, kids."

Thank you for your help. Knowing how he might interpret my behavior makes a huge difference.

 

[centrarchid]

My guess is that it's an extension of fighting behavior. Usually I am doing something like collecting eggs or blocking the coop door open--arms moving, head down.

Mine usually starts with "Hi, kids."

Thank you for your help. Knowing how he might interpret my behavior makes a huge difference.

The crouching gets you down at his level. If you crouch like I do, then it makes your body posture closer to what a chicken has.

My son is currently messing with a graded (mostly) Aseel cock that is from a stock with reputation for being man-fighters. They hit fast and hard so my now eleven-year-old son is apprehensive about getting into pen with the rooster. What sets the rooster off is very subtle as I can move in and out of the pen without issue. My son appears to stare more at the rooster and move more quickly than I do. I am much larger than my 5'8" son although size alone is not the issue as I can get the rooster riled even with me if I move too fast or startle hen / chicks.

 

[Lardson]

This was started on another post. For reference, I have included the initial comment from @triciayoung and my response. Since the post about training roosters belongs to someone else, I have kept only the link and the six steps of the training.

At the bottom of this initial post is my comment from this morning.


But how do you set up that relationship? I've had a rooster for about a month, been spurred multiple times. If I turn my back on him, he attacks. If I face him down, he attacks. If I ignore him, he attacks. This behavior has to stop or he'll end up culled, and that's the last thing I want.

I am pretty certain that retreating will only make matters worse. He attacked from behind once when I opened the pop door, and no way I'd done anything to earn that one.

He objects to me bringing treats, going near his girls or near the coop. Have you ever heard a bird growl? Well, he does whenever I'm in sight.

For the first couple days he was fine, but once he decided this was HIS territory, the truce was over.

He's great with the girls, his reaction to predators is perfect. In all other ways a perfect rooster, and I would like to keep him.

A relationship on those terms would seem to be impossible.

I was out in the coop just now, refilling their water after closing up, and he came down off his roost to growl at the pop door. I don't see any way to establish a "relationship" under those conditions.

Aggressive roosters: How I tame mine with love in 6 simple steps​

Chicken careChicken behavior

6 steps to end your rooster’s aggression

Step 1: When you’re not training your rooster, do not allow him to attack you.​

Step 2: Change your rooster’s dominant/submissive mentality into a partnership

Step 3: Get down at your rooster’s level—communicate through eye contact, body language, and a kind tone of voice.​

Step 4: Reinforce good behavior with food
Step 5: Begin small movements and reward any positive behavior.

Step 6: Teach your rooster not to attack when you’re not training​

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Now, my response from this morning:​

Poor, confused kid. In Rooster, what you're saying is that by showing him I was still willing to fight (not backing down immediately and watching him all the time) I was telling him that our flock positions weren't established yet, but I acted otherwise like the dominant rooster.

I have noticed that there's never any conflict with the younger rooster. The senior rooster completely ignores him. Which made me suspect that I was somehow being chicken-autistic and missing social cues.

So this morning I got all armored up (I feel like that kid in The Christmas Movie) and when they all came out into the run I completely ignored him. He just scuttled out of the way. We'll see what happens tonight.

Thats bad... What breed is this? different breeds of roosters can be aggressive. How old is yours? When they are young they sometimes just need time to mature.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Thats bad... What breed is this? different breeds of roosters can be aggressive. How old is yours? When they are young they sometimes just need time to mature.

He's a Bielefelder, about a year and a half old. None of his brothers show human aggression. The behavior has moderated at this point, apparentlydue to changes in my own behavior. I suspect this will be an ongoing project.