Rooster Behavior

[21hens-incharge]

This article is worth reading.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dealing-with-and-taming-aggressive-roosters.74600/

 

[AidKD]

Thanks for the help, one more question, what exactly do you mean by "once you establish that you aren't trying to take his flock"?

When you start feeding the hens treats and paying them attention, he may think you're trying to take away his girls, but once you start doing it more often and still letting him lead, he'll see that you're not up to anything other than just being apart of the group.

 

[SourRoses]

Pecking is a chickens way of trying to hurt you. It's not a kiss. He doesn't like you, because he's a jerk.
It's pretty much a rule that the boldest chicks seem the friendliest, they grow up to be boys and turn out to be mean boys.
9/10 of the aggressive rooster posts we get are about someone's favorite, pet chicken.
In human terms you generously gave him love, in a way that similar social predator species like dogs can understand.
But to a birds understanding, you acknowledged his superiority, and he must now punish you when you disrespect his rules.
Do you want to live by his rules? If so, don't touch, look at, or walk near his hens. Don't take his hens eggs. Don't bring food unless it's only for him.
If not, if you have your own ideas about right & wrong, then you only have 2 options.
The least likely to be successful, try to teach him that you are the one in charge. Bird brains don't seem very flexible on this stuff. But you can try. You have to go totally hands off and teach him there's a bubble around you he can not enter. This is accomplished by chasing him out of your bubble until he runs away - not just backs off, but turns away and really runs. You would have to be scary to accomplish this. Most people hate the idea. But most people also get spurred by a rooster that has pecked them, and they progressively, reliably get worse.
The other option, the best bet for peace in your chicken keeping, is to get rid of him, either into a pot or to a different home.

 

[AidKD]

Pecking is a chickens way of trying to hurt you. It's not a kiss. He doesn't like you, because he's a jerk.
It's pretty much a rule that the boldest chicks seem the friendliest, they grow up to be boys and turn out to be mean boys.
9/10 of the aggressive rooster posts we get are about someone's favorite, pet chicken.
In human terms you generously gave him love, in a way that similar social predator species like dogs can understand.
But to a birds understanding, you acknowledged his superiority, and he must now punish you when you disrespect his rules.
Do you want to live by his rules? If so, don't touch, look at, or walk near his hens. Don't take his hens eggs. Don't bring food unless it's only for him.
If not, if you have your own ideas about right & wrong, then you only have 2 options.
The least likely to be successful, try to teach him that you are the one in charge. Bird brains don't seem very flexible on this stuff. But you can try. You have to go totally hands off and teach him there's a bubble around you he can not enter. This is accomplished by chasing him out of your bubble until he runs away - not just backs off, but turns away and really runs. You would have to be scary to accomplish this. Most people hate the idea. But most people also get spurred by a rooster that has pecked them, and they progressively, reliably get worse.
The other option, the best bet for peace in your chicken keeping, is to get rid of him, either into a pot or to a different home.

Not trying to be disagreeable, but I don't really agree with this. I've raised alot of roosters from the egg and I've always tries to devote lots of attention to them. I've had a couple roosters get aggressive as they get older, but I've been able to work it out of them and build trust. I don't think people give chickens enough credit for being smart. I'd much rather work for a trustful relationship where we both understand each other rather than him being afraid of me and never coming near me.

 

[SourRoses]

Not trying to be disagreeable, but I don't really agree with this.

I know you don't agree from previous threads. It's fine to have different opinions, in the end the op has to make a judgment call for themselves and then experience will either prove or disprove it.

According to my spotty memory, you have been trying to train chickens like mammals. I really don't think that works. Not because they have no intelligence, but because our mammalian way of processing is different.
I believe that birds learn early and permanently, so it's like trying to teach a parrot or a cockatoo not to swear after the fact

Our human willingness to understand differing motives is also limited. To a rooster, his status in the flock is more important than food or pain. I say this on the basis that a rooster demoted from flock leader will often stop eating and give up and die within a relatively short period.
So once their ego is built up and a human is considered lower than them, there's really nothing you can give them that's more alluring than beating you down.

Being an animal lover requires recognizing who they really are, rather than what we want them to be. Sometimes that also means responding in a way they can understand, even if to us it is not pleasant.

At this point in the chicken keeping community, so many have tried and failed to reform aggressive roosters, that the burden of proof is on anyone claiming they can do it.
I think widely acceptable proof would require a timelapse video showing the before & after with a 1-year follow-up post reformation.
In the follow-up at least, it would be great to see the chicken keeper behaving normally around the rooster, without tiptoeing around him or giving specific attention not required by a never aggressive rooster.

 

[AidKD]

I know you don't agree from previous threads. It's fine to have different opinions, in the end the op has to make a judgment call for themselves and then experience will either prove or disprove it.

According to my spotty memory, you have been trying to train chickens like mammals. I really don't think that works. Not because they have no intelligence, but because our mammalian way of processing is different.
I believe that birds learn early and permanently, so it's like trying to teach a parrot or a cockatoo not to swear after the fact

Our human willingness to understand differing motives is also limited. To a rooster, his status in the flock is more important than food or pain. I say this on the basis that a rooster demoted from flock leader will often stop eating and give up and die within a relatively short period.
So once their ego is built up and a human is considered lower than them, there's really nothing you can give them that's more alluring than beating you down.

Being an animal lover requires recognizing who they really are, rather than what we want them to be. Sometimes that also means responding in a way they can understand, even if to us it is not pleasant.

At this point in the chicken keeping community, so many have tried and failed to reform aggressive roosters, that the burden of proof is on anyone claiming they can do it.
I think widely acceptable proof would require a timelapse video showing the before & after with a 1-year follow-up post reformation.
In the follow-up at least, it would be great to see the chicken keeper behaving normally around the rooster, without tiptoeing around him or giving specific attention not required by a never aggressive rooster.

I do see what you're saying. Animals are animals. They only understand so much and they have their instincts. They're animals. And don't get me wrong, I do enjoy chickens and a few other animals, but I am not at all an animal lover. I don't want cats in my yard, dogs closer than 5 feet from me, and I'd just as soon shoot some certain ones than let them get closer than 10. I breed my chickens to be sustainable, meaning they need to learn the ropes themselves, they don't need my help. I have had to butcher a few roosters I couldn't work the aggression out of. But if I have the opportunity to give one of my roosters a chance, then I will. They're taught right from the beginning what kind of behaviour is acceptable and what is not. I think it's important to give young roosters a chance to get older and recognize who you are as part of the group. Now if op had said that he was dealing with a 4 year old mean rooster I'd say forget it he'll make a better meal than flock leader. I sincerely hope that op is able to build a trustful relationship with his rooster. It's no fun having to watch your back.

 

[AidKD]

According to my spotty memory, you have been trying to train chickens like mammals.

I don't really know what you mean?

 

[Folly's place]

Here cockerels need to pay attention to their flockmates, and stay out of my path. I am the Giant Who Brings Food, not another chicken! And I agree with @SourRoses that chickens are not puppies of kittens, and need to be respected for who they are. Often those 'friendly' cockerels are just bold, and then are willing to take on humans as they mature. Never have we been able to 'reform' a human aggressive rooster! Really difficult roosters get sneakier, and wait for better opportunities to attack. Also, if you convince one to avoid you, this doesn't translate into 'safe with all humans', so other people will be attacked anyway.
Our first rooster, a little 1.5# bantam, flew up to my eye level every day planning to kill me! I carried a weapon every day, and figured out that life is just too short to put up with this dangerous tiny jerk. never again! Since then we tried reforming difficult cockerels, every method, and never changed any of them enough to be comfortable around people.
Remember that their brains are a lot smaller than those testicles! It's not only management, it's genetics, and having a peaceful flock that's a pleasure to have.
The fighting cock people have selected for birds who want to kill each other, and are human friendly, safe to be around. Genetics!
Mary

 

[Mrs. K]

One of the thing that happens, is the training is too late. If one does not try and train them long before the aggressive behavior, it is too late to do something once they have started being aggressive.

 

[Shadrach]

Rooster Age: 23 weeks
Rooster Breed: N/A

My rooster has been acting a bit like a police officer lately, I'm sure It is him maturing and turning into a rooster that takes charge and protects the flock/himself. I am a little concerned with him because he is pecking me, he has never pecked me but he did a few times today when I tried to pet him, he pecked my hand. He isn't an aggressive rooster, he lets me pick him up, lets me pet him sometimes, and he doesn't mind when I stand or walk near him. I just want to know If its normal for him to do that, since you know, he Is a rooster. I'm hoping he Is just doing that to protect the flock or maybe he didn't feel like being petted.

Is he a rooster, or is he less than a year old and therefore a cockerel? The age makes a lot of difference in what is and what isn't acceptable behaviour and under what circumstances.
A few basic rules with male chickens.
If he has hens, don't pick them up. If you need to do health checks, take them off the roost at night.
Learn how to hand feed a male chicken. Use a closed fist and feed the treats up you hand preventing his hens from feeding from the top. If you drop a few bits, thats fine but don't let the hens feed from the top of your closed fist.

Don't pick him up. If you get it right now, you'll be able to handle him later in life.

This article may help you.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/