Rooster Behavior

[CrossBreederForFun]

So do you think I should continue my time with him and let the pecks slide as normal? What should I do if he ever "attacks"

Some roosters are just not aggressive and will accept your presence without confrontation. But the others are as you say, are "roosters", and becoming top dog is their nature. In flocks where two or more roosters seem to get along without constant confrontation, those roosters have already established a pecking order in their initial confrontations while maturing together and they all know their place. They all tried to be top dog, but only one came out on top.

The same happens in their relationship with humans. Yes, there are exceptions and I'm sure there are stories about roosters with whom some of us have been buddies. But those are the exceptions. Mostly we just get lucky finding a non-aggressive rooster.

While it may be possible that you can be "friends" with a rooster, a relationship with a rooster that really wants to be top dog in your relationship isn't going to turn out that way. They aren't humans and are not likely going to respond to loving touches and affection. I've read that trying to befriend them actually precipitates more aggressive behavior since they see you as weak and someone they can dominate. These roosters don't understand affection. Chicken whispering won't work. They just understand a pecking order. So you have to establish that you are the top dog. And you can do that in a way they can understand without being mean. When they show aggression, even the initial pecking as they mature, don’t wait, respond immediately with authority as suggested in other comments, not affection. If they continue to show aggression, somehow pick them up firmly and hold them down to the ground. And hold them there for a while so it registers to them that you are in control. Hold their head down to the ground at the same time. I'm not saying grind their head into the dirt. Just confine and hold them down. The sooner you start this discipline the better. After doing this several times you may succeed in teaching a rooster to respect you as the boss and not try to usurp your place in the flock. Works for me. And no one gets hurt.

Note that my comments refer to what I have boldened and underlined above, not to every rooster. To some, his may sound harsh, or just plain not nice, but it does work and the prime benefit is that no one, the chicken, or you, or your children, gets hurt.

 

[CrossBreederForFun]

So do you think I should continue my time with him and let the pecks slide as normal? What should I do if he ever "attacks"

Some roosters are just not aggressive and will accept your presence without confrontation. But the others are as you say, are "roosters", and becoming top dog is their nature. In flocks where two or more roosters seem to get along without constant confrontation, those roosters have already established a pecking order in their initial confrontations while maturing together and they all know their place. They all tried to be top dog, but only one came out on top.

The same happens in their relationship with humans. Yes, there are exceptions and I'm sure there are stories about roosters with whom some of us have been buddies. But those are the exceptions. Mostly we just get lucky finding a non-aggressive rooster.

While it may be possible that you can be "friends" with a rooster, a relationship with a rooster that really wants to be top dog in your relationship isn't going to turn out that way. They aren't humans and are not likely going to respond to loving touches and affection. I've read that trying to befriend them actually precipitates more aggressive behavior since they see you as weak and someone they can dominate. These roosters don't understand affection. Chicken whispering won't work. They just understand a pecking order. So you have to establish that you are the top dog. And you can do that in a way they can understand without being mean. When they show aggression, even the initial pecking as they mature, don’t wait, respond immediately with authority as suggested in other comments, not affection. If they continue to show aggression, somehow pick them up firmly and hold them down to the ground. And hold them there for a while so it registers to them that you are in control. Hold their head down to the ground at the same time. I'm not saying grind their head into the dirt. Just confine and hold them down. The sooner you start this discipline the better. After doing this several times you may succeed in teaching a rooster to respect you as the boss and not try to usurp your place in the flock. Works for me. And no one gets hurt.

Note that my comments refer to what I have boldened and underlined above, not to every rooster. This may sound harsh, or just plain not nice, to some, but it does work and the prime benefit is that no one, the chicken, or you, or your children, gets hurt.

 

[SherylTingley]

I think that is the way of roosters. Mine was very sweet and friendly before he went though "puberty". Then suddenly he was no longer my new best friend and just did his job which is to protect the hens. I think it is normal unfortunately

 

[lovemybuffy]

I've only owned chickens for a little over a year but in that time, the 1 rooster we have went the same route. At first I was able to pick him up and pet him. As he became more roostery he became more aggressive. Would peck me when I'd pet him. Eventually he started doing his kick jump and attack with his talons. It got to the point where I just don't go near him unless I have a stick. I can still be in the vacinity of him but if I turn my back he'll attack. We still have him a year later but are looking for ways to get rid of him. Unfortunate but I think that's just their natural instict

 

[MaeIstrom]

My God people are overthinking this. If a rooster attacks you do exactly what any other rooster would do in your situation, kick the #%^ out of it and chase it around the pen for 5 minutes in a fit of rage. Problem solved. Permamently. This is exactly what the winning rooster does in a fight and exactly what the rooster understands. As others have noted they don't have primate brains and they don't understand primate concepts like petting, being carried around or being held down. Obviously don't kick hard enough to injure, just hard enough for both of you to remember which one is the giant killer ape that happens to be the apex predator of the planet and which one is a comparatively tiny bundle of feathers. In fact with timing and practice you can master the tap down where you pivot your foot down from your ankle onto the roosters chest as he comes towards you and gets slammed down on his back which allows him to feel your strength without a potential bruising impact from your toes.
Incidentally, I haven't had to get physical with a rooster in years because having the capacity to be violent establishes an aura of authority that means you rarely have to. I do have to give the odd week-old chicken a two-fingered thwack which again, doesn't injure just lets them feel how outmatched they are and that you won't tolerate aggression.

 

[Chicken6000]

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.
View attachment 3629751

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/

He is less than a year old, he stopped the pecking around a few weeks ago, he Is doing fine and Is not mean

 

[Red Mangrove]

Every single aggressive rooster I've ever encountered was imprinted on humans. I've had many exotic and basic breeds of rooster over the years and not a single one has ever been aggressive when it was broody raised and not treated like a pet

 

[Folly's place]

'Sweet and friendly' can become human aggression when that very bold cockerel hits puberty! I also think that broody raised cockerels, in a flock with mature birds, tend to grow up smarter and better socialized.
Bad actors do happen though, because it's a genetic story, not only management. And the bad boys we've had didn't respond to any 'retraining' of any sort.
Mary

 

[rod5591]

What I do with my roos is, while they are still young, move right up to them, put your hands on your hips, lean forward, and move forward, getting into his space, and making him move away from you. You just have have to do this a few times, and he will then move away from you, and won't dare to attack you. It works like a charm.

 

[knurse1]

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.

My daughter had a rooster: that started outbthi@ samethen one day he sudddenly attaacked her.so just be careful a he matures.