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Many new chicken keepers, upon realizing one of their chicks is a cockerel, have gone online to ask “how do I stop my rooster from becoming aggressive?”
I’ve owned many mature roosters, several of which were aggressive, and I’ve had varying levels of success in training them out of it. However, this article isn’t about how to stop a rooster from being aggressive towards people.
This article is about identifying potential aggressive behavior in roosters and cockerels. In order to train a cockerel out of aggressiveness, you must first be able to recognize the signs of aggression.
Below are pictures and descriptions of possible aggressive rooster behavior and body language to look out for.
First off, we have these three, two of which were cockerels. All of them would puff up their hackles at me and peck my shoes or hands, though they never tried to spur me. The adult rooster (middle) was trained out of this behavior when he was young, though he still often acted cocky around me.
Note the puffed up body, lowered tail, single shoulder dip (body is angled towards the person they are trying to intimidate, one shoulder, facing the person, is down, while the other is up, tail is sometimes cocked towards you), and lowered head. To identify this body language, it also helps to observe roosters/cockerels interacting with each other.
A rooster challenging another rooster.
See his sharply angled body, spread tail, loose hackles, and intent focus on his opponent? This is the body language of a challenger. If a rooster directs this body language towards a person, he is treating them as an opponent. Also note the differences in body language from the challenging rooster and the uninvolved one closest to the camera.
Of the two roosters above, one is the cocky bantam mentioned before, and the other a rooster who often tried to spur me and would seek me out to attempt to spur or peck me.
This rooster usually waited for me to make the “first move”, though he considered me stepping forward or moving in any fashion to be a “first move”. Notice how, in the first picture, he is in a ready-to-attack stance, with his body sloped downwards, his shoulder dipped, and his eye on me.
That same rooster— can you see the difference in his body language from the other two roosters?
In the first picture, his hackles are loose and his tail and head are down. In the second one, his body is sloped downwards, he has his eyes on me, and his hackles are slightly puffed up. He is waiting for a response. I’ve noticed that aggressive roosters will creep up to you, pecking at the ground the whole time. However, if you watch them closely, you’ll see that they aren’t paying attention to what they’re pecking at. They’re staring intently at you while sort of “pretending” to peck at their feet. It’s a behavior that even hens will do each other before an attack (watch your hens during a tense moment and you may see them do it). This behavior is not to be mistaken with the food call roosters do for the hens, where they make a few calls and raise their heads, not paying any attention to you.
The wing shuffle, also known as the wing dance or the side step.
Notice how the hen in the 2nd picture has her tail spread, something less noticeable in roosters but still a sign of dominance/challenge. The wing shuffle is usually either a challenge or a greeting. It’s not a definite sign of aggression, but if a cockerel starts to do it to a person he should be watched carefully for any other aggressive behaviors.
Raising hackles is always done as a challenge.
Some roosters will raise their hackles but not go through with their threat. However, if a cockerel raises his hackles at you, expect him to start displaying more aggressive behaviors.
A few examples of non-aggressive approaching behavior.
These roosters just want some food. This behavior should be practically identical to a hen wanting food.
Examples of non-aggressive body language.
Notice how the roosters are interested in what they’re pecking at on the ground, not me. Their hackles aren’t puffed up at all. While their bodies are sloped downwards, they’re obviously staring at the ground, and actually stretching their necks to pick up some food, instead of just making a show of picking at the ground. They aren’t focused on me. No shoulder dip.
A non-aggressive rooster looking at me while I take his picture.
Keep in mind that a rooster looking at you/paying attention to you is not a sign of aggression. It’s their body language while they look at you that gives away their intent. This rooster has a relaxed posture and isn’t displaying any threatening body language.
I wish I had some videos to add to this article, but, sadly, I don’t have any roosters anymore. If you have a video of aggressive rooster body language that you’d be willing to add to this article (with credit, of course), please message me.
Many new chicken keepers, upon realizing one of their chicks is a cockerel, have gone online to ask “how do I stop my rooster from becoming aggressive?”
I’ve owned many mature roosters, several of which were aggressive, and I’ve had varying levels of success in training them out of it. However, this article isn’t about how to stop a rooster from being aggressive towards people.
This article is about identifying potential aggressive behavior in roosters and cockerels. In order to train a cockerel out of aggressiveness, you must first be able to recognize the signs of aggression.
Below are pictures and descriptions of possible aggressive rooster behavior and body language to look out for.
First off, we have these three, two of which were cockerels. All of them would puff up their hackles at me and peck my shoes or hands, though they never tried to spur me. The adult rooster (middle) was trained out of this behavior when he was young, though he still often acted cocky around me.
Note the puffed up body, lowered tail, single shoulder dip (body is angled towards the person they are trying to intimidate, one shoulder, facing the person, is down, while the other is up, tail is sometimes cocked towards you), and lowered head. To identify this body language, it also helps to observe roosters/cockerels interacting with each other.
See his sharply angled body, spread tail, loose hackles, and intent focus on his opponent? This is the body language of a challenger. If a rooster directs this body language towards a person, he is treating them as an opponent. Also note the differences in body language from the challenging rooster and the uninvolved one closest to the camera.
Of the two roosters above, one is the cocky bantam mentioned before, and the other a rooster who often tried to spur me and would seek me out to attempt to spur or peck me.
This rooster usually waited for me to make the “first move”, though he considered me stepping forward or moving in any fashion to be a “first move”. Notice how, in the first picture, he is in a ready-to-attack stance, with his body sloped downwards, his shoulder dipped, and his eye on me.
In the first picture, his hackles are loose and his tail and head are down. In the second one, his body is sloped downwards, he has his eyes on me, and his hackles are slightly puffed up. He is waiting for a response. I’ve noticed that aggressive roosters will creep up to you, pecking at the ground the whole time. However, if you watch them closely, you’ll see that they aren’t paying attention to what they’re pecking at. They’re staring intently at you while sort of “pretending” to peck at their feet. It’s a behavior that even hens will do each other before an attack (watch your hens during a tense moment and you may see them do it). This behavior is not to be mistaken with the food call roosters do for the hens, where they make a few calls and raise their heads, not paying any attention to you.
The wing shuffle, also known as the wing dance or the side step.
Notice how the hen in the 2nd picture has her tail spread, something less noticeable in roosters but still a sign of dominance/challenge. The wing shuffle is usually either a challenge or a greeting. It’s not a definite sign of aggression, but if a cockerel starts to do it to a person he should be watched carefully for any other aggressive behaviors.
Raising hackles is always done as a challenge.
Some roosters will raise their hackles but not go through with their threat. However, if a cockerel raises his hackles at you, expect him to start displaying more aggressive behaviors.
These roosters just want some food. This behavior should be practically identical to a hen wanting food.
Notice how the roosters are interested in what they’re pecking at on the ground, not me. Their hackles aren’t puffed up at all. While their bodies are sloped downwards, they’re obviously staring at the ground, and actually stretching their necks to pick up some food, instead of just making a show of picking at the ground. They aren’t focused on me. No shoulder dip.
Keep in mind that a rooster looking at you/paying attention to you is not a sign of aggression. It’s their body language while they look at you that gives away their intent. This rooster has a relaxed posture and isn’t displaying any threatening body language.
I wish I had some videos to add to this article, but, sadly, I don’t have any roosters anymore. If you have a video of aggressive rooster body language that you’d be willing to add to this article (with credit, of course), please message me.
