How To Train A Rooster To Be Nice
The easiest thing is to start young and prevent your rooster from ever becoming aggressive. Once they become aggressive, it is a lot harder to train them.
Calmness: Roosters will take you as way more of a threat when you aren't calm. Having a stressed out person is the worst thing of all for a rooster. Never hold your rooster when you are stressed out - be calm. Just pick up your rooster, hold him for a little bit, be calm and gentle, don't do anything threatening. Let him know that you aren't going to hurt him or any of his hens.
Threats: Make sure you do nothing threatening towards your rooster. Don't wave your arms in the air around them, don't be loud, try not to run by them, and don't carry large objects while your rooster is near. Don't be rough with them, if you are it could cause him to be aggressive. As stated above, being stressed out is threatening for them.
Tameness: Some say to never tame a rooster because then they will never attack because they are afraid. I always tame my boys. I don't want my roosters to be afraid. I want them to know that I won't hurt them, I do not want my roosters to think I am some scary monster. I recently rescued 2 roosters, 1 is tame, the other is quite afraid. I held the extremely scared one, and out of fear, he attempted to bite me. That is why, I suggest taming them, but also being calm and not threatening towards the rooster.
My Rooster Is Already Aggressive
If your rooster is already aggressive, that is okay. Try all the things listed below. If none work, then he may just remain aggressive, but my boys typically decide to be nice after I try things below.
Calmness: Again, be calm. Never be stressed out around your rooster. Never be threatening in any way. Be gentle, if you are rough then your rooster may attack. (read above for more on calmness)
Threats: As stated above, stress is a huge threat for a rooster. Don't wave your arms, don't be loud, try not to run past your rooster, and don't carry large objects when your rooster is near.
Fear: Your rooster is more likely to attack if your are afraid. So just walk proudly, and of course be calm.
Stand: If your rooster is coming over to attack, don't walk or run away. Stand still and ignore him. He probably won't attack if you do this. Every time your rooster comes over, do this, and he may decide to stop attacking.
Separate Your Rooster From Hens: Separate your rooster from all of his hens. Make sure he can't see or talk to any hens. Keep him in this separate pen for a month, if he isn't nice by then, it probably won't work. Just remember this method takes time and patience. Do not keep him in it for less than a month - 1 month or longer is good.
Ways Roosters Attack
Roosters can be aggressive in different ways. Some peck, others do these things:
Flogging: Flogging is when your rooster jumps up at you, and often spurs you. It is quite painful.
Biting: Some roosters bite. They grab your skin and pull. Usually when you go to pick them up this happens with aggressive roosters. They often break through skin, very painful.
Spurring: Some roosters will try to spur you. They jump up and attempt to stick their spurs into your skin, it hurts. I once had a rooster flog/spur me and their spur got caught in my shoelace, I can assure you it wasn't fun for me or the rooster.
Pecking: Some roosters will just come up and peck your shoe, doesn't hurt much if at all. A lot of the time however, roosters will start with pecking your shoe, then they will start flogging, biting, or spurring as they continue to mature.
