Personally - I have come more and more to the idea that this not a human fault. I think it is genetic, BUT I will say this - I think one needs to look at it from the flip side.
I used to think that the cockerel lost fear and therefore respect from the handling. This caused him to become aggressive.
What I think now, is that people who handle their birds, and look to them as friends and are so deeply disappointed in loosing the friendship, that they post on here, praying for a way to go back to the way it was.
People that never touch their cockerels and I am in the category. I have had many roosters handled this way, and have had three that I culled due to behavior I didn't like. But I never posted about it on here, because there was not the disappointment, I know all along, that some stay in the flock and some do not, and I waited til the bird indicated which way it was going to be. But I didn't feel guilty for my actions toward the bird, how the birds turned out, or for culling the bird.
So to the OP - I don't think it was your fault, it was pre determined. Thank God he did not get an elderly person, my advice, is to remember him fondly, but know you are not going back to that, and cull the bird.
Mrs K
I used to think that the cockerel lost fear and therefore respect from the handling. This caused him to become aggressive.
What I think now, is that people who handle their birds, and look to them as friends and are so deeply disappointed in loosing the friendship, that they post on here, praying for a way to go back to the way it was.
People that never touch their cockerels and I am in the category. I have had many roosters handled this way, and have had three that I culled due to behavior I didn't like. But I never posted about it on here, because there was not the disappointment, I know all along, that some stay in the flock and some do not, and I waited til the bird indicated which way it was going to be. But I didn't feel guilty for my actions toward the bird, how the birds turned out, or for culling the bird.
So to the OP - I don't think it was your fault, it was pre determined. Thank God he did not get an elderly person, my advice, is to remember him fondly, but know you are not going back to that, and cull the bird.
Mrs K
