Aggressive rooster

[BigBlueHen53]

My job is to dominate cattle. If cattle don't respect you, they will kill you in a matter of seconds. Roosters are no different.
My job is to dominate cattle. If cattle don't respect you, they will kill you in a matter of seconds. Roosters are no different. Roosters are aggressive animals. It's their job to be aggressive. They evolved to be aggressive. And violence is part of their language. For your rooster to understand you, you need to talk his language.


Beekissed posted this, it works.

I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

This totally makes sense. When I trained dogs in basic obedience I called my methods Dogspeak. This is Roosterspeak, or Roospeak. I believe it will work. I'd like to see this information made into an article, preferably with pictures and examples of before and after roosters that it worked on.

 

[Altairsky]

Yeah this is really great information, but I just copy pasted from someone else's post. I'd like to write such article but my boy is too good and I can't try if the method work. But I'm sure it works because something similar totally works for cattle.
The hardest part is training the owner before training the animal.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The hardest part is training the owner before training the animal.

Absolutely!
Can you credit the original author?

 

[Mrs. K]

A very important point to make, is that if you wait until aggression starts to show up, IMO, it is too late. Once they have the idea that they would like to take you on, they very seldom give that up. They wait, and will catch you bent over or with your hands full.

If your cockerel gives you space from a chick on, as he matures, most of the time, he will move away from you - giving you respect.

And no matter if you do everything Right! You can still get a rooster that is aggressive.

Mrs K

 

[Mycrazyfarm24]

Update: we decided to keep our rooster and see how things would go. We had a fox attack and aerial attack and I think he finally realized what he was protecting his hens from (not us humans!). He has been a good little roo since! We have lots of snow and cold weather and so they've been shut in the coop for a few days now and we even were able to pick him up and put some vetRX on his comb, beak and under his wings and he was calm. My husband and I have been able to feed him by hand also!

 

[Twilia]

My job is to dominate cattle. If cattle don't respect you, they will kill you in a matter of seconds. Roosters are no different.
My job is to dominate cattle. If cattle don't respect you, they will kill you in a matter of seconds. Roosters are no different. Roosters are aggressive animals. It's their job to be aggressive. They evolved to be aggressive. And violence is part of their language. For your rooster to understand you, you need to talk his language.


Beekissed posted this, it works.

I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

I work in the field of rescue/rehab, with RAPTORS. Which probably applies more to a bird, than 'cattle sense'. Honestly, I am not scared of a bird. Stooping to his level? Sick.
You are a caregiver, not a rival, and should act as such.
However, this advice does work to a degree; I have seen it work. But, it has major flaws and breeds a dangerous conflict when that cock sees you in a weak spot later. Like a spiteful commoner, he waits for his "tyrant king" to make a mistake. But only until you fall... Than, he will take advantage of you.
This will not win you "respect", your animal is afraid of you.

Please read this article for more information:

Ask about Roosters: How to Deal with Aggression, Explained.

After realizing the need for clarity, I decided to create an article for those of you who have roos with behavior issues, those thinking about adding one to your flock, or if you are just curious since the issue is natural to come up for each of us in even the most docile of males. It is...

• Twilia
• Mar 21, 2025
• 4.00 star(s) 2 ratings
• Comments: 3
• Reviews: 2
• Category: Member Pages

If you have suggestion, PM me.
take care ; )

 

[Twilia]

I work in the field of rescue/rehab, with RAPTORS. Which probably applies more to a bird, than 'cattle sense'. Honestly, I am not scared of a bird. Stooping to his level? Sick. You make yourself a rival.
You are a caregiver, not a rival, and should act as such.
However, this advice does work to a degree; I have seen it work. But, it has major flaws and breeds a dangerous conflict when that cock sees you in a weak spot later. Like a spiteful commoner, he waits for his "tyrant king" to make a mistake. But only until you fall... Than, he will take advantage of you.
This will not win you "respect", your animal is afraid of you.

Please read this article for more information:

Ask about Roosters: How to Deal with Aggression, Explained.

After realizing the need for clarity, I decided to create an article for those of you who have roos with behavior issues, those thinking about adding one to your flock, or if you are just curious since the issue is natural to come up for each of us in even the most docile of males. It is...

• Twilia
• Mar 21, 2025
• 4.00 star(s) 2 ratings
• Comments: 3
• Reviews: 2
• Category: Member Pages

If you have suggestion, PM me.
take care ; )

 

[Altairsky]

I work in the field of rescue/rehab, with RAPTORS. Which probably applies more to a bird, than 'cattle sense'. Honestly, I am not scared of a bird. Stooping to his level? Sick.
You are a caregiver, not a rival, and should act as such.
However, this advice does work to a degree; I have seen it work. But, it has major flaws and breeds a dangerous conflict when that cock sees you in a weak spot later. Like a spiteful commoner, he waits for his "tyrant king" to make a mistake. But only until you fall... Than, he will take advantage of you.
This will not win you "respect", your animal is afraid of you.

Stop lecturing me all the time, I already told that your method is extremely weak and mine works wonders for me and many other people because it speaks the language of these birds.
Telling me that my good and very respectful rooster is waiting for me to fall is simply ridiculous. You know nothing about my boy therefore you have no right to judge him.
You keep humanizing animals and that's the worst thing an animal trainer can do. Just the fact that you keep denying that imprinted roosters see humans as large chickens is a big flaw to your method.
Over and out. I will not reply to further provocations.

 

[Twilia]

Stop lecturing me all the time, I already told that your method is extremely weak and mine works wonders for me and many other people because it speaks the language of these birds.
Telling me that my good and very respectful rooster is waiting for me to fall is simply ridiculous. You know nothing about my boy therefore you have no right to judge him.
You keep humanizing animals and that's the worst thing an animal trainer can do. Just the fact that you keep denying that imprinted roosters see humans as large chickens is a big flaw to your method.
Over and out. I will not reply to further provocations.

Shh, you can settle down. We obviously see different, which isn't bad. However, your being aggressive. I do not even know you personally and yet you are being rude. I am sorry you feel this is a lecture.

I am not doing you : / I try to help others, which I have much experience doing these days with cases like these. (I do not believe you have even tried my method..?). As a farmer, have animal ethics; These are my values.
Also, I am an animal trainer. I have studied for this. Modern methods of dog training are positive. Science has proved that animals learn things faster this way. I do not humanize animals with our few distinct human traits (where are you getting this anyways?) It would be unwise to deny that humans and animals are vastly similar. That is way we study animals in phycological research.
if you want, you can read my article and I hope this explains things for you:

Ask about Roosters: How to Deal with Aggression, Explained.

After realizing the need for clarity, I decided to create an article for those of you who have roos with behavior issues, those thinking about adding one to your flock, or if you are just curious since the issue is natural to come up for each of us in even the most docile of males. It is...

• Twilia
• Mar 21, 2025
• 4.00 star(s) 2 ratings
• Comments: 3
• Reviews: 2
• Category: Member Pages

I also do not wish to argue with you.
_twilia ; )