Can you "train" a cockerel to replace a mean Roo??

[blueskylen]

i had a mean roo, i think because the was blind in one eye, a very handsome fellow. his bad behavior just kept esculating and we couldnt get him to stop attacking - nothing stopped him - i tried every trick that i read about on here. he didn't have spurs, but had the stumps - it still hurt when he attacked. he could jump as high as my eyes and i am 5' 3" tall.
one weekend i was away, and he went after my DH - no more rooster when I got back. a neighbor gave us an older rooster and he is a lamb. very good to the hens, but minds his manners around us. i think that after a rooster goes bad, you always have to keep an eye on him, and it really isn't worth the trouble or danger.

 

[pips&peeps]

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In my opinion, this is your problem...

I don't handle my roos unless necessary or treat them like house pets. I find the more you handle them they lose their fear of you and you become either a female to breed or another male to dominate.

I would suggest not handling your male birds so much.

 

[rungirl]

I got a mean rooster and I finally had to cage him for our own safety. He just got meaner and meaner and now he's in lock down until I have time to send him to freezer camp.

So, I think you should invite your roo to dinner. He's not disposable, as you put it... he's simply being recycled.

 

[gryeyes]

I do not try to be all lovey-dovey to my rooster(s). I have 3 little bantam roosters who are testing their skills now that they've each got a full crow going. The Alpha Roo, however, is a large fowl EE rooster who really doesn't mind if the little banty roos crow around him. But the moment they flare their neck feathers, he's RIGHT THERE to knock them down to size again. All it takes is a little bump from him - no fighting. The little roos just deflate and scamper away.

They try to mate with the LF pullets whenever the Alpha Roo, Carl, is out of sight. If they forget and try when he's anywhere near enough to hear the pullet squawk or see the behavior, he strides right on on over and lets those little guys know there will be no treading of the pullets unless HE'S doing it.

The only thing Carl does with ME that's a bit dicey is he goes for the backs of my heels occasionally. I just turn around, walk towards him to make him back him up until he turns away. He's never flogged me, or gone for me from the side or front, just the sneaky peck at the back of an ankle. And it's mostly when my GrandChick and its hatch mother, Buffy, are around. I figure Carl is just protecting his little family.

I figure if something happened to Carl, then one of the Sebrights or maybe the bantam Buff Brahma will move up in status. I'm not hoping that will happen. But I am glad I don't have nasty rooster fights, because I didn't want to get rid of either of the Sebright boys or the Buff Brahma.

 

[Oven Ready]

Your young cockerel is being super-smart. He keeps out of the way, doesn't bother anyone, probably sneaks a fumble with the girls when no-one is looking. He knows better than to out-rooster your rooster because at the moment he knows he'd lose a fight.

Fiddling with who you think should be the flock boss will end in tears; tears to the comb, the wattles, the eyes, the head, the neck, everywhere in fact.

Either let the chickens do the chicken thing and maybe one day the young cockerel will see his chance to do away with the old boy (and he won't be soft about it) then the outcome will be decided between the two chickens. Once your DH sees the carnage of a chicken fight he will change his mind about 'disposable' animals, unless he likes blood sports of course.

Or

Do away with the old rooster and let the young boy become top dog without having to go through the fighting ordeal. That doesn't mean that he won't turn all demanding on the girls and crow constantly - that's kinda what roosters do, just some do it more gently than others.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I tried the "pick them up" approach with a BR rooster that was getting aggressive, and it made it worse, not better.


Also, we are ALL animal lovers, that's why we do what we do, if one of my dogs was attacking my family, it would be destroyed, just the same as a rooster or any other animal. It doesn't make them "disposable". It makes you responsible, not only for the well being of said animal (what animal "likes" to be aggressive? none.) and for the safety of your family.

 

[flowerchicks]

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But, this will never happen.

Pips&peep, this mean roo was not handled, except as a chick. He has never been friendly, but, for whatever reason, seems to calm down when picked up now. I think he just accepts the fact he can't win that battle. My silkie cockerel is handled a lot because he is a pet. I could be wrong, but don't silkie owners who show their birds handle them a lot, even the roo's? He is very gentle and I hope he stays that way, but he was more used to people than chickens when I got him at 2 months old (he's 5 months old now and hasn't even crowed yet, much less tried to get with the girls)

 

[flowerchicks]

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I sure hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, DH knows the roo will be gone. I think at this point, I just want my little silkie cockerel to acclimate to life with the rest of the chickens without getting mean or being attacked. He seems to be doing ok so far.

 

[fwschrom]

Start training and fitting him for one of these:

If he doesn't get the message...well just terminal stupidity one his part.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

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