Cockerel sometimes pecks hand when I pick him up. Thoughts?

[FattySmough]

My Easter Egger cockerel is 17 weeks old, and so far everything is going well. He moves out of the way for me, doesn't attack me or threaten me when I am around, and he looks absolutely stunning. His crow is lovely to listen to. So far he seems like a promising future rooster. The only thing I'm concerned about is that when I pick him up, it's not uncommon for him to peck my hand as I reach out to him. It doesn't really hurt and isn't hard enough to damage my skin, but I would still prefer he didn't do it.

To all of you who have raised respectful roosters: Would you consider this acceptable behaviour? I'm the one trying to pick him up after all. For the past couple of days I've been holding him down with his beak against the ground if he pecks me. But I'm wondering if it's better to just leave him alone since he isn't being aggressive and just seems to want some space. Maybe I just shouldn't pick him up. What do y'all think?

 

[aart]

Maybe I just shouldn't pick him up. What do y'all think?

Yep. Pretty simple, don't pick him up.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, my roosters are strictly hands off, in fact...mine was raised by a broody, I don't think I have ever touched him. But I would not want him pecking me, and I would not want that to escalate into something worse.

I love to watch them and do so, but I don't handle mine very much if at all.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

I too, have read countless theories on roosters, now, I am rather a firm believer in luck. Luck of the draw... I kind of think that raising up a chick under an older established flock makes for better odds in getting a good rooster, but truthfully two things make for a good rooster, LUCK and a sharp knife.

Do not keep a mean rooster, plain and simple. Cull the rotten ones, makes room for a very good rooster. If this one gets more aggressive, do not blame yourself, blame him. Cull and move on.

Last summer I got Bye, the perfect rooster. It was just luck.

Mrs K

 

[Coops Dad]

The only time I've ever touched our roosters has been to catch them on the roost at night in order to trim nails and spurs. They've been good birds and tend to be human averse and non-aggressive except to the dogs and each other.

 

[3KillerBs]

I never pick up my males except very occasionally off the roost to do health checks or to transfer them to another coop.

Or, when they're young, to evict them from the nests at night.

In fact, I rarely pick up a chicken at all other than for those reasons.

 

[Tonyroo]

Only handle him if he's injured. Otherwise let him be.

 

[FattySmough]

Thanks guys. I hope it won't come to culling as I've become attached to him (I thought he was a girl for the first six weeks). I have an established flock that he shares the yard with during the day, so I suppose right now all I can do right now is leave him alone and hope for the best

 

[Folly's place]

With pullets who peck me, I peck back, fast and hard enough to offend them; peckpeckpeck, until the bird moves away. Try that!
And i agree that unless this is a show bird, there's no reason to handle him except as mentioned already.
Also, 'friendly' in cockerels is often 'bold and fearless', and then 'maybe I can push this human around' as the hormones kick in. Here we like cockerels who move away as we walk through the flock, and who pay attention to their flock mates, not us. In a new flock without adult hens and/ or a rooster to teach them manners, and with a new owner, it seems like more cockerels develop bad behaviors, and the flock owner doesn't see what's happening until actual attacks occur.
This is a learning experience for those newbies!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I also think that hand feeding encourages hand pecking...