Did He Just Try to Flog Me???

[Folly's place]

If he makes you uncomfortable, it's reason enough to remove him. He job is to watch out for his flockmates, not to stalk you!
Wear jeans and shoes or boots out there, walk confidently thorough, not around, your birds, and carry something, like a bucket, so you can bump anyone who isn't moving out of your path. And do pay attention to where your cockerels are! It's not about having a staring contest, it's about awareness.
Don't hand feed anyone for now, scatter stuff on the ground instead.
See how he does, and don't wait until you or another person is injured!
Mary

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

He might have been trying to flog you, he might have not. But if he does flog you and it's apparent, I would suggest you to immediately catch him and pin him to the ground to tell him you are more dominant. I do it with all cockerels who flog me, and it works, especially if they are younger.

 

[MommaG2023]

If he makes you uncomfortable, it's reason enough to remove him. He job is to watch out for his flockmates, not to stalk you!
Wear jeans and shoes or boots out there, walk confidently thorough, not around, your birds, and carry something, like a bucket, so you can bump anyone who isn't moving out of your path. And do pay attention to where your cockerels are! It's not about having a staring contest, it's about awareness.
Don't hand feed anyone for now, scatter stuff on the ground instead.
See how he does, and don't wait until you or another person is injured!
Mary

I only hand feed chicks to get them used to hands and people. Bigs peck to hard. I always wear the same clothes in the Coop because it is familiar and it is easier then getting bird dirt on all my clothing lol. I don't turn my back on them and I do walk through like I am the BOSS because I am. I have been watching his behavior and he is definitely more aggressive in the past week or so and seems to harass my silkie pullet a ton. My EE gals gang up on him when he tries to mount her and peck him off. Most of the gals avoid him as do the littles because he pecks them for being in "his" space. Leroy is dominant currently of the two and he is not harassing the gals..yet. He does try to mount them if given the chance but he has never pulled a feather or harmed them when he tries. He doesn't peck them off the feeder or just peck them because he feels like it. He is a gentlemen. He also tolerates the little pullets (other than the cockerel who is 9 weeks old) whom he runs off. Where as Ozzie harasses them often and I have to intervene. Honestly personality and comfort seems better than beauty at this point. I still watch Leroy but he cleans my clothes of specks and sits on my lap and sleeps. He is a keeper...as long as he behaves himself.

 

[MommaG2023]

He might have been trying to flog you, he might have not. But if he does flog you and it's apparent, I would suggest you to immediately catch him and pin him to the ground to tell him you are more dominant. I do it with all cockerels who flog me, and it works, especially if they are younger.

I appreciate the advice. I have 5 cockerels and 2 are silkies (whom just duck and cover in comparison to the BIG boys). I hoped to keep them but behavior and issues create an unrest I do not like nor do my ladies...3 is better than 5...especially when 2 are veritable lap dogs.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I appreciate the advice. I have 5 cockerels and 2 are silkies (whom just duck and cover in comparison to the BIG boys). I hoped to keep them but behavior and issues create an unrest I do not like nor do my ladies...3 is better than 5...especially when 2 are veritable lap dogs.

Are you going to keep all of the cockerels?

 

[MommaG2023]

Are you going to keep all of the cockerels?

No. I was waiting to see which was the best for the gals and myself. I wanted to keep 2 of them since they were brothers and might share better but the older they get the less that seems likely. I have 2 silkie cockerels but they just stay under the radar and aren't aggressive. The other 3 are EE or PBEE. The young Cockerel (9weeks) was supposed to be a Premium PBEE Pullet (always my luck ). and my 14 week Ozzie and Leroy. But I only have 11 pullets now soooo...yeah something's gotta give. I thought 5-6 for the bigs and none for the littles but nature doesn't do math that way does it.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

No. I was waiting to see which was the best for the gals and myself. I wanted to keep 2 of them since they were brothers and might share better but the older they get the less that seems likely. I have 2 silkie cockerels but they just stay under the radar and aren't aggressive. The other 3 are EE or PBEE. The young Cockerel (9weeks) was supposed to be a Premium PBEE Pullet (always my luck ). and my 14 week Ozzie and Leroy. But I only have 11 pullets now soooo...yeah something's gotta give. I thought 5-6 for the bigs and none for the littles but nature doesn't do math that way does it.

I might recommend creating a pen for only cockerels if you have enough space. Personally, I haven't had enough cockerels at one time to do that, so I don't have any knowledge on it. But, it's an idea.

 

[MommaG2023]

I might recommend creating a pen for only cockerels if you have enough space. Personally, I haven't had enough cockerels at one time to do that, so I don't have any knowledge on it. But, it's an idea.

I would totally have a bachelor pad but my husband has said no to the idea. He feels the chickens are to provide food one way or another and we should not keep roosters or cockerels for pets (except the silkies) and feed them or house them separately. I shouldn't have ANY cockerels honestly except for the silkies which were straight run. As stated before each batch of TSC chicks that were guaranteed Premium Pullets ended up with a Cockerel in the mix. 3x is a terrible average right???

 

[Folly's place]

Ozzie sounds like a bird who needs to go, soon. he's not only sizing you up, he's harassing flockmates. When he's gone, group dynamics will change again, and see how everyone else behaves.
It's a process, figuring out which cockerels get to stay, because most can't.
Mary

 

[SourRoses]

I agree, you don't want that many boys, and the pullets definitely don't. Until they're laying they're not ready for mating, so it's stressful for them with just one amorous cockerel, let alone several.
As you remove cockerels, formerly timid boys will get more confident to go after the girls too (testes size is suppressed by the presence of dominant males, so they have less testosterone now than they will have).
If you can't separate the cockerels, I would make your choice of roo as quickly as you possibly can to spare the girls, and just pick one.