Evaluating a Rooster--too mean to keep?

[LavendarFeather]

Thank you everyone for the input and suggestions. He is under control now--actually changes his path to avoid me. I'm pretty confident I can live with him, and keep him in line. What I'm really trying to figure out is, if he is an unusually aggressive rooster who should not be bred. That's my real question. My past roosters have been Lavender Ameraucana, Basque, and SIlkie, and they have been very docile (with people, anyway). I've had some boys who got fresh with me once, when young, and then never tried anything again--like it was just a first spurt of hormone, and he was just figuring the world out. I'm getting mixed opinions on this guy. I'm getting to know him better, and i wouldn't say he's mean, but he takes his job very seriously. Yesterday i picked him up and carried him around with me while I was making my rounds, and he didn't like it but didn't fight me, and now today he is very respectful. So I will see if he retains what he learned yesterday. And if he does, then I'm guessing he's an okay guy. If he persists in challenging me, then I won't use him.

 

[DavidKerk]

Thank you everyone for the input and suggestions. He is under control now--actually changes his path to avoid me. I'm pretty confident I can live with him, and keep him in line. What I'm really trying to figure out is, if he is an unusually aggressive rooster who should not be bred. That's my real question. My past roosters have been Lavender Ameraucana, Basque, and SIlkie, and they have been very docile (with people, anyway). I've had some boys who got fresh with me once, when young, and then never tried anything again--like it was just a first spurt of hormone, and he was just figuring the world out. I'm getting mixed opinions on this guy. I'm getting to know him better, and i wouldn't say he's mean, but he takes his job very seriously. Yesterday i picked him up and carried him around with me while I was making my rounds, and he didn't like it but didn't fight me, and now today he is very respectful. So I will see if he retains what he learned yesterday. And if he does, then I'm guessing he's an okay guy. If he persists in challenging me, then I won't use him.

It sounds like normal rooster behavior. They see a human as a threat or competition and try to get rid of that threat or competition. They just need to be taught their place in the pecking order. You're right, though. If he continues to challenge you despite you winning every time, he's probably a little over-aggressive. I'm glad you got him to stop attacking!!!

 

[redrooster99]

this is my rooster buck he has hit on the back of the leg and tried to fight my foot a couple times i kicked him out of the way and he went away.
here he is. not sure what age.

 

[LavendarFeather]

Buck is a very handsome boy. I think I will call mine Jim Dandy, as in "Jim Dandy to the rescue." Yesterday a LF hen was squawking because a cocky little bantam cochin boy had jumped her. JD came running across the yard, jumped and slammed the cochin right off of her, then calmly went back to what he'd been doing before. I really admire him.

 

[redrooster99]

bravo

 

[LavendarFeather]

A little update on Jim Dandy. If nothing else, I am learning a great deal about managing roosters from him. That technique of holding him down and pinching his neck did the trick. He is now very deferential, and I am respectful in return. I do whatever chores I need to around the chickens, and I do not avoid him or give way to him, ever, but neither to I do things I know will upset him.

The only times he shows any aggression towards me now is a situation where he is very upset about something, and I am between him and the object of his wrath. I've worked a lot with dogs, and we would call this redirected aggression--like if a high prey drive dog, like a JRT for example, is barking at a rabbit on the other side of a fence or window, and you come up behind him and touch him, he may turn and bite you. It's not even registering that it's you, he's so focused on the rabbit, and so riled up. It's the same thing that can get you injured trying to break up two dogs who are fighting. In dogs it is something to be aware of and make allowances for, as they are on autopilot when it occurs.

So back to the rooster, since he and I have come to an understanding, there have been two incidents when he came at me with his hackles all flared out. Once when he and my obnoxious male Chihuahua were having an altercation, and I picked up the dog. JD was not ready to let him off the hook, and ran right up to me. The other time was when a young cockerel was pestering a particularly loud and dramatic hen, and she started squawking rather hysterically. JD could not get to her easily (she was in another run, the gates were all open, it was free range time, but there were several chain link 'obstacles' between him and the damsel in distress). I was between him and the crime scene, and he flared at me, but did not persist.

Overall, I'm impressed with his acceptance of my superior position in the flock, and admire how seriously he takes his job. I don't think he's a highly aggressive boy (with humans), but he is pretty alpha. So for now, he's staying. It already feels like spring here--lots of pullets have just started laying, the weather is hot, hens are broody, young cockerels are attempting to sow their wild oats. It will be interesting to watch how things develop….

 

[azygous]

So happy to hear things are going well! I'm glad you were receptive to the idea that half the behavior problem belongs to you. It's probably why you've had such success already.

My Izzy also seems to have learned his lesson, and is becoming a lot more at ease with his relationship with me. These roosters are not stupid. They do learn and they remember. Keep being consistent. Everything ought to work out.