Evil roos

[sourland]

I agree with those who have suggested culling the two MOST aggressive, and hoping that the third will calm down. I have my doubts, but it is worth a try. Understand that aggressiveness tends to be a hereditary trait, and any cockerels sired by these roosters will most likely also be human aggressive.

 

[lazy gardener]

Doesn't hanging them by their feet cause pressure on the diaphragm? I would not suggest this method. I will do it to get ahold of one, but not for an extended period I'd separate them for now and get them ready for the stew pot (or giveaway, if you prefer). You won't be able to keep them all, together, anyway.

If that were an issue, all the kids who like to hang from the monkey bars on the play ground would be suffering from pulmonary issues.

 

[chonsey]

Wish I had one right now, the benefits I had with my Foghorn Leghorn is nothing & nobody came in my barn. There are benefits!

 

[theoldchick]

Evil roosters plan to take over the world. Or so I heard.

Seriously though, we must remember chickens weren't bred to be backyard pets until recently. In the past domestic roosters were eaten long before they revealed their temperament. And the ones kept for breeding were simply sperm donors needed to fertilize the eggs. Nobody cared what the rooster acted like. Once he got mean, Granny chopped off his head and prepared him for dinner. Now we want beautiful roosters who don't crow until after nine am and follow us meekly around as they tidbit to the hens.

Nature, on the other hand, wants a rowdy rooster capable of taking care of a flock at all cost, and that includes giving up his life for his flock. She wants a bruiser of a Dude with flaming red wattles, a sky high comb and a crow that will travel a mile away.

Nature wants a rooster that will challenge any and all of those who threaten his domain in any way. And that includes the pesky human who absolutely insist on feeding HIS hens on HIS turf. The rooster simply can't understand why we humans won't leave HIS flock alone. So if that means crowing all night long and charging all the time, then so be it.

Nature doesn't care about what us humans wants. Nature wants a species that can flourish and still be part of the food chain. Us humans don't care what natures wants, we want roosters who are calm, docile and love lots of hugs.

Some people say you can train a rooster not to attack. I say we can train the people to avoid the attack. We need to be quick on our feet and swift with the rod. All my roosters are trained to go to the roost or corner of their bachelor pad when I enter. Since I know how roosters thinks, I take my catch pole or catch net in with me to keep things on the up-and-up. I don't challenge the rooster if he stays where he's supposed to. If he moves, I make him uncomfortable by making him run until he's where I want him to be. Most horse folks will recognize this as the 'round pen technique' used to teach a horse to respect the trainer. This technique of simply making him uncomfortable by moving his feet works well on most species. Do what I want and I will leave you be. And with my roosters I simply want them to respect my space. They are NOT pets.

At the same time I must respect who and what the rooster is. He is the Flock Master. Number One has earned his status and will keep all the other roosters under his thumb-er spur for as long as he can. And it is this trait of submitting to Number One is what the chicken owner must take advantage of. We want to keep the submissive roosters for breeding so this trait will hopefully be passed along.

Since most of the backyard chicken owners have small children, I would recommend not having a rooster at all for the family flock. Let the kids peacefully enjoy the hens.

So, the cure to evil roosters who want to rule the world, is a warm bath in a large crock pot seasoned to your taste.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

If that were an issue, all the kids who like to hang from the monkey bars on the play ground would be suffering from pulmonary issues.

I had read, but cannot find, that it causes compression on the air sac. I figured our anatomy was a bit different from a chickens, although, people don't generally do too well upside down for extended periods either. I know I don't.

Regardless, I can't imagine it's a good thing to walk around with a chicken hanging by it's feet.

ETA: And that's saying nothing of the possibility of aspiration.

 

[Nwygle93]

I love this! I'm glad you pointed out a good method and instructions for this. I think if people wanted to be extra careful about it..just fast them from food for a day before trying it. Heck...it's worth trying it before you turn em to stew.

It does work. Don't hang them by their legs (though aspiration worries are unfounded there, too, as the bird will always crane its face up, and people don't drown when we're upside down either). Fold his feet to his chest, and carry him belly up like a football in front of his pals. Once he's no longer fighting and has calmed down, give him a treat and set him on the ground.

I haven't seen any evidence of ratios causing human aggression. Nip anything like human aggression in the bud as soon as he gets uppity. Don't wait for him to flog. If he gives you any aggressive body language, chase him down, flip him over and carry him around. I've never had a rooster take more than three times to cure (that record was a Wyandotte who had been pretty poorly socialized and not treated well by prior owners).

Do keep your eyes out for easy guys. Lots of people are loathe to cull perfectly good roosters. Temperament is partially genetic, so don't breed legitimately awful roosters. Many grow out of foul temperaments or poor treatment of ladies once they're out of the crazy teenaged phase, but why take chances?

Keep one at a time in with your girls and see how he does. Keep the best one after you've cycled through them all, but always keep your eyes out for a better boy.

 

[lazy gardener]

I had read, but cannot find, that it causes compression on the air sac. I figured our anatomy was a bit different from a chickens, although, people don't generally do too well upside down for extended periods either. I know I don't.

Regardless, I can't imagine it's a good thing to walk around with a chicken hanging by it's feet.

ETA: And that's saying nothing of the possibility of aspiration.

I'm not condoning it, just saying that IMO physiologically, it's a non issue.

 

[Indyshent]

Footballing is more carrying a rooster like an infant--belly up--not hanging them by the legs upside-down. Don't think anyone's advocating for hanging them by the legs, but it's a common misunderstanding when footballing is discussed.

Roosters can be pets and do contribute lots of good to a flock. I've had dozens of roosters in the few years I've owned chickens, and I've yet to meet one that was unsafe or even unenjoyable for children. Roosters can be just as sweet around children as hens and hens can be nippy and gnarly). They can protect and provide for flocks without being jerks at all, but it does take diligence in breeding.

People say the same things about males of other species too, and I've yet to keep one variety of animal where the male is just too dangerous to be around children or people in general. Turkeys are just as hormonal as roosters and three times the size, and mine have all been super sweet attention hogs.

Roosters haven't always been vicious cretins, either, so that's not well researched. Even most games (like other breeds of fighting animals) historically have been bred only to be aggressive with certain other species or gebders and not to people at all. Dangerous animals that hate you are liabilities, which is why it's such a rare trait to tolerate in domestic animals (and only sublimely stupid people do it). People have owned and bred chickens for up to ten thousand years, according to some estimates, with game fowl being all of the original breeds. Red jungle fowl provided the majority if the genetic heritage for modern chickens, and even they aren't so much vicious as misunderstood. That's what nature intended for chickens, when you think about it, and aside from sparring in breeding season, they pretty much get along fine.

Lots of sweet natured and even ornamental breeds are also very old (or at least older than most people might suspect). This should be an expected consequence of chickens being predominately raised by women and even children in many places and eras. Nobody wants vicious animals wandering their yard or farm, no matter how diminutive those animals might be. Ornamental chickens have been historical status symbols, so obviously fighting isn't something those breeds (or species, in the case of some pheasants and peafowl) should do because it would mess up plumage. The ancestors of the modern Phoenix were a pretty old bunch of breeds, and I'm sure breeds like the Cochin, Serama, and Silkie are likely older than were giving them credit for, too (even if records are spotty prior to Queen Victoria kickstarting the hen craze).

 

[RodNTN]

I have 4 cockerels who are about to turn a year old, thankfully I have only had one fight to be worried over. Other than that, they get along fine

Until you get rid of them, I would separate them ASAP. That would give your hens a well deserved break.

 

[ToniTalley]

Today we had to treat the rooster and one hen for scale mites. It was quite the challenge for hubby to get the rooster, and he did have to grab him by the feet when underneath the coop. He held him upside down by the feet because when he tried to cradle him like a baby, he tried to bite (only got a beak full of glove, lol). He was upside down only a minute or two while I applied the vaseline. The hen was much easier to grab and treat, but she was vocal and the rooster came running to save her. I had to keep him away with the rake while applying the vaseline...there must be an easier way than this comedy of errors!