Has anyone ever actually succeeded in retraining an aggressive rooster?

[appps]

He is a bit too smart for me I think I can get him cornered but then he moves so **** fast. I try moving slowly but he still moves fast. Maybe Im just getting too old and slow LOL

Ive had a play round with a wire corral, just need to put a couple of stakes in to make it more sturdy. Think it might work though

Had to share an updated photo. Dont you love the jaunty little comb over one eye LOL




Have really got to address the daughter problem too, she isnt keen at all on even going near him but noticed yesterday that he actually watches her when she is anywhere near the coop, and she just walked past the fence yesterday and he was waiting and he rushed it and her. She of course much to my disgust ran even though he was on the other side of the wire and couldnt get her. I keep trying to tell her that is the worst thing to do but being a kid fear takes over. Sad because only about three weeks ago she was feeding him out of her hand.

 

[canesisters]

I've given up the 'tame the rooster' war. We seem to have come to a tentative truce.

I tried catching and holding him every time he came at me, and it seemed to work for a day or so. But then he'd be back at it again.
One day a couple of weeks ago, I was on my way somewhere and stopped by the pen real quick to toss out some scratch since I wasn't going to be back before dark. As soon as I was in there he came dancing over and started up his stuff. I wasn't dressed to chase him and didn't have time to carry him around - I didn't have anything with me but the feed can (and I wasn't about to use THAT) so when he jumped at me I took a swat at him and by chance slapped him right on the side of the head. He tried it 3 or 4 more times - one right after the other and each time I smacked him away. Finally he took off running to the far side of the run.
He comes over to me now and then, all puffed up, but has not jumped at me or anything else for a couple of weeks now.
He will still come up and eat out of my hand (which he has always done).
Who knows... maybe all he really needed WAS a good smack?

 

[CedarRidgeFarm]

Yes please let me know I have 2 Black Australorp Roos that flog me all the time.

 

[OlyChickenGuy]

I remembered another trick for corraling that I've used. Take the fence in its normal curled state and unwind it some. Since chickens naturally run along side things, you can chase them into the spiral where they'll eventually get stuck, then you can scoop them right up!

As for hitting your rooster, you clearly didn't solve the problem if he's still puffing up. He's trying to tell you that you're not behaving naturally. He's afraid of you, and scared animals are the least predictable and most likely to do the most damage. Your stress and fear are clear as day to him, and neither are natural ways of being, so he's trying to tell you to knock it off! You're an unstable leader in his eyes, and he's trying to take charge because of that. You need to always be calm and collected when dealing with him, and now that you've allowed things to escalate this far, you just have that much more to deal with.

 

[Michael Apple]

Pick the rooster up. Do it as many times as possible until he stops. I like to catch them when they bum rush me. If you're worried about those spurs, get a spur saw to shorten them and file the ends smooth with one of those metal DiamondDeb nail files (most pet stores carry them). Hold the leg securely while supporting the base of the spur before sawing. They even make those mountable pieces of flat bar with gauged holes in them to secure the spur while shortening. Put some Koagulan-A from Dawes in the water the day before, or a vitamin dispersible with a good amount of vitamin k in it. Keep some blood stop powder at your side when trimming spurs or nails.

 

[appps]

Just wanted to share. My eldest daughter who is 14 and has very little to do with the chickens but has heard us discussing the training, was bringing the washing in while Ed was out (we are in the middle of replacing the run fence). He played statues for a while stopping when she would look but eventually got himself close enough and launched a full attack jumping up at her and all.

I was expecting her to scream but she just turned and started trying to grab him. They must have gone 100 meters with him continuing to turn and leap up at her and her ignoring it all and calmly advancing on him and trying to grab him. I finally caught up to where they were and managed to grab him while his attention was on her.

She asked for him and held him at her front firmly and went and sat down ready to give him his time out. Unfortunately we were explaining the football hold when he whipped his head over and bit her on the face near her nose just breaking the skin. At that point I gave him a rap on the back of his head (ie trying to do what a displeased other rooster would) and took him off her and we football held him for quite a long time

I was just so blown away that she didn't even hesitate or show the slightest fear, she just calmly kept going after him. Suspect she handled it better than a lot of adults would have!

Very proud of my girl not so proud of my rooster.

 

[azygous]

Ed is certainly a little tyrant. (I still think he resembles Gaddafi.) This biting episode calls for more careful handling. That could have resulted in a serious eye injury on your daughter. She was very brave to stand her ground with him like that, though.

For safety, you might consider clipping off the very end of his pointy beak, just up to the quick. I do this with my two persistent feather-pickers. It grows back in a few weeks, and you might want to do it again when it does. It doesn't affect their ability to eat. I do it with dog/cat nail clippers.

When he gets spurs in another eight months or so, you might want to file the pointy ends off, or remove them. This training is going to take a good year or longer, and you need to take some safety precautions.

It's unusual that Ed was able to bite while being held, but he probably wasn't in a very good hold, and he was very, very upset. Now that you know you're dealing with a biter, you need to keep all vulnerable body parts away from his beak. My rooster Penrod was a very vicious biter. Still, to this day, I am careful not to reach for him straight on. I swing my arm around so that when I take hold of him, his head is facing backward. Then I adjust him so that his head is kind of tucked into my armpit.

But the most important rule when dealing with a biter is MOVE SLOWLY. It's sudden, unprecise moves that trigger a biter. I know you're trying to catch him on the run, but you might practice herding him into a pen-set-up, letting him calm down for a minute, then slowly move in, placing one hand on his back, then push him down so his head is on the ground. This will get him under control so you can be precise about picking him up properly and safely.

 

[jdyson]

This is a really cool thread! My first rooster started attacking me for absolutely no reason. I was going to fill up the goats water bucket and he lunged for me. I was caught off guard with a full water bucket
He did it every time I was in the pen after that and my youngest refused to go in there because she was scared. I had no idea what to do at the time, so I found him anew home on a farm where he is apparently happier now
I have another rooster now who is awesome so far. I don't do a whole lot of holding but he follows me everywhere and doesn't get upset when I pick up any of the girls. He has never seemed to want to be held but maybe I will start trying.

 

[azygous]

This is a really cool thread! My first rooster started attacking me for absolutely no reason. I was going to fill up the goats water bucket and he lunged for me. I was caught off guard with a full water bucket
He did it every time I was in the pen after that and my youngest refused to go in there because she was scared. I had no idea what to do at the time, so I found him anew home on a farm where he is apparently happier now

I have another rooster now who is awesome so far. I don't do a whole lot of holding but he follows me everywhere and doesn't get upset when I pick up any of the girls. He has never seemed to want to be held but maybe I will start trying.

If you're starting out with a gentleman roo, you might try just getting him to allow you to touch him before you try to handle him. Do you have meal worms? Ordinary earth worms would do. Put them in a small container where he can see what's inside, as well as be able to eat them. Make sure you use this same container every time. Chickens fixate on the container treats come in, and it will trigger the same response from them, filled or empty. This is very useful.

When he approaches, hold out the container and let him come eat the treats. It can be anything, worms, cut up cheese bits, etc. The second time, you offer him treats from the container, reach out and touch him on the back while he eats. After doing that for a few times, start petting him. Then graduate to stroking his comb and wattles, After about a week, try moving him in close to your body. If he tolerates all of this well, THEN carefully pick him up and hold him.

If he lets you hold him close, you've now got a tame roo. Every time you need to pick him up, just hold the container out to him, empty or not, and he'll come right to you.

 

[jdyson]

I think I will try this. I really want a better relationship with him. We have a common goal which is to protect the girls and keep them happy. He wasn't handled before I got him and was really flighty, but he does know his name and comes running when I call him. His favorite treat is birdseed and I make sure he gets some every day. I actually do get him to eat out of the cup but he always waits for the girls to get theirs first. Such the gentleman
I have tried to touch him a few times this way but he stepped away. I guess I will have to try harder and try to make the best out of the little daylight I have right now.