Has anyone ever actually succeeded in retraining an aggressive rooster?

[soler]

Well. I also have a rooster that hates me... just me, nobody else! i have been nice and non aggressive with him, moving slowly, backing away, no eye contact, offering peanuts (his fave, which he eats out of my hands) if he shows any sign of imminent aggression etc, and he just started lounging at me one day. I just have no choice but to kick him away sometimes. I read somewhere that they are most aggressive in the 5-12 month age period and then start to calm down a bit. I sure hope so!

 

[gryeyes]

That is one seriously adorable looking rooster! Uhh, "handsome" you can tell him, so he doesn't get a complex.

My dominant rooster Carl knows I'm the Flock Mistress and he respects me. I believe HE has taught the other roosters to respect me as well. I can walk anywhere, tight through the whole flock, and it parts for me. Well, unless the ladies think I'm late in giving them their teats... Then I have to use my shins to move some hens as I walk. Carl keeps an eye on me to ensure I'm not harming them, but even he has pecked at a hen to move her out of the way so I can get to the BOSS bin.

I don't carry him around now, but I did when he was young and full of testosterone and tried to hustle me. He made sideways jumps at me, so I started walking him backwards when he did that. Deliberate steps, not rushing, just made him step backwards or to the side - and no sideways lunges. I would turn towards him, move forward, hed step backwards, facing me. Then he'd back up in a different direction, but I turned too, each and every time until HE turned away, giving up. When he surrendered, turning aside, I then continued forward as if that was my original direction, going on with my duties. (But I've never been afraid of roosters.)

He has always "tid-bitted" me, hoping I will accept his presents and become one of his hens. As adorable as his actions are, and the bits of pretty leaves, small rocks or sticks are SO alluring I know I must never accept them. He keeps trying... Once he brought me a cigarette butt! Made me realize he really watches me (and I had to be a whole lot better at disposing my nasty ol' cigarette butts outside!)

Carl is over three years old now and very mellow. Almost a Professor Emeritus roo, letting the younger boys have their own harems within the flock, as long as they treat them well.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Well. I also have a rooster that hates me... just me, nobody else! i have been nice and non aggressive with him, moving slowly, backing away, no eye contact, offering peanuts (his fave, which he eats out of my hands) if he shows any sign of imminent aggression etc, and he just started lounging at me one day. I just have no choice but to kick him away sometimes. I read somewhere that they are most aggressive in the 5-12 month age period and then start to calm down a bit. I sure hope so!

It would be nice if he mellowed out with age, but it is hard to say if he will. As said before, moving slowly around chickens is a great idea, but backing away or moving out of the way of the rooster can send the message that he is the boss. I got fast enough with one kicking rooster to firmly but gently press his head and upper back down after he attacked me, then once he submitted to the pressure, I could pick him up without much fuss. The long pants and gloves we wear in the winter time can help us feel more confident when picking up a rude rooster.

My rude rooster - pictured in my avatar- learned some better manners, but he never did get as friendly as my big bachelor roosters who are Buff Orpington and Cochin.

 

[soler]

It would be nice if he mellowed out with age, but it is hard to say if he will. As said before, moving slowly around chickens is a great idea, but backing away or moving out of the way of the rooster can send the message that he is the boss. I got fast enough with one kicking rooster to firmly but gently press his head and back down after he attacked me, then once he submitted to the pressure, I could pick him up without much fuss. The long pants and gloves we wear in the winter time can help us feel more confident when picking up a rude rooster.

My rude rooster - pictured in my avatar- learned some better manners, but he never did get as friendly as my big bachelor roosters who are Buff Orpington and Cochin.

Yes, i am not very hopeful. I have done the picking him up thing and carrying him around for 20 minutes, and as soon as i put him on the ground, he flies up at me! he's about 9 months now, so i am giving him 3 more before i isolate him in a pen by himself for a bit and see how that works...! My lavender orpington is also nice, and great with the girls. So are the japanese bantam and serama, and the BCM, being the youngest, is at the bottom of the rooster scale and completely non-aggressive.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

He does sound like a challenging rooster, Soler.

 

[soler]

he's a RIR... that was supposed to be a girl, of course!

 

[appps]

Yes, i am not very hopeful. I have done the picking him up thing and carrying him around for 20 minutes, and as soon as i put him on the ground, he flies up at me!

Oh my, that is one determined rooster, maybe he needs that watch a movie treatment Ky used on one of his.

At least Ed looks terribly embarrased when I put him down and then behaves himself for quite a while. I'm not really worried about him going me anymore. He seems to have accepted that's a loosing battle. Its just the kids. Suspect he is trying to prove a point

Off on tangent but Read something interesting yesterday. on a blog I came across looking for something totally unrelated. The guy made the comment that you should have 8-12 hens per rooster to give the girls a break but also because roosters tended to be more aggressive with smaller flocks.
Got me wondering if there could be some truth in that? Smaller flock less to share with head rooster, more need to show your dominance to keep a few of the hens? What do you all think? We have a 1 rooster to 3 girls ratio.

 

[soler]

Oh my, that is one determined rooster, maybe he needs that watch a movie treatment Ky used on one of his.

At least Ed looks terribly embarrased when I put him down and then behaves himself for quite a while. I'm not really worried about him going me anymore. He seems to have accepted that's a loosing battle. Its just the kids. Suspect he is trying to prove a point

Off on tangent but Read something interesting yesterday. on a blog I came across looking for something totally unrelated. The guy made the comment that you should have 8-12 hens per rooster to give the girls a break but also because roosters tended to be more aggressive with smaller flocks.
Got me wondering if there could be some truth in that? Smaller flock less to share with head rooster, more need to show your dominance to keep a few of the hens? What do you all think? We have a 1 rooster to 3 girls ratio.

That sounds like an excellent excuse to add a few ladies to the flock! I think there is truth to that.

 

[Coralee]

What a fascinating thread! I don't have an aggressive roo, but I do have one that is nervous, and would like to calm him down some. Being able to walk up to him & pick him up would be a great help if I need to treat him for illness or injury. I'll try these ideas out for sure.

 

[Michael Apple]

Off on tangent but Read something interesting yesterday. on a blog I came across looking for something totally unrelated. The guy made the comment that you should have 8-12 hens per rooster to give the girls a break but also because roosters tended to be more aggressive with smaller flocks.
Got me wondering if there could be some truth in that? Smaller flock less to share with head rooster, more need to show your dominance to keep a few of the hens? What do you all think? We have a 1 rooster to 3 girls ratio.

It is true. My last two roosters have been very mellow (1 Dominique and 1 Cuckoo Maran). Both were with at least 8 hens. Breeds differ in temperment too though.