I wish I could find the thread on this site that taught *me* how to handle roosters waaaay back in 2009
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The upshot is, always be the flock alpha the same way you're the dog pack leader. You are his boss. Those hens are YOUR hens, not his hens. He doesn't challenge you, even with a look. If he does, you kick his little fluffy butt, literally.
We have been exceptionally lucky with roosters. Six through the years, and never a bad one. We currently have a boss RIR, and those are supposed to be super mean, but we've never had a problem with him.
Here are the Redwicket Rules for Roosters
1. You shall look pretty. If you don't look pretty, you go to the stew pot.
2. You shall be nice to hens. Rough up the hens, you go to the stew pot.
3. You shall not breed hens in front of me. If you try to breed a hen while I'm around, I will kick you. Hard. Those are MY hens, buster.
4. You belong to me. Therefore, I will pick you up off the roost any time I feel like it. I will carry you upside down, I will tickle your toes, I will look at your feathers, I will call you "Itsy Bitsy Cutie Wooty Widdly Rooster Baby."
5. You shall not take one single offensive action towards any human. The first offensive action, no matter how small (like looking at me mean with feathers puffed up) will result in you immediately being chased around the pasture as fast as I can go while I scream and squawk and try to hit you with whatever I'm carrying. After this, you will be punished by being picked up and carried around all the time. See #4.
6. The second offensive action taken toward any human, no matter how small, and you go into the stew pot. There are no third chances.
BTW, here's my boss rooster, Bruce. He's a big boy.
The upshot is, always be the flock alpha the same way you're the dog pack leader. You are his boss. Those hens are YOUR hens, not his hens. He doesn't challenge you, even with a look. If he does, you kick his little fluffy butt, literally.
We have been exceptionally lucky with roosters. Six through the years, and never a bad one. We currently have a boss RIR, and those are supposed to be super mean, but we've never had a problem with him.
Here are the Redwicket Rules for Roosters
1. You shall look pretty. If you don't look pretty, you go to the stew pot.
2. You shall be nice to hens. Rough up the hens, you go to the stew pot.
3. You shall not breed hens in front of me. If you try to breed a hen while I'm around, I will kick you. Hard. Those are MY hens, buster.
4. You belong to me. Therefore, I will pick you up off the roost any time I feel like it. I will carry you upside down, I will tickle your toes, I will look at your feathers, I will call you "Itsy Bitsy Cutie Wooty Widdly Rooster Baby."
5. You shall not take one single offensive action towards any human. The first offensive action, no matter how small (like looking at me mean with feathers puffed up) will result in you immediately being chased around the pasture as fast as I can go while I scream and squawk and try to hit you with whatever I'm carrying. After this, you will be punished by being picked up and carried around all the time. See #4.
6. The second offensive action taken toward any human, no matter how small, and you go into the stew pot. There are no third chances.
BTW, here's my boss rooster, Bruce. He's a big boy.
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