Honey the Roo

[Love My Chickies]

This is my rooster (cockrel) Honey. He's about 14 weeks old. As a chick he was extremely friendly and loved to be held. As he grew, he no longer wanted to be held or touched. He has recently begun pecking at me and has charged at me a few times. So, I've been forcing him to let me hold him and carry him around. Trying to do it at least once a day. He HATES it lol. I'm hoping at the very least he'll stop coming at me lol. The video is him crowing.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

14 Weeks???? Or did you mean 14 months? I can't see how a cockerel could be that well developed and apparently fully mature at 3-1/2 months of age. I think you're doing a good thing by forcing him to acknowledge you as the BOSS. Deal with his behavior immediately when it happens, and make sure he knows his place. His behavior sounds normal for a rooster, although unfortunate that he's turned out to be the aggressive type. I don't think this can be trained out of him. But it's possible that the more you handle him and REFUSE to allow him to charge you, the more he'll behave. I wouldn't let any small children around him when he's loose, though.

 

[Love My Chickies]

14 Weeks???? Or did you mean 14 months? I can't see how a cockerel could be that well developed and apparently fully mature at 3-1/2 months of age. I think you're doing a good thing by forcing him to acknowledge you as the BOSS. Deal with his behavior immediately when it happens, and make sure he knows his place. His behavior sounds normal for a rooster, although unfortunate that he's turned out to be the aggressive type. I don't think this can be trained out of him. But it's possible that the more you handle him and REFUSE to allow him to charge you, the more he'll behave. I wouldn't let any small children around him when he's loose, though.

Yes he was hatched about May 11 at my school.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Yes he was hatched about May 11 at my school.

Wow. Just... Wow. That is one fast-growing bird!!!

 

[Love My Chickies]

Yes he was hatched about May 11 at my school.

This is him in May

 

[theoldchick]

He's a handsome fella. Though I expect he will never like you.

 

[Love My Chickies]

He's a handsome fella. Though I expect he will never like you.

I agree. Hopefully he will tolerate me lol. Luckily I have another roo who is a lap chicken and some very sweet pullets who love attention.

 

[cherrynberry]

Wow. Just... Wow. That is one fast-growing bird!!!

Cockerels tend to mature faster.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Cockerels tend to mature faster.

That's true, and I admit I haven't had experience with raising many different breeds --- just RIR, BPR, Cornish X, and Black Australorps, over the last 7 years. Currently I have a variety of mixed mutt chicks ranging from 3 -18 weeks. Last week I culled two 17-week old boys and one at 14-weeks - and none of these, nor any I've culled in the years previous, were anywhere near as mature as Love-My-Chickie's Honey. Mine had tail feathers just starting to extend and arch. Saddle feathers beginning to show. Comb, wattles, and mantle feathers fairly well developed. Thick legs, no spurs yet. Just past the croaky/squeaky crowing stage. The roosters I've raised don't look like hers until about 24-30 weeks. I must be doing something wrong, or the breeds are quite different !

 

[Love My Chickies]

That's true, and I admit I haven't had experience with raising many different breeds --- just RIR, BPR, Cornish X, and Black Australorps, over the last 7 years. Currently I have a variety of mixed mutt chicks ranging from 3 -18 weeks. Last week I culled two 17-week old boys and one at 14-weeks - and none of these, nor any I've culled in the years previous, were anywhere near as mature as Love-My-Chickie's Honey. Mine had tail feathers just starting to extend and arch. Saddle feathers beginning to show. Comb, wattles, and mantle feathers fairly well developed. Thick legs, no spurs yet. Just past the croaky/squeaky crowing stage. The roosters I've raised don't look like hers until about 24-30 weeks. I must be doing something wrong, or the breeds are quite different !

Honey is a barnyard mix from a local place, Seabreeze Hens, in San Leon, TX. My school gets our eggs there for hatching with our classes each year.