Roosters are very simple creatures, they have distinct rules governing their behavior. If you are aggressive toward them and attack or threaten them they will see you as a threat to the flock. You make yourself the enemy. Even if you do scare them enough to back down, you have to keep on them constantly and you can never have any amount of trust that they won't attack. Not the situation I was looking for.
I would have respectfully disagree with this statement.
I've never had to "keep on them constantly" unless you mean monitoring future behavior.
All the posts telling you to work on your fear of the roos is great advice. Been doing this for nigh on 33 years now, since a young gal and I can tell you a sure fire way to rule the roost.
1. You are the biggest rooster on the farm. Bar none. You may not have spurs but you do have opposable thumbs that can grasp a big stick.
Walk and talk like you mean it.
2. Come to the job prepared to work. Dress in sturdy shoes...these are important in case you have to loft or jump a chicken without losing your shoe.
3. Never allow any aggression towards you or any family member, even if the roo is just protecting his gals. He needs to know you are the alpha, the omega, the beginning and the end of everything that happens on your place. Ditto for the kids. Don't walk into that coop or barnyard....STRIDE! Strut! Come loaded for bear. Each rooster I've had over the years only tries aggression on me one time. I've never had to kill or injure a roo for aggression. They simply stop their behavior. Over the years there have been a heck of a lot of roos, so trust me when I say this....don't ever forget that he tried it on for size, so you must "train" him whenever you think about it. By "train", I mean.....
4. If he even dances around you aggressively and you move towards him and he moves away before you can teach him a lesson~pick up your stick and wait by the coop pop door. Feed the chickens. When he comes in the pop door you waylay him. Thump him a couple of times before he can get away. Now, you don't have to brain the poor thing, but you need to thump that feathery butt a few good licks. From then on he will be looking over his shoulder for a surprise. Never have I had to repeat the surprise flogging of a roo.
5. Never let him breed a hen in front of you. Never let him approach you head on, if he does you confront him and make HIM move away or go around you. After a few days of this, you won't have to worry. You are the predator, the big cahoone, the top cheese and he knows it now. He will voluntarily walk a wide berth around you. He will respect your space and never look directly at you again.
Here are the steps...Be the human, the predator of all predators. Be prepared, keep a stick in or near your coop(You won't need it if you follow all the above steps but it's always nice to be prepared!). Monitor all behaviors and never let anything slide, let him know you know he knows you know that YOU are the boss. Make him submit to you every time you walk in the barnyard by watching him out of the corner of your eye and making the first move if he even gets near you or your family. Make him walk a wide berth around all humans. He will do this anyway if you follow the above steps.
I've never had to flog a bird more than once. I've never had a repeat attack or aggressive move after the initial training. I don't have to look over my shoulder all the time because I'm paying attention~all the time. I don't make friends with a rooster. He has two jobs...breed and call the alarm.
Out of all those years and all those roos, I can't imagine I've just had very smart birds who learn in one lesson....so this method must be pretty effective, if followed. BUT..you have to be assertive and the alpha. It helps tremendously if you are the alpha of all the animals in the farmyard, kids included.
I would have respectfully disagree with this statement.
All the posts telling you to work on your fear of the roos is great advice. Been doing this for nigh on 33 years now, since a young gal and I can tell you a sure fire way to rule the roost.
1. You are the biggest rooster on the farm. Bar none. You may not have spurs but you do have opposable thumbs that can grasp a big stick.
2. Come to the job prepared to work. Dress in sturdy shoes...these are important in case you have to loft or jump a chicken without losing your shoe.
3. Never allow any aggression towards you or any family member, even if the roo is just protecting his gals. He needs to know you are the alpha, the omega, the beginning and the end of everything that happens on your place. Ditto for the kids. Don't walk into that coop or barnyard....STRIDE! Strut! Come loaded for bear. Each rooster I've had over the years only tries aggression on me one time. I've never had to kill or injure a roo for aggression. They simply stop their behavior. Over the years there have been a heck of a lot of roos, so trust me when I say this....don't ever forget that he tried it on for size, so you must "train" him whenever you think about it. By "train", I mean.....
4. If he even dances around you aggressively and you move towards him and he moves away before you can teach him a lesson~pick up your stick and wait by the coop pop door. Feed the chickens. When he comes in the pop door you waylay him. Thump him a couple of times before he can get away. Now, you don't have to brain the poor thing, but you need to thump that feathery butt a few good licks. From then on he will be looking over his shoulder for a surprise. Never have I had to repeat the surprise flogging of a roo.
5. Never let him breed a hen in front of you. Never let him approach you head on, if he does you confront him and make HIM move away or go around you. After a few days of this, you won't have to worry. You are the predator, the big cahoone, the top cheese and he knows it now. He will voluntarily walk a wide berth around you. He will respect your space and never look directly at you again.
Here are the steps...Be the human, the predator of all predators. Be prepared, keep a stick in or near your coop(You won't need it if you follow all the above steps but it's always nice to be prepared!). Monitor all behaviors and never let anything slide, let him know you know he knows you know that YOU are the boss. Make him submit to you every time you walk in the barnyard by watching him out of the corner of your eye and making the first move if he even gets near you or your family. Make him walk a wide berth around all humans. He will do this anyway if you follow the above steps.
I've never had to flog a bird more than once. I've never had a repeat attack or aggressive move after the initial training. I don't have to look over my shoulder all the time because I'm paying attention~all the time. I don't make friends with a rooster. He has two jobs...breed and call the alarm.
Out of all those years and all those roos, I can't imagine I've just had very smart birds who learn in one lesson....so this method must be pretty effective, if followed. BUT..you have to be assertive and the alpha. It helps tremendously if you are the alpha of all the animals in the farmyard, kids included.
