How to bring up a kind rooster?

[Estrellathehen]

Recently I got 2 chicks - I have found out that one is a rooster. ( I added a photo of him ) I've never had a rooster before and I've never raised chicks before either. He's really sweet, but i've heard once they get older and start crowing, they can become aggressive. I really would like to keep him, so I want to know - how do I raise a nice rooster? Does anyone have any tips that could help? Thank you
P.s he is around 11 weeks old.

 

[Painted Calls]

Treat him like he doesn't exist. Do not coddle him or treat him as a pet.

 

[azygous]

By now, your rookie roo should be demonstrating his individual temperament. If he's a nice guy now, you have good material to work with.

As @Overo Mare pointed out, his training should begin now by not cuddling and coddling him. Keep the familiarity to a minimum. Lavish your affections on the girls, not him.

Around four or five months, he will begin getting his hormones. This is when there's potential for misunderstandings and mixed messages, and if your cockerel is confused, it can come out in aggressive behavior. Usually that occurs when a chicken keeper has been overly familiar with the little gentleman. It confuses him as to what his role is and what your role is.

Again, @Overo Mare has a good suggestion. Ignore him. This shows that you trust him to figure out his role in the flock and he should reciprocate by respecting your role. If he gets it wrong, immediately correcting his behavior will let him know he was getting off on the wrong foot. Then ignore him again, even when he makes clumsy attempts at mating a hen. Try not to laugh yourself sick where he can hear you.

Correcting a cockerel is as simple as immobilizing him until he calms down and surrenders, then release him. That's all it takes. Cockerels are fast learners.

 

[Estrellathehen]

T

By now, your rookie roo should be demonstrating his individual temperament. If he's a nice guy now, you have good material to work with.

As @Overo Mare pointed out, his training should begin now by not cuddling and coddling him. Keep the familiarity to a minimum. Lavish your affections on the girls, not him.

Around four or five months, he will begin getting his hormones. This is when there's potential for misunderstandings and mixed messages, and if your cockerel is confused, it can come out in aggressive behavior. Usually that occurs when a chicken keeper has been overly familiar with the little gentleman. It confuses him as to what his role is and what your role is.

Again, @Overo Mare has a good suggestion. Ignore him. This shows that you trust him to figure out his role in the flock and he should reciprocate by respecting your role. If he gets it wrong, immediately correcting his behavior will let him know he was getting off on the wrong foot. Then ignore him again, even when he makes clumsy attempts at mating a hen. Try not to laugh yourself sick where he can hear you.

Correcting a cockerel is as simple as immobilizing him until he calms down and surrenders, then release him. That's all it takes. Cockerels are fast learners.

Thank you, this is very helpful!

 

[azygous]

Further reading. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/i-think-i-have-a-cockerel-now-what-do-i-do.76274/

 

[gimmie birdies]

Roosters will be the kind of roosters they are. If he comes up to you, pick him up. never let him attack your foot, or a broom, soon he will only come to be picked up or he will avoid you. If he is shy and avoids you let him be. Don't try and make him what he is not. Your job is to not be afraid no mater what. He is taking cues from you.

 

[Estrellathehen]

Roosters will be the kind of roosters they are. If he comes up to you, pick him up. never let him attack your foot, or a broom, soon he will only come to be picked up or he will avoid you. If he is shy and avoids you let him be. Don't try and make him what he is not. Your job is to not be afraid no mater what. He is taking cues from you.

Alright, thanks!

 

[Playfulroost]

What I do is get several roosters of the breed I want. Then I watch them as they grow. I select the fastest growers that are friendly with the hens. Your rooster should ignore you and pay attention to the other chickens. If he becomes aggressive towards you, there are ways to tame him. I had a roo that was going over to the neighbors flock so I put him by himself in a large aviary cage. He had lots of interactions with the other chickens through chicken wire. I let him out after a few weeks and he went immediately next door. So I caught him again and left him in the pen for several months. Predators got the flock next door. I let him out this spring. He is having a great time with my hens. I have lots of his eggs in the incubator now. He is great to my hens. I give them treats and he stands at the back, lets the girls have it all. He is a RIR. Has never been agressive towards people. He keeps his distance from me. He wants to be with the flock instead of back in the cage. He's the most well behaved rooster and once they got acquainted, most of my hens adore him.
I had a tough time leaving him in the cage for so long. But I have another RIR rooster and they were trying to knock each other off the hen's backs, tearing flesh and feathers. So right now they are taking turns, I have to pen one of them up. My other RIR is also amazing. He got away from a predator, somehow had lured the predator away from the hens, and had lost over 20 tail feathers to show for it. Not a scratch on him other than his comb. So he's a keeper too! A hero! That's part of what you want in a roo--one that can save your hens without losing his own life. He's smart! I hatched out 5 of his chicks on Tuesday and I hope they are as smart as him!

 

[Audrie80]

I've had a few cockerels and all of them are sweet hearts. I believe it's because I held them and talked to them a lot when they were chicks and if they got out of line I would press them to the ground (like a mamma hen would sit on her chicks) and press his beak to the ground and make him stay until he doesn't fight and when I lift my hand he stays still instead of instantly running away. I'm establishing that I'm the Mom! I'm in control and I look them in the eyes when I talk to them. Then I'll give them treats.