How to get rooster used to you

[7iluvanimals]

We just recently go a rooster and I'm wondering how I can get him used to me. Right now he is terrified of me trying to pick him up. He is an American gamefowl. Also the reason he is in a dog cage is because we are trying to get him used to our pullets.

 

[Den in Penn]

Time, patience and bribes. He new so, you are a stranger, Give him a chance to get to know you before you stress him by trying to pick him with out a need.

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, I wouldn't try to get overly friendly with a rooster. You want him around to be a flock protector, and manage his harem. Sometimes when folks are overly friendly with roosters, they can become more human aggressive. But, this is only my opinion. I will pick up my girls, but strictly leave the rooster alone. I'll not allow him to breed in front of me, and will stand between him and the treats if he doesn't share with the younger girls. He gives preference to the hens. He always looks over his shoulder when I'm in the pen with the flock. I've never had to discipline him, and want to keep it this way!

 

[pdirt]

We're fairly new to chickens, but this is what we've noticed so far. Our first rooster is a Silkie, which are small and known to b fairly docile as far as roosters go. We wanted to be sure he stayed that way, so as a chick, my wife handled him a lot. Occasionally, she gave him the "love treatment", which involved holding him tight like hugging, cooing to him until he relaxed. She only had to do this I think a couple times. The last time she did it was right after he attacked her for the first time. He didn't attack her hard, but we wanted to nip this behavior in th bud, and it seemed to work. He hasn't attacked since. He does watch out for the hens, finds thm treats and does alert when a predator is nearby, but he goes running for cover along with the hens rather than stay and fight the predator. I have no idea if this is just this particular rooster's nature, a Silkie nature or a result of being human handled.

We just culled several roosters, two of which were offspring from the above mentioned Silkie. They were very aggressive and mean compared to the other two Silkie roosters. Perhaps this was their nature or a pecking order dominance thing, but they were not fully sexually mature yet.

 

[Mrs. K]

My roosters move away from me. They are not pets. I don't handle them at all. If I need to, I put a fishnet over the top of them, and that contains them. I agree with Lazy gardener, I don't make pets of mine.

Some are good ones, some not so good ones. If you are going to have roosters, please have a plan on what to do if a rooster becomes aggressive. A sharp knife makes a bad rooster much better. Personally I have the best luck, when they are raised up in an established flock with older birds. Seems to give them some manners.

Mrs K

 

[centrarchid]

He is a game rooster so getting him tame agrees with his breeding and can be done to an extreme seldom possible with other standard sized chickens. He is just shy of the age I begin taming process but you can start now. Instead of feeding him all at once, give him only a little bit at a time. Spend time around pen doing chores or whatever so you do not focus your attention on him. Every once in a while walk over a toss a few pieces of feed / grain in with him then walk away. Once he starts to approach you at cage boundary you can linger longer and begin process getting him to eat with you right at side of cage and ultimately you can get him to eat from your hand. Once he molts into bullstag condition he will likely become more docile making so picking him up is easy. I have several that can be called by name to come across yard to jump into the lap of strangers.

 

[7iluvanimals]

He is a game rooster so getting him tame agrees with his breeding and can be done to an extreme seldom possible with other standard sized chickens. He is just shy of the age I begin taming process but you can start now. Instead of feeding him all at once, give him only a little bit at a time. Spend time around pen doing chores or whatever so you do not focus your attention on him. Every once in a while walk over a toss a few pieces of feed / grain in with him then walk away. Once he starts to approach you at cage boundary you can linger longer and begin process getting him to eat with you right at side of cage and ultimately you can get him to eat from your hand. Once he molts into bullstag condition he will likely become more docile making so picking him up is easy. I have several that can be called by name to come across yard to jump into the lap of strangers.

Thank you so much this is very helpful!!