How to make a rooster less aggressive?

[crait]

My parents might make me get rid of my rooster. How can I make him less aggressive? I tell my parents not to provoke him or not to let him get too close if they don't want to get hurt but they're dumb. He's never attacked me before and he's really sweet and shy. They said if he isn't nicer I may have to sell him or something. They just won't listen to me. Argh...
I pet him every night and talk sweet to him. I can get right in his face and he won't peck me. He doesn't let me walk up to him or anything.
How would I make him nicer to my dumb parents?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

1. Your parents are not dumb.
2. Your bird is aggressive. Learn it, live with it...accept it.
3. Eat the bird.

There are WAY too many roosters out there that are perfectly happy to let you walk by without having to beat them senseless. I suggest getting a new rooster and calling it good.

I HATE having mean roosters. I HATE having to walk outside my house, into the pens and having to watch my back the entire time because I can't trust the bird to not attack me. I COMPLETELY side with your parents on this one. Why should they have to put up with a bird that they cannot trust?

 

[miss_thenorth]

Ditto. Ya know, I hit the reply button on this post several times but always cancelled it, b/c i couldn't respond nicely because of the disrespect for your parents. Be thankful for what they LET you have.

 

[crait]

1. They are dumb. They made me put my babies outside way too early! They could have got chilled! They also made me introduce them to my rooster who just pecked a baby once and broke open her crop because she was so young! She nearly died!
2. He's never attacked me personally because I don't provoke him into attacking.
3. I will never eat him! I love Url!
4. I just need my question answered.

 

[Davaroo]

Okay, the general disrespect for your parents aside, I doubt there is much you, personally, can do.
He has accepted you, but sees them as intruders - its what cocks do.
Under those circumstances, they have to make him submit. THEY will have to take him up and make him know they are to be reckoned with.
Right now, he just knows they show up and he doesn't like it. Once they take a role in his life and spend some time training him, he may come around. Or he may not, cocks are funny like that.
Have a backup plan.

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As for your parents, well... most of the people here at BYC are parents themselves. Your parents, while you disagree with them, pay the bills and keep you in gravy. Without them you got doodly squat; the milk stops flowing. So until you pay something back into world and to your family, show a little respect.

 

[janinepeters]

I am a parent but I am not offended by your attitude towards yours. It sounds to me like you must have a good intuitive understanding of how to work with your rooster. Your parents do not, but this doesn't mean they are dumb. It means they lack knowledge on the subject. You have been trying to educate them, but perhaps not tactfully enough to make them want to listen, or perhaps they are simply not motivated to learn. If it's the latter, you cannot do anything about it. If the former, maybe you can adjust your style to make them more receptive to what you say. Approach them as respectfully as possible, and you might see better results.

It might help to ask them to read something about rooster behavior. Maybe it will be more acceptable and meaningful to them if the information comes from an "authority", rather than directly from their child

Here is some excellent information on rooster behavior to read yourself and suggest to your parents:
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Cocks-1.html The second article, on rooster aggression towards people, will be of particular interest to you and your parents.

The fact that your rooster is tame with you says that he is capable of trusting people and behaving non-aggressively with people. So, there is an excellent chance that he will be able to be just as tame with your parents, provided they are interested in doing what it takes to show the rooster they pose no threat. This could take considerable time and effort on their part, though, and they simply might not have the time or interest. They will probably need to spend more time with him, be mindful of appearing non-threatening, offer him special food treats, etc.

It might also help your parents to learn why roosters are sometimes aggressive. That is, what advantage this behavior was to their wild ancestors. That might help them to not take his aggression personally. I think this is covered in the articles at the above link.

Of course, you might not be able to inspire your parents to do any of this, but do your very best, as tactfully and respectfully as you possibly can. You want them to respect your rooster, so model that respect in your communications with them. You might lose this rooster, but maybe you'll make some headway with them, and set the stage for a smoother process next time around with another rooster, or with some other animal.

By the way, I'll share a secret with you: I had exactly the same problem with my kids! I have a rooster, very tame with me, become aggressive with my kids. I could see that he was afraid of their quick, unpredictable movements, so I had to teach them to move more slowly and predictably around him, to generally be more aware and respectful of his needs, and eventually to hand feed him. He is much better with them now, but still somewhat suspicious. No more attacks, though. He'll briefly charge at them occasionally, but no attacks.

I think I had a much easier job, because I am the parent and can exert more control over my kids. You have a much more difficult task ahead of you!

Good luck!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Some good points here, sort of the long way around my own comments.

I kind of got from craits' posts so far that the respect angle definitely needs some working on. There appears to be some innate hostility towards her parents. She cannot get the cock situation sorted until that is recognized and handled.

Crait are you listening? The people here want to help, but they don't like having their back put against the wall, any more than your parents do. Here are your terms, as I read them:

A. Give me my answer.
B. Accept that my parents are idiots.
C. Accept that I am right.

In other words, "Do what I want, how I want." That is selfish and disrespectful to the very people you have come to for help.

It is good that you love your animals and want to care for them. Very commendable.
So try telling your folks that you want to work it out with them and that you have a plan. Write the plan down on paper so it is visual.
It won't take anything from them but some learning, then prepare the "presentation." In essence, you become their teacher. See the difference? Instead of forcing your point, you are teaching.

Be the first to admit that your attitude is mostly to blame for not getting anywhere. This opens the door for them to be more conciliatory. Also ask them to be a part of your chicken experience... let them know you want them to be. Best of all, show them that you're ideas won't cost any money.

This is what is called a compromise, and this is a good time for you to learn that lesson. It's how the world works, after all. Think of someone you know at school who tells you to do something their way or else - how does that make you feel?

Most parents can relate to this sort of responsible, two-way approach (especially the no-cost angle).

Once you have this set in your mind, follow Janines advice to the letter.

 

[crait]

Haha, thanks guys. Okay, first of all- I'm a guy.

And really, you guys had some good points and ideas. I'll defenately read over the articles and see if it would be something my parents could use. The only thing is that I try being nice, respectable, and all that good stuff with them but it all boils down to the fact that I'm trying to teach them something that they think they already know everything about. My step-father keeps telling me he raised chickens when he was growing up and knows more about them than I ever will even though I researched chickens countless hours and read a few books over them. His mom raised a few when he was like 10 for eggs and that was it but I raise my for pets. Of course we're going to have different viewpoints on things but they just take so much offense whenever I "try to one-up them" or trying to "act like I'm better than them." That's what this whole thing is based around. I just want my chickens safe. I tried getting them to read something about chilling whenever they made me put my babies outside but they wouldn't. This could work but I don't know.
I really didn't want to get into the whole 'parenting' realm- I just wanted my answer. I wasn't trying to be disrespectful but it's just frustrating whenever I'm trying to tell a story or something and people that weren't around act like they know more about it than me. Like they're trying to take over the story. That kinda sounds harsh but I don't disrespect them- Ever. I try very hard to be nice to them. My little brother is a brat to them and I would never be mean to them. Out of the 3 of us children, I'm considered the good one. Ya' know, the one that makes the good grades and stuff. Just because I called them dumb for not knowing something (which is what that means) doesn't mean I god up to their faces and bicker and argue with them. I hate that people just assume that. I knew that people would start thinking worse and worse things like that in this thread so I wanted to get that out of the way first so there wouldn't be an issue. I remember once in my Spanish class I was telling a story about my phone when my teacher was like, "Well, she had every right to." And basically finished my story with her own ending. I kinda just drifted away and didn't say anything to be mean when another student stuck up for me and said, "Sra. I don't think that's what he was going to say. I don't mean to be rude but you weren't even there." That's what I'm trying to say now. Please don't assume that I'm a bad person. I can't stress this enough.

A. Give me my answer.
B. Accept that my parents are idiots.
C. Accept that I am right.

A. That's what my thread was about.
B. You don't know them and I'm telling the story. I never said idiot.
C. There's no way you could know them. I'm not going to believe other people when they tell me I'm rude to my parents if they've never met me nor my parents. Or even heard any of the stories of my parents and I in their life.
My attitude was basically me begging them which would be the opposite of forcing my ideas on them. Therefore, I have nothing to apologize for. I know what compromising is and I know how to use it. My parents are just thick skinned, ya' know? Thick headed. They don't think they should be the ones to change and they would prefer that everyone do everything for them.
I don't want any of this to sound rude.

This thread was basically asking for pointers on how to make roosters less aggressive towards people, and not about my parents.​

 

[Opa]

One of the difficult parts of growing up is dealing with parents that have different ideas than yours. I know, I've been there. One thing you could do is remove your roosters spurs. That will quite often change his aggression.

 

[crait]

Quote:
Would that be possible if they are really small? He's only a year old.