How to manage a Rooster and be the boss?

[Browniethechicken]

How do I manage my young 5 month old brahma rooster and show him I’m the boss? He is the only rooster of my small 7 hen flock. He is generally easy going and I can handle him and pick him up and hold him. I really like him. Recently, he started mating with the at least one pullet that I’ve seen. He also recently started dancing around me and using his side body to shuffle at me. Couple of times he pecked at me. Nothing too aggressive but I don’t want it to get worse and need to nip in bud now. I’ve heard of two tips regarding asserting your dominance so the rooster knows you are the top boss. First, one tip suggests to hold the rooster down (firmly but not to hurt him) and put his head down using your index and middle fingers to make a v shape to hold his head down. This supposedly mimics what alpha roosters do to other roosters. Secondly, the next tip reports to never allow your rooster to mate with the hens in front of you.

I’ve tried the first tip tonight and it went well and will see in the next few days if that changed any behavior.

What do you think about this idea of never allowing your rooster to mate in front of you if your top boss?

Also, do you think any of this will help manage and tame a rooster so that you can have a gentle guy instead of a lunatic. I think it’s also important to note that I constantly pick up my Roo and hold him. I want him to be accustomed to that. He is a good boy but with the hormones flowing and him maturing I want to be ahead of the game and do what I can to help keep him friendly with me and the family.

 

[Tonyroo]

The 2nd tip is a myth. My rooster always mates his hens in front of me. It doesn't change his behavior towards me. He's still calm and attentive, even as he gets older.

 

[Sussex19]

Good advice! Thank you! So you’re saying I can’t befriend my rooster? or rather, I shouldn’t? Appreciate your comments

I just think you should let him grow up a bit more beforehand.
In the moment, think of him like the teenager he is.
Teens want to test boundaries, and are trying to find out who they want to be. So I would let him work out how the world works and where he stands in it by himself without cuddling him too much.
Let him learn about authority!
Then, once he has settled down, that is the time to befriend him, and you can make a partnership and both look after the flock together.

But this is just how I deal with my cockerels and roosters, and there is a lot of different ways people do it.
See if you can find out what works for you.

 

[Mrs. K]

Personally I think that when you hold him or he sits on your lap, you are taking the submissive position. It might be you really have not seen a rooster in a mature flock. The hens adore him. They groom him, pet him and are delighted with him being the top dog. People tend to see that as being friendly. Chickens see it as being submissive.

This will either settle or go wrong. And to be honest, not much will depend on how you do it now. Now is rather too late in my book. He is not afraid of you, does not give you space, you see that as a good thing, he sees that as being the boss.

People really don't have that much influence unless you are living in the coop. A few moments in the morning and afternoon, really are not much time. Other birds have a better influence, and older birds often do teach proper society. I think you do get a better rooster with them.

But as for this, do report back how it works...but do have a plan B, one that is at hand, set up and ready to go. Sometimes the attack comes out of nowhere. IF YOU HAVE children - get rid of him.

MRs K

 

[Silexian]

I think maintaining a respect between me and my roosters is important. They should not run at the sight of me. Mine actually come running and food call to their hens. When they see me walking across the yard with the scrap bucket. I want them to move calmly away from me and maintain a respectful distance when I move towards them. In return, I don’t pick them up. To make them appear weak in front of their flock. Everyone has different standards and methods that work for them. This is what works for me. After helping my parents during my childhood, then raising my own chickens. Which will number well into the thousands. (including hundreds of roosters) over the past 50 plus years. I can count on one hand the number of human aggressive roosters I have had. I find it baffling, how many post I see about human aggressive roosters.

 

[CannedMonster]

My favorite advice on roosters comes from @Shadrach
He wrote at least one article about it if not more.
I personally don’t handle cockerels as soon as I can tell that a chick is developing into one. I don’t want them to view me as part of the flock but separate. A friendly giant that brings good things for his girls to eat.
One of the best things I learned from Shadrach’s article was to always offer treats to the rooster first so he can call his girls over to the wonderful tidbits that he “found” for them lol.
When humans bring treats and the hens all run away from him and to the humans they can (and I think, do) believe you’re attempting to steal their hens.

I keep only bantam roosters now. I absolutely love them and they’re much easier to handle than standard ones but some individuals can be aggressive. They get rehomed or become soup.

 

[The Birb King]

My Marans rooster would jump at my hand and walk sideways toward me as a teenager and I thought he would grow up to be really aggressive. One time when he was acting slightly aggressive, I held him down and pushed his head into the dirt and held him there for about a minute. He is full grown now and is really big but not aggressive at all! I dont know if holding him down once had something to do with it but he is a really good boy now he is almost a year old and really pretty!

 

[Sussex19]

Thanks I will read this! Being proactive even if I do have a more Friendly rooster because he needs to be kid friendly too

Just one thing, a 'friendly' cockerel can be the worst.
At that age, I like my cockerels to have a healthy respect for me, and mostly keep out of my way.
Then, when they are older and don't have raging hormones any more, I will gain their trust and get them to relax with me.

 

[Sussex19]

It may be important to note that I hand raised him from 2 days old. Not sure if that makes a rooster more friendly…. As of now I’ve treated him more like a pet but having read more about roosters I want to do the right thing and establish the right boundaries. Being proactive. I didn’t like that he pecked at me and did a shuffle dance at me… though I understand it and his role.

Being hand raised, he will be more friendly, which is often the same as just bold.
Not to say that you can't hand raise a nice rooster, but it is harder, and may be more likely to fail.
You are right to not like him pecking and dancing for you. These behavers should be for hens only!
@3KillerBs advise for walking though cockerels and roosters as if they are not there and making them get out the way is very sound, I have found.

 

[Mrs. K]

@ Browniethechicken - you don't have to wait until they are grown 10 years, unless they are infants now? Once a child gets to be 7+ he/she is tall enough not to take an attack in the face, and generally have enough weight not to knocked down.

But if it is hard for you to cull a rooster, just an all hen flock is nice too.

Mrs K