How to pick up an aggressive rooster?

[chixcoop]

I want to pick up my aggressive rooster to establish myself above him in the pecking order. I was unsucessful in my previous attempts to pick him up, because I had short sleeve, shorts, and clogs. Is it alright if I wear jeans, a black sweat shirt, boots and sungalsses, or will any of those make him more aggressive? I would rather my rooster be aggressive toward me and nobody else, than aggressive toward everyone, but not me. What do I do when I pick him up? Chores? Fill up the water?

 

[Pyxis]

First, roosters shouldn't be aggressive to anyone, so if he keeps it up and you can't break him, eat him and get a new one. There are too many good roosters looking for homes to put up with a nasty one. Wearing certain clothes won't make him more aggressive, so wear all the protective gear you want when attempting to pick him up. Just picking him up probably won't break him of his aggressiveness, you'll want to hold him for a while. Try also pinning him to the ground. Even then this might not work; my only aggressive rooster I ever had I was never able to break, so he was replaced.

 

[chixcoop]

Really? Won't my hens have a hard time adjusting to a different rooster? I thought picking up a rooster would cure him of his dominance. Plus, is it possible to have a nice rooster, but still have a protective one?

 

[Pyxis]

Yes, all five of my current roosters are not human aggressive, and all of them would also die to protect the flock from a predator. They don't view me as a threat - or as a challenge to their flock leadership because they know I'm not a chicken. Your rooster either views you as a threat to the flock or as another rooster trying to take his flock from him that he needs to fight because he thinks he's dominant. I had an aggressive rooster once, the only rooster I haven't raised by myself; he showed up one day during the early days of my flock, and no amount of picking him up, chasing him, pinning him down etc would break him of his aggressiveness. I'd pick him up, hold him for a bit, put him back down, and he'd be right back for round two.

Your hens should adjust well to a new rooster, if it turns out to be necessary. If you get a young cockerel they'll probably push him around a bit before he learns to take charge, but if you can find a nice older rooster he should take charge right away with few problems. He and the more dominant hens might have a few quick scuffles to settle things, but that should be it.

To find a new rooster, just check your local craigslist. You'll find tons of them looking for new homes. Make sure you quarantine any new bird for at least two weeks though so you don't accidentally introduce a nasty disease like MG to your flock.

 

[SuperLuke]

Show him who is boss, if he try's to peck you hold him down on the ground so all the hens can see him. Make him know YOUR in charge.

 

[littlethorn]

You can wear more clothing without it causing a problem to ease your fears about being bitten. It will not make him more aggressive. The main thing is you need to be decisive and just reach down and grab him. Hold him and don't let him do what he wants in front of the others so everyone knows you are the boss. Don't let him think he can get away with attacking you. Roos are just like other animals (dogs, bears etc.) in that if they see you are scared and running then they will press their attack.

 

[chixcoop]

So on craigslist, it will just show up as "friendly rooster in need of a new home"? Why do people want to get rid of their friendly rooster though?

 

[chixcoop]

Ah thanks, that is just what I was feelin! Ill try to be more confident!

 

[Pyxis]

It might not say friendly so you'll have to ask to make sure, but yes, that's about what it will say. People give them away because they aren't allowed to have them, they have too many, they get sick of the crowing, etc. Good luck with your boy, you may be able to break his aggressiveness so a new rooster might not even be necessary