How to prevent an aggressive cockerel

[Johnn]

We go out at night a few times a year and clip spurs...Its super easy, just like clipping a fingernail...

Be aware, animals can sense fear, I am a firm believer in being coop master.. After the disaster with the first rooster I did a lot of reading before getting another many years later.. Personally I am of the belief that if they attack they are dinner , no second chances.. I think the younger rooster senses this

If he attacks me just once then he is gone. The reason I see it like this is because there is no way I could trust him properly afterwards. If I have to get rid of him then it really is no more cockerels until I feel 100% ready. But I might just not get another...

 

[Johnn]

Will be going up in an hour or so, so will let yous know how I get on.

 

[chooks4life]

In my experience, here's how to prevent an aggressive cockerel: get rid of every male who shows inclination to attack a human, and breed the ones that don't.

I had an aggressive cockerel or two in the early days, didn't breed them, bred the boys that never threatened a human, haven't had an aggressive cockerel since. It appears predominantly genetic in basis. If can be bred out, but it takes generations of work, and I can't be bothered when there are so many non aggressive roosters out there to breed from instead.

Having said that, it really helps to not be afraid of your animals, as fear reads as unpredictability to many animals and they will try to remove the perceived threat, and it also helps to never take a male from someone who breeds human aggressive animals. I've had hundreds of chickens, half of which were male, roaming the houseyard and house paddock with small children for years, and never had an issue --- once I learned what a good rooster looked like, and what the warning signs are. And of course all that stuff about familial inclinations, lol.

I don't stop them mating, because only another rooster (or sometimes a hen) needs to do that, and any chicken stupid enough to think a human is a chicken is too stupid to breed in my opinion. Not only that, in my experience it's likelier to be sexually attracted to humans since it's species-confused as well.

Chickens are smart enough to recognize dogs, cats, horses etc aren't chickens, so I'm pretty sure most are also able to realize we are not chickens either. The majority of chickens can even tell their own species apart from other avians.

My males have never had a problem respecting humans despite being handled and let to breed unmolested so that's not a prerequisite for respect. The whole "stop the males from mating like you're a dominant rooster" thing would only work with either males who are already respectful, or species confused males, and at the end of the day it's up to you to find what method works for you. No one method is the only one that works.

I also handle the males, as well. It's a livestock animal, just like the females are, if it needs tending it'd better be tame enough to make a patient I can help as opposed to one that can't cope with being handled, or won't tolerate it, and it needs to be safe, for the sake of the children. Otherwise it's a waste of my time and money.

Also, I will not live in fear of my own animals. Or anyone else's. Australia's livestock industry has lost patience with dangerous males and none of the commercial "big players" bother with dangerous males (or females) of any species; they're a waste of money and time. People used to think that aggressive males were the better ones, but research in the cattle industry found positive correlations between excess aggression and low fertility, and certainly that's been my experience as well with males of all species I've kept. The theory favored is that the testosterone isn't being utilized by the system correctly so it results in lower fertility and higher aggression. Some aggression in both genders is normal and natural but after thousands of years of domestication, I'd be willing to bet that the only remaining human aggression in them is due to breeders who thought it was a preferred masculine trait or otherwise encouraged it, through bad or lackadaisical breeding, or unnecessary interference such as using solely artificial insemination generation after generation so the animals sexually identify with humans rather than their own kind.

Just my 5 cent's worth, lol, but whatever method works for you is fine, as long as you're not likely to sell me a human aggressive rooster that goes and kills some child, I have no issue with it. Best wishes to everyone, whatever your preferred method is, whether we agree or disagree. Hope your rooster doesn't turn, Johnn.

 

[downrangechick]

I bought a roo last year. A beautiful lavender ameraucana. He was very aggressive. I have never been nervous around any of my animals including cows but the roo had me nervous. I was thinking of how I was going to handle him one morning before chores when I heard banging in my coop. When I got there the roo went head to head with the neighbours dog and got caped. I thought he was dead. My husband came out and the roo started making sounds at him. We brought him in and cleaned him up the best we could. Cared for him for about a month inside. That roo now is the sweetest boy ever. I don't know if it was his near death experience or from giving him so much attention for that month.

 

[Johnn]

I bought a roo last year. A beautiful lavender ameraucana. He was very aggressive. I have never been nervous around any of my animals including cows but the roo had me nervous. I was thinking of how I was going to handle him one morning before chores when I heard banging in my coop. When I got there the roo went head to head with the neighbours dog and got caped. I thought he was dead. My husband came out and the roo started making sounds at him. We brought him in and cleaned him up the best we could. Cared for him for about a month inside. That roo now is the sweetest boy ever. I don't know if it was his near death experience or from giving him so much attention for that month.

I can relate to this. When I had Asparagus, I was more nervous and scared around him then I was walking through a cow shed full of 100 male and female cows!

 

[Johnn]

In my experience, here's how to prevent an aggressive cockerel: get rid of every male who shows inclination to attack a human, and breed the ones that don't.

I had an aggressive cockerel or two in the early days, didn't breed them, bred the boys that never threatened a human, haven't had an aggressive cockerel since. It appears predominantly genetic in basis. If can be bred out, but it takes generations of work, and I can't be bothered when there are so many non aggressive roosters out there to breed from instead.

Having said that, it really helps to not be afraid of your animals, as fear reads as unpredictability to many animals and they will try to remove the perceived threat, and it also helps to never take a male from someone who breeds human aggressive animals. I've had hundreds of chickens, half of which were male, roaming the houseyard and house paddock with small children for years, and never had an issue --- once I learned what a good rooster looked like, and what the warning signs are. And of course all that stuff about familial inclinations, lol.

I don't stop them mating, because only another rooster (or sometimes a hen) needs to do that, and any chicken stupid enough to think a human is a chicken is too stupid to breed in my opinion. Not only that, in my experience it's likelier to be sexually attracted to humans since it's species-confused as well.

Chickens are smart enough to recognize dogs, cats, horses etc aren't chickens, so I'm pretty sure most are also able to realize we are not chickens either. The majority of chickens can even tell their own species apart from other avians.

My males have never had a problem respecting humans despite being handled and let to breed unmolested so that's not a prerequisite for respect. The whole "stop the males from mating like you're a dominant rooster" thing would only work with either males who are already respectful, or species confused males, and at the end of the day it's up to you to find what method works for you. No one method is the only one that works.

I also handle the males, as well. It's a livestock animal, just like the females are, if it needs tending it'd better be tame enough to make a patient I can help as opposed to one that can't cope with being handled, or won't tolerate it, and it needs to be safe, for the sake of the children. Otherwise it's a waste of my time and money.

Also, I will not live in fear of my own animals. Or anyone else's. Australia's livestock industry has lost patience with dangerous males and none of the commercial "big players" bother with dangerous males (or females) of any species; they're a waste of money and time. People used to think that aggressive males were the better ones, but research in the cattle industry found positive correlations between excess aggression and low fertility, and certainly that's been my experience as well with males of all species I've kept. The theory favored is that the testosterone isn't being utilized by the system correctly so it results in lower fertility and higher aggression. Some aggression in both genders is normal and natural but after thousands of years of domestication, I'd be willing to bet that the only remaining human aggression in them is due to breeders who thought it was a preferred masculine trait or otherwise encouraged it, through bad or lackadaisical breeding, or unnecessary interference such as using solely artificial insemination generation after generation so the animals sexually identify with humans rather than their own kind.

Just my 5 cent's worth, lol, but whatever method works for you is fine, as long as you're not likely to sell me a human aggressive rooster that goes and kills some child, I have no issue with it. Best wishes to everyone, whatever your preferred method is, whether we agree or disagree. Hope your rooster doesn't turn, Johnn.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Johnn]

New boy was ok today. I was in a bad mood so I wasn't really nervous due to the fact I was in a mood. He came to the gate and looked a but odd but I just walked straight past him and him and the girls followed. I then went in the feed shed and got some food. Some of it fell on the floor, so I walked past them again and him and a few girls went in to eat. I put the feed out and as I was walking around collecting eggs, when ever I came across him, he would move. I was then cleaning the shed out with my back turned and I was peaking through the inside of my arm to see what he was doing. He was standing at the gate staring at me for 20 secs or so and then turned around and walked off. He then also didnt react when I took the waterer off him (it was nearly empty so I was refilling it). So, so far so good!

 

[chicksurreal]

New boy was ok today. I was in a bad mood so I wasn't really nervous due to the fact I was in a mood. He came to the gate and looked a but odd but I just walked straight past him and him and the girls followed. I then went in the feed shed and got some food. Some of it fell on the floor, so I walked past them again and him and a few girls went in to eat. I put the feed out and as I was walking around collecting eggs, when ever I came across him, he would move. I was then cleaning the shed out with my back turned and I was peaking through the inside of my arm to see what he was doing. He was standing at the gate staring at me for 20 secs or so and then turned around and walked off. He then also didnt react when I took the waterer off him (it was nearly empty so I was refilling it). So, so far so good!

I'm so glad to hear it! he's an absolutely gorgeous cockerel, I hope he continues to work out for you!

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

Hope it all works out for you he is an impressive looking rooster.

 

[poultrylubber]

My rooster was badly bullied by 6 other cockerels before I got him. The best thing to do is just leave him be and don't force him. It took me seven months to get it to were he would timidly eat out of my hand. I would just interact with my hens while he stood a good ways off and watched. I pick him up and hold him about two times a week (this is while he is in the coop so I don't have to chase him), never interrupted him while he is doing his duty, NO directly walking toward him just always keep him in the corner of my eye and go about my business. He is a very sweet guy and has never once come after me, he is also very good to his girls as well