How to prevent rooster aggression?

[mshuntjump]

I bought a golden cuckoo maran cockeral today. He's very good looking, even though he's only a few months old. I was wondering if anyone knows ways to prevent roosters from being aggressive towards people? I would love for this one not to be aggressive.

 

[theoldchick]

Rooster aggression is genetic. Some are more aggressive than others. While you can 'train' a rooster to not attack one certain person, some roosters are not trustworthy at all and should be culled from the flock.

Some people suggest picking up a young rooster on a daily basis and carrying it around. While this does nothing for aggressive tendencies it will keep the rooster from attacking you since it is restrained in your arms. I teach a rooster to move out of my space by using a stick or a handy chicken grabber (chicken hook). I make a point to walk among the flock and move the rooster away from the hens. If he gets rowdy, I pen the aggressor down with the stick. When he stops fighting I release him. Very soon the rooster learns to recognize you as the flock master and either stay out of your way or attack you when you are not looking. Some roosters will challenge your authority on a routine basis. Keep the rooster who stay out of your way.

If you have very young cockerels you can do submissive work by laying them on their side. When they stop struggling release them. The smart rooster learns very quickly to lay quietly. Some birds will always have a moment of panic but will quickly lay still.

Since rooster aggression is inherited, don't breed an aggressive rooster-especially for a backyard flock. In the past aggressive roosters didn't really matter as there weren't that many back yard flocks. It was common to eat roosters so gentleness didn't matter. Now times have changed and the backyard flock is becoming more common. Human contact is more common and happens on a more personal level.

We want pet chickens but remember chickens weren't considered pets until recently. So we must be adamant about breeding less aggressive stock. Doesn't matter how good looking a rooster is. If he's attacking folks he needs to go. Same goes for the hen. Breed hens that are calm and sane.


Good luck with your new guy, I hope he works out for you!

 

[aoxa]

I teach a rooster to move out of my space by using a stick or a handy chicken grabber (chicken hook). I make a point to walk among the flock and move the rooster away from the hens. If he gets rowdy, I pen the aggressor down with the stick. When he stops fighting I release him. Very soon the rooster learns to recognize you as the flock master and either stay out of your way or attack you when you are not looking. Some roosters will challenge your authority on a routine basis. Keep the rooster who stay out of your way.

Exactly what I do, and I have 15 roosters who are very sweet boys. That's 15 boys over the age of 5 months old. Yeah.. I have a lot of roosters. I have a lot of hens as well.



Quote:

We want pet chickens but remember chickens weren't considered pets until recently. So we must be adamant about breeding less aggressive stock. Doesn't matter how good looking a rooster is. If he's attacking folks he needs to go. Same goes for the hen. Breed hens that are calm and sane.

Let your hens be the pets, and the roosters be your security guards. Don't mess with the security guards by picking them up or cuddling them. That's not what they are there for. They are there to protect, and reproduce. Oh and look pretty of course.

 

[mshuntjump]

Rooster aggression is genetic.  Some are more aggressive than others.  While you can 'train' a rooster to not attack one certain person, some roosters are not trustworthy at all and should be culled from the flock.

Some people suggest picking up a  young rooster on a daily basis and carrying it around.  While this does nothing for aggressive tendencies it will keep the rooster from attacking you since it is restrained in your arms.  I teach a rooster to move out of my space by using a stick or a handy chicken grabber (chicken hook).  I make a point to walk among the flock and move the rooster away from the hens.  If he gets rowdy, I pen the aggressor down with the stick.  When he stops fighting I release him.  Very soon the rooster learns to recognize you as the flock master and either stay out of your way or attack you when you are not looking.  Some roosters will challenge your authority on a routine basis.  Keep the rooster who stay out of your way.

If you have very young cockerels you can do submissive work by laying them on their side.  When they stop struggling release them.  The smart rooster learns very quickly to lay quietly.  Some birds will always have a moment of panic but will quickly lay still.

Since rooster aggression is inherited, don't breed an aggressive rooster-especially for a backyard flock.  In the past aggressive roosters didn't really matter as there weren't that many back yard flocks.  It was common to eat roosters so gentleness didn't matter.  Now times have changed and the backyard flock is becoming more common.  Human contact is more common and happens on a more personal level.  

We want pet chickens but remember chickens weren't considered pets until recently.  So we must be adamant about breeding less aggressive stock.  Doesn't matter how good looking a rooster is.  If he's attacking folks he needs to go.  Same goes for the hen.  Breed hens that are calm and sane.


Good luck with your new guy,  I hope he works out for you!

Thanks so much! He sure is a sweety so far.