How to raise a GENTLE rooster?!?

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Hi! I've brought home 12 straight run chicks this year. I'd like to have a number of pullets, but I'm also hoping for a gentle rooster. Our current rooster stalks my children, and sometimes jumps at them. So far, he hasn't hurt them (he'll be OUT if he does).

BUT, I'm wanting to rear a replacement for him with a better personality. The breeder I got them from has a roos that are gentle with his son, so there's hope! One of my older chicks is clearly a cockerel - that's Mac below, with his sister Anne.

My question is this - what can I do to encourage him to grow up to be a gentle rooster?

Thanks!

 

[usschicago1]

Quote:
I would handle him as much a possible and give him alot of hand fed treats. Everydayyy. That way he becomes tame. Thats no guarantee, but ill bet it works!

 

[onthespot]

I do the opposite. I ignore them. When I walk in the pen, I walk a staight line, like a buffalo heading to the waterhole. I don't detour, and if a roo is in my way I walk right through him like he is invisible. I might purposely step on his toes a little if he tries to stand in my way, but I don't even acknoledge that he is there. Pretty soon they get tired of getting their toes stepped on and make room. It is not confrontational, and there is no intereaction, so they learn to just avoid being underfoot and ignore me like I ignore them. I have never seen a roo attack a cow or a horse, so I just try to be the cow or horse.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

Our rooster that we raised from a chick is the nicest rooster ever! just handle him as much as possible and feed ALL your chickens out of your hand, also show him that you wont hurt his girls

Also when he gets older about 30 weeks or something like that then, squirt him a couple times with the hose (on jet setting) and he'll know whos boss

good luck!

 

[lovinlife]

I've tried both methods. Every roo I handled and tried to tame turned into a monster when they reached maturity. The ones I've ignored and walked over avoid me like the plague and aren't aggressive at all.

I don't let my roo eat when I'm around. The dominant roo won't let a subordinate roo eat, so you have to set the same precedent. The hens are a different story, they all eat out of my hand and come running when they see me.

It is a rare roo that is sweet as a mature adult. They're out there, just very rare. Best thing you can do is teach him to respect people.

 

[MaggieRae]

What breed is he? Australorp? Australorp roos are well known for their gentleness. My australorp rooster has only attacked two things- my blue boots (Don't ask me why. They're the devil incarnate. I step out of them, and I must be protected from the devilish blue boots.) and my dog (he was sitting in my lap on the rocking chair and we were watching the sun rise. The dog ran up rather fast, shoved her face in my lap, and ended up running away just as quickly as she arrived.). Some breeds are just pre-programmed to be nice, mean, wary, or otherwise. There are always exceptions though.
For raising him... I was over cuddly with all my chicks. Each one was out of the brooder for half an hour a day, either by me or one of my family. They got A LOT of human attention. Once about 5 or 7 weeks old, I started taking them outside, just one or two at a time. I would walk back to the house and make them follow me. At the house I would pick them up and rock in the rocking chair while feeding treats. All of my chickens are very sweet. Especially my rooster, who is now the easiest to catch.

 

[Anny]

All the rooster I raised form chicks grew up to be the nicest roosters ever. I handled them alot and they became very out going. Winning their love with food is always easy too. They sure do love food!

 

[speckledhen]

Temperament is largely heritable. If he has the inclination to be aggressive in the first place, handling him lots will make him think he's more your equal and some day, he'll take you on and challenge you. If you handle a cockerel whose temperament is mild anyway, it makes him more of a pet.

So, it's not really that handling makes him sweet, it only brings out more of his innate temperament. He is what he is. I've had often handled, very friendly cockerels turn aggressive at mating age when the hormones are raging. I've had those I did not handle much turn into the best, most easygoing roosters.

I've also decided that the ones lacking intelligence are the ones who bite the hand that feeds them. The smarter ones realize who brings the food, water and treats and show respect. Don't breed from stupid, aggressive stock!

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Quote:
He's a black copper marans. I hear they were nice. We had one marans roo (a cuckoo) that was sweet - but he had major trouble with hi knees and had to be put down.

I have a few Australorp hens, though - and they are sweet! But so are ALL of my girls! It's just that roo....

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Quote:
That's very interesting - it certainly explain why people say BOTH that handling their roos makes them calm and that it makes them aggressive. I sure hope Mac is smart then....