How to RAISE a good rooster.

[BantyChooks]

Thank you for the replies! Unfortunately, I thought the more you handle them as chicks the better they behave themselves when they grow up. So I've been holding him and petting him a lot, carrying him around and stuff like that. I guess that's got to stop now. I've heard that if they peck your arm as chicks, you need to train them not to do it right away. (Never happened to me, but he did it to my mom once). How would you do so, or does it really not matter that much?

I tap them on the head with my finger like an adult bird would do as a reprimand. It seems to work.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Thank you for the replies! Unfortunately, I thought the more you handle them as chicks the better they behave themselves when they grow up. So I've been holding him and petting him a lot, carrying him around and stuff like that. I guess that's got to stop now. I've heard that if they peck your arm as chicks, you need to train them not to do it right away. (Never happened to me, but he did it to my mom once). How would you do so, or does it really not matter that much?

You can always peck him back. Seriously, put your index finger, middle finger and thumb together and give a firm poke to the back. Not too hard and not too soft.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

None of that is raising a friendly rooster. That’s raising a rooster you never touch and when you do it’s with a net.

My roosters are friendly enough. I personally don't need a pet rooster. Everyone wants something different. I personally don't want human aggressive roosters. I'm just sharing how I get them there. I got dogs for petting and cuddling. Roosters are livestock. Male livestock needs to be respected, not cuddled. Just my personal opinion. Good thing is everyone can have their opinions on their birds.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

My roosters are friendly enough. I personally don't need a pet rooster. Everyone wants something different. I personally don't want human aggressive roosters. I'm just sharing how I get them there. I got dogs for petting and cuddling. Roosters are livestock. Male livestock needs to be respected, not cuddled. Just my personal opinion. Good thing is everyone can have their opinions on their birds.

My opinion on my birds is that they taste wonderful

 

[bobbi-j]

I raise all my roosters with a hands off approach. They grow up weary of me and they keep their distance. When I approach they go the other way. A young rooster shouldn't be too forward or invade your personal space. I make sure as they mature they run from me. When they are mature, after 2 years, I don't care as much, and they usually become more friendly with age. After 2 years my roosters can do as they please. They remain respectful to me.

I raise multiple roosters a year. They are all different breeds. None are aggressive with me. So either my technique works 100% of the time, or it's me.

I raise mine similarly to oldhen. Since I have been raising them that way, I have not had a human aggressive rooster. They mind their business and I can go about mine when I'm out and about near the flock.

None of that is raising a friendly rooster. That’s raising a rooster you never touch and when you do it’s with a net.

OP didn't ask how to raise a friendly rooster. Just one that's not human aggressive.

 

[BantyChooks]

You can go many different ways with a rooster. OP didn't specify in her post which way she wanted to take her flock, so I don't think any way here is wrong in the context of the thread.

Personally, I would agree with Havoc. There's a difference between a scared bird and a respectful one. Birds can also be flighty without being afraid, and lots of people mix the two definitions.

I don't want mine to constantly follow me around and sit on my lap when I sit down, but I want to be able to walk near enough to them to gauge their health without them blowing up. It's not an either/or kind of thing.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I’ve had roosters all my life and just crook them up. I hold them by their feet and take them to where they need to go. A rooster being afraid is not a guarantee to getting bit if you handle them correctly.

How many roosters have you had in all your life? If all you do is handle them once in a blue moon to move them around and then to eat them you have no idea whether they are friendly or not.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I raise mine similarly to oldhen. Since I have been raising them that way, I have not had a human aggressive rooster. They mind their business and I can go about mine when I'm out and about near the flock.


OP didn't ask how to raise a friendly rooster. Just one that's not human aggressive.

How do you tell if a rooster is aggressive or not if they’re only handled with a net?

 

[bobbi-j]

You can go many different ways with a rooster. OP didn't specify in her post which way she wanted to take her flock, so I don't think any way here is wrong in the context of the thread.

Personally, I would agree with Havoc. There's a difference between a scared bird and a respectful one. Birds can also be flighty without being afraid, and lots of people mix the two definitions.

I don't want mine to constantly follow me around and sit on my lap when I sit down, but I want to be able to walk near enough to them to gauge their health without them blowing up. It's not an either/or kind of thing.

My roosters aren't afraid of me. They just know to keep a respectful distance. The one I have right now will walk toward me when I'm out with the flock. Not in a threatening way or anything, just moseys my direction. When I think he's close enough, I walk toward him and he moseys the other way. I can get close enough to catch him with a net if I have to. I lift him off the roost now and then, just so he knows it can happen on occasion and he doesn't freak out.

 

[BantyChooks]

How do you tell if a rooster is aggressive or not if they’re only handled with a net?

Well, whether or not they are applying their spurs to your calves seems to be a pretty good indicator.