How to RAISE a good rooster.

[gimmie birdies]

My rooster comes when he is called, but only for love, the older hens eat all the treats before he gets there. He is 14 weeks old.

 

[ellend]

I raise all my roosters with a hands off approach. They grow up wary 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.

What do you mean by "I make sure...they run from me." How?

 

[Gypsi]

I find that when they don't have hens as a young rooster, they are calmer, more respectful and they just don't mess with me.

the roosters I have had go mean have been those that were with hens and I had to split them up, they were contesting control of the flock with me, coming at me feet first, and yes they got cooked. The separate time during maturing has worked out better. I think part is genetics. My current oldest rooster is a mutt, clearly part americauna, barred rock, buckeye, and maybe a 4th. He is calm, takes care of his girls, not messing with me or kids if we are in the yard, a horror to look at genetically but his chicks are good. I didn't intend to let him breed but a broody hen convinced me otherwise. Not cooking this one.

My big beautiful Sicilian Buttercup, who I raised from hatch and the kids would hold as a young chick, would throw himself at the kids through his pen walls when he was young, not having been with the hens after maybe 3 months or 4 months of age. After a rehome and attempted rehab for over a year, he made good doggy snacks. (too tough for anything else)

 

[Happyfestivous]

I have an adult rescued rooster who let me pick him up and pet him when he was in isolation coop. After he was integrated with the ladies he was having none of that. One hen was sounding off after her egg lay and that got him agitated and he attacked me. I had the hose in my hand so I sprayed him since nudges to push him away wasn’t working. I have a backyard flock so nice and small 9 hens with one rooster. He attacked me several more times as I was going about business in my yard and I sprayed him. He seems to keep his distance now. Hopefully, I didn’t do any harm with spraying him but being flogged and scratched hurt. I’m keeping rooster since the ladies seem more calm, have stopped pecking at each other, and I like his protection abilities.

 

[rlhagan56]

Some are just plain mean no matter how they are raised. My BCM and lavender Ameraucana just turned one years old and both went to freezer camp even though they cost a lot to buy as chicks. The one out of the blue attacked from behind and I still have a hole and shin bruise from it. I've never had a rooster be aggressive like those two (in separate pens with their girls) and they were hatchery stock.

 

[Magpie1]

I have had a couple of roosters lately that I received as adults or nearly so. The last was a gorgeous Partridge Rock that took down a hawk going after the hens. He was MEAN. My first clue should have been when I went to get him and reached down to pick him up and the lady said, "I can't believe you did that." He was such a good flock protector, I kept him for about a year. I finally got tired of watching my back all the time and sold him with a little flock because he was too pretty to kill. I regret that and wish he was still here. At least he was honest and a good protector. The rooster I have now is an Australorp that was sold as a Jersey Giant. He was a "pet" as a baby, but the people were afraid of him when he got too big. I got him at about 5 months old and he didn't give me much trouble until recently. (He's just over a year old.) He is a coward, who would throw a hen under the bus in a heartbeat. He will often wait until we have a fence between us to assert his dominance. He will also attack from the front if he thinks he can get away with it. Fear enters into it, but it's not the whole story. It's also a lack of respect and poor temperament from being handled wrong. At this point, even if he moves away from me, if he is still posturing he has to keep moving until I see he has given up the fight. I don't chase him 'round and 'round, just make sure he realizes he has lost. I was thinking of butchering him. I still might but Bantychooks, your post has given me hope that he might be a decent rooster someday. I've never had problems with other roosters that I raised myself so might try that next time. BTW, I don't really want my roosters as pets, just do their job and leave me alone.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What do you mean by "I make sure...they run from me." How?

Generally they run when I walk towards them. If they don't they may get tapped with a stick, or have a plastic feed container tossed in their direction to startle them, and to move them off.

The way I raise mine, they don't want me coming towards them because it means I may catch and hold them. So generally just walking towards them in a confident manner is enough.

Everyone needs to find what works for them and their situation. My way may not be best for everyone else. My birds are completely free range and live in a large shed. I'm a confident owner. I'm never fearful of my birds. I have been handling livestock and poultry my whole life. People who are new to chickens can affect a roosters behavior if you are fearful of them.

My way works by keeping me out of the chicken pecking order. Chickens that are handled and pet by people view humans differently than those that are not. So my way may not be best for those wishing to pet and cuddle with their chickens. I only catch and handle birds if necessary. My birds do not fear me, nor do they see me as part of the flock.

So definitely read all ways, take all with a grain of salt and figure out what's best for you and your situation. I never say my way is the only way. I only share what I do, and what has worked or not worked for me.

For people wanting to keep a rooster understanding body language in a rooster is important in order to avoid sending the wrong signals or misinterpreted what the rooster is saying to you which can trigger attacks.

My birds are all over my yard in the warmer weather. I never need to fear the roosters who escort females out to range. They have more important things to do than worry about me.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Charlie Chicken right, I thought the one to the left was a girl but it is a boy, I had to change his name to "Kendall" I have a man coming up to adopt one of these guys since I just need one.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

The cockerel pecked my sister today while she was changing feed and water. I hope his first 8 weeks of me petting him hasn't ruined him for life.

I'm trying to use the hands off method now, but I'm worried about consistency. How exactly do you teach him to respect your space? That seems to be what people recommend here.

Another problem is that I'll be leaving on a 2 month long trip next month, right when he's maturing. My sister's going to be predominantly taking care of him at that time, I just hope he turns out okay.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The cockerel pecked my sister today while she was changing feed and water. I hope his first 8 weeks of me petting him hasn't ruined him for life.

I'm trying to use the hands off method now, but I'm worried about consistency. How exactly do you teach him to respect your space? That seems to be what people recommend here.

Another problem is that I'll be leaving on a 2 month long trip next month, right when he's maturing. My sister's going to be predominantly taking care of him at that time, I just hope he turns out okay.

He is being forward already. Since you are both kids? It may be harder to make him respectful at this point. Things done to move him off may just feed his desire to peck at you now. It is something I would discuss with your parents if possible.