How To Raise A Rooster

[newbie32]

My cockerel and another suspected cockerel jumped in the air flapping around in front of me. They are not actually physically doing it to me-they are still scared of me-but it is right directly in front of me. Is this the beginning of flogging?! And would a female do that?

I ran after them after they did it just in case they get any ideas about themselves being dominant over me

 

[JennyRed]

marking this

 

[JennyRed]

My 9 week old rooster puffed up at me when I was putting in feed. He jumped in front of his mom and did this staring at me and did this little dance a few times. I just said shush and pushed him back lightly then he ran screaming behind mom. She did nothing she knew what I was doing. Is this too young? He has not done it again yet, this was a week ago. I have captured and held him 2 times to put him in a place so not to cause ruffles with mom and another pullet in the coop. I got him at 5 weeks old so I know was held and cuddled by my grand children along with their parents. Here he has not been cuddled. Am I going to have problems? Need to read all this slower and try to fix things before he gets older.

 

[newbie32]

Hmm IDK if you read the post I posted last but people in this thread have said to assert yourself-hence why I ran after mine

 

[cafarmgirl]

My 9 week old rooster puffed up at me when I was putting in feed. He jumped in front of his mom and did this staring at me and did this little dance a few times. I just said shush and pushed him back lightly then he ran screaming behind mom. She did nothing she knew what I was doing. Is this too young? He has not done it again yet, this was a week ago. I have captured and held him 2 times to put him in a place so not to cause ruffles with mom and another pullet in the coop. I got him at 5 weeks old so I know was held and cuddled by my grand children along with their parents. Here he has not been cuddled. Am I going to have problems? Need to read all this slower and try to fix things before he gets older.

Sometimes there is no fixing them and it's often the ones who were cuddled and spoiled as youngsters who are the worst offenders, they are just completely fearless. It's just the nature of the bird and especially when they are around 6 months old or so and the hormones hit... then the greed eyed monster in them really comes out. Some are worse then others, some can be influenced by training and some will remain jerks forever. I work on mine and give them until they are around a year old, about the time that they mature and the hormones kind of settle down. If they can't learn to be respectful by that age then I don't keep messing around with them quite frankly. I don't have the time or the inclination to constantly watch my back while I'm at the barn.

Just stand your ground when this youngster approaches you and if he's aggressive or pushy about it then back him up with your feet, keep backing him off until he gives ground and walks away. Just keep asserting your dominance in small ways like that and be prepared that he is very likely to ramp it up when he's a bit older!

 

[newbie32]

Sometimes there is no fixing them and it's often the ones who were cuddled and spoiled as youngsters who are the worst offenders, they are just completely fearless. It's just the nature of the bird and especially when they are around 6 months old or so and the hormones hit... then the greed eyed monster in them really comes out. Some are worse then others, some can be influenced by training and some will remain jerks forever. I work on mine and give them until they are around a year old, about the time that they mature and the hormones kind of settle down. If they can't learn to be respectful by that age then I don't keep messing around with them quite frankly. I don't have the time or the inclination to constantly watch my back while I'm at the barn.

Just stand your ground when this youngster approaches you and if he's aggressive or pushy about it then back him up with your feet, keep backing him off until he gives ground and walks away. Just keep asserting your dominance in small ways like that and be prepared that he is very likely to ramp it up when he's a bit older!

What kinda ramping up do you mean? What should I expect from mine?

 

[cafarmgirl]

What kinda ramping up do you mean? What should I expect from mine?

As he gets older and the hormones kick in, around 6 months, he may very well become a lot more aggressive and persistent in his attempts to attack and put you in your place. Not all roosters are nasty individuals but it certainly is very common, especially in their "teenage" months. Just something to consider and keep an eye out for, getting spurred in the shin or the back of the leg hurts like the devil!

 

[newbie32]

Oh you mean floggings. Well I wont tolerate it! I am trying to raise them to know me as treat lady and alpha-which is why I started this thread-to figure out how to do that LOL. I will eat any Rooster that is mean. I want them to do their job with the hens but they need to respect that that does not include flogging humans. Hopefully this flapping in the air is just a faze. I will chase him everytime he does it.

 

[Jakoda]

My coronation sussex, Snowy that I spoke about previously, is now 5 months old..He is still fine with me, and what I still think what keeps him in line is, my older hens. THey don't pick on him, but if he's in their space and they don't like it, whether it's food or just space, give him a good peck and he goes a running, When I throw in treats/veggies/scratch whatever,,he respects those older hens, and actually follows me around, 'sniveling', for me to hand feed him , he'll back right off if one of the older hens comes in to get some hand feeding..

He is crowing Early mornings, I hear him in the barn, but he's a quiet boy during the day, unless I come outside he sees me coming, I speak to them, he runs for the gate, flapping his wings giving a couple crows like he's happy to see me

I have seen him trying to mate with the two pullets he has been raised with (before I integrated them)..not sure if he's done the deed, they don't seem to fight him off, but it doesn't seem like they are mating either..

He can be a little nit picker on the younger birds, (4 that I integrated into the flock that are now 4 months old)..One of them I think is a little EE roo..He acts more like a girly chicken to..

Hoping things stay the way they are, because I won't put up with a nasty rooster, I would hate to have to get rid of him, because I do like him.. I do hand feedhim and handle him alot, and he seems perfectly fine with it..Maybe he's just a wussy rooster? LOL This is a picture of him from last month..doesn't look like it, but he is a BIG bird.

 

[newbie32]

My coronation sussex, Snowy that I spoke about previously, is now 5 months old..He is still fine with me, and what I still think what keeps him in line is, my older hens. THey don't pick on him, but if he's in their space and they don't like it, whether it's food or just space, give him a good peck and he goes a running, When I throw in treats/veggies/scratch whatever,,he respects those older hens, and actually follows me around, 'sniveling', for me to hand feed him , he'll back right off if one of the older hens comes in to get some hand feeding..

He is crowing Early mornings, I hear him in the barn, but he's a quiet boy during the day, unless I come outside he sees me coming, I speak to them, he runs for the gate, flapping his wings giving a couple crows like he's happy to see me

I have seen him trying to mate with the two pullets he has been raised with (before I integrated them)..not sure if he's done the deed, they don't seem to fight him off, but it doesn't seem like they are mating either..

He can be a little nit picker on the younger birds, (4 that I integrated into the flock that are now 4 months old)..One of them I think is a little EE roo..He acts more like a girly chicken to..

Hoping things stay the way they are, because I won't put up with a nasty rooster, I would hate to have to get rid of him, because I do like him.. I do hand feedhim and handle him alot, and he seems perfectly fine with it..Maybe he's just a wussy rooster? LOL This is a picture of him from last month..doesn't look like it, but he is a BIG bird.

LOL look at the eye he is giving! He does not like cameras it seems. Well he is beautiful and I am glad he is working out for you. What do you mean he nit piks? I can only hand feed them string cheese. The rest they insist I thrown down for them. None of my chickens like me to touch them. It is frustrating!!! The little snobs act like I am trying to kill them.