How to tame a full grown rooster? How to integrate?

[onyx2011]

Background Info: Sunday, 3 of 4 of my flock were killed in a fox attack. I am devastated as 2 of the victims were quite affectionate towards me, and the sole survivor is a grumpy hen that only comes for food. I don't blame her, but I miss having a bond with the flock. I came home on Monday to a full grown bantam rooster in a dog crate in my chicken run. My parents went behind my back(just graduated highschool last week) and picked him up for me since he was going to the butcher block... for his terrible personality. Mom thinks that all roosters are supposed to be mean and doesn't understand how irritating it is to work with a rooster that is a jerk(we had a RIR roo until he passed away due to illness... even more so unfortunate because he was finally getting over his teenage hormones and showing some affection towards me)

Although I'd love for the rooster to enjoy me and come running to me on sight like the hens that are no longer with us, I'd be happy if I could just get him to a point that he tolerates me in the run, as having to constantly check my back isn't something I particularly enjoy. My flock normally free ranges, but the remaining hen and the new rooster are now on lock down until my family or the neighbor(who also loved our chickens and eggs) shoots the problem fox, and I'm arranging for some more chicks, since a flock of two isn't ideal, especially with that gender ratio.

I did handle him a bit today as I let him out of the crate for 20 minutes for supervised interaction between him and Oreo. They did well the first session, and he didn't flail or bite or peck me when I picked him up. An hour later, I went back outside and tried to have another session, but Oreo and him must have said something in ChickenCode, because next thing I knew, they were aggressively chest bumping, and the rooster attempted to spur, I believe, he was kicking with his legs towards her. I separated them and put the bantam back in the crate for the night.

So far, the rooster hasn't displayed aggression towards me, but I think that's because he's skittish right now with the new environment and all. How are you supposed to integrate a single chicken into a flock of one? Am I doing this right, having supervised sessions, or is my presence making things worse? How do I know when the chickens are ready to be left unsupervised?

 

[azygous]

I sense that you have a very good understanding of chickens in general and are aware of the particular problems that go with having a rooster, especially a new one that doesn't know you.

As I'm seeing it, you have two goals - one to integrate the roo with your existing flock. The other one is to get the roo to trust and respect you.

For the first task, integration of a new bird, click on my icon, then click on my profile page and then click on my articles page. Read the one on integrating a single hen with an existing flock.

For the second task, getting the rooster to know, respect, and trust you, keep doing what you started. Spend one on one time with him in a confined space. First get him accustomed to your presence without handling him. Just sit quietly with him, look at him but avoid extended eye contact. Do this for short spells over a couple of days.

From there, begin offering him a treat by extending you hand far out from your body. If he refuses to take the treat from your hand, just drop the treat in front of him. Do this over the course of the day for short intervals until he takes food from your hand.

Next, offer the treat but gradually bring your hand in closer to your body, requiring him to get closer to you. Do not touch him. Do this for short intervals until he's relaxed and trusting as he takes the treat from your hand held in close to your body.

Finally, begin reaching out to touch his comb or breast as he takes the treat. Do this until he doesn't flinch from your touch. After that, he should be calm as you reach out to pick him up.

This procedure is intended to establish trust and respect. Keep handling to a bare minimum after this. In fact, for the most part, ignore him and allow him to establish himself in his new flock at his own pace with as little interference as possible. This further establishes trust between the two of you.

Discipline may be required from time to time. If he makes any unacceptable moves, you need to restrain him until he surrenders and relaxes. You might give him a refresher course in being in a confined space with you.

If none of this works, then you likely have a rooster with inherited aggressive traits that may not be trainable.

 

[Folly's place]

Look up beekissed's article about managing roosters, and do it! You want him to be respectful of you and all humans, and if he's been human aggressive elsewhere, then 'tough love' will be your best plan.
Good luck! If he's a total SOB, he could cross that rainbow bridge sooner, not later. There are so many nice roosters out there!!!
Mary

 

[onyx2011]

Okay, so I've been following advice, and am currently sitting in the run to spend some time with the chickens. This rooster is a goofball so far. Oreo followed me out of the run to fill up chicken feed(this is the first shes been free since the fox incident, and she followed me back into the run soon afterwards) and DJ(i named him Doctor Jack@!$ since mom was insistent on DJ for Dick Junior) started crowing his head off! Do all bantams have weird weak shrieky crows?? Also DJ seems to get upset/confused whenever i call oreo over to give her treats. Im assuming that's because treat giving is rooster behavior?

 

[Folly's place]

My bantams do have a higher pitched crow than my big boys; I can tell them all apart!
I think the bigger deeper chest gives a lower pitched crow. Anyone have a small cock birds with a bass voice?
Mary

 

[onyx2011]

Alright, so when do you know a rooster is beyond saving?

I took Oreo outside of the run since all my chickens were trained to follow me do chores, like fill their water and then theyd follow me back, so I wasnt worried, but DJ looked so pathetic and he started making a bunch of distress calls when Oreo and I left, and since the coop is far away from the house, he'd be alone for longer than yesterday when I was just filling food. So, i let him follow along Oreo and the two followed me up to the house to get water!

When we were heading back, I kept having to turn around and glance at DJ since whenever I wasnt looking, it seemed like he was moving much faster than necessary to keep up, and my RIR roo did the same thing to attempt to spur me when he was going through adolescence and wasn't sure if he liked me. I just shrugged it off and figured i was being biased and too quick to judge DJ since he might just need to compensate for his tiny legs.

Then, moments later, i was shutting the run door to lock the three of us inside, and i heard wings take air and turned around just in time to kick him off! It was at this point I put the water dispenser on its hook in the chicken coop and locked Oreo inside so I could tango with DJ. While I was doing that, he tried to spur again!!! Then he started crowing a whole lot and beating his wings, so i excused myself for 10 seconds to grab the broom, and proceeded to chase DJ everywhere in an attempt to capture, hitting him when i could and smacking the ground hard when i couldnt. I finally cornered him and was attempting to scoop him up so i could throw him back in his crate, but he spurred again and ran into the brush. (My property is on a swamp and my birds love free ranging too much to take care of the growth in their enclosure)

I'm feeling pretty irrational right now and am thoroughly irritated by how agile that bantam is. When do you know to call it quits and that a rooster isnt able to be broken in?

 

[Folly's place]

I love the advice to "just catch him and hold him if he attacks"! I'm slow, and hardly ever can catch one of those little beasts under those circumstances! Chase him around, sure, but snatch him out of the air, no.
He's a jerk! Find a nice cockerel and enjoy your birds again.
I'm in southern Michigan and have some. Are you far away?
Mary

 

[onyx2011]

I love the advice to "just catch him and hold him if he attacks"! I'm slow, and hardly ever can catch one of those little beasts under those circumstances! Chase him around, sure, but snatch him out of the air, no.
He's a jerk! Find a nice cockerel and enjoy your birds again.
I'm in southern Michigan and have some. Are you far away?
Mary

I'm in the greater Tri-Cities area, so it depends on what corner of south michigan, but considering how much further you could be away, that's pretty close! DM me please since I have no idea how to operate some of the functions on this site... lol

 

[snow5164]

Not worth it , if he’s trying to get you he will suceed, there are many super nice roosters , you did your best ....

 

[Folly's place]

Onyx, I just tried and failed to send you a PM. My computer is just being weird, or something.
I have a year old Easter Egger bantam cockbird, and then chicks born this year.
A standard white Chantecler cockerel, and several EE bantam and Belgian d'Uccle cockerels. The adult rooster is very nice, and the babies are out of nice polite parents, but they are babies.
I'm between Lansing and Flint, so not that far.
Mary