I agree to a point. I have only had 2 roosters as part of my flock, one of whom we raised from a small chick. He preferred not to eat treats, as he wanted the girls to eat. He was so sweet & patient that even after taking a drink then eating some food, if he had food stuck to his beak & the girls wanted it, he'd stand still as a statue while they pecked & clucked & chortled. He didn’t want to cuddle but neither was he aggressive toward me. If he needed help getting onto the perch after lights out, he would chirp softly & brush against me so that I could pick him up & put him to bed by the ladies. And I wasn't able to pet him during the day, but at night, I could kiss & pet him to my hearts content. He used to snooze that way, so I don't believe that he was uncomfortable. I don't know if I could've trained him to eat treats, as he was very selfless when it came to his girls. If I were going to try, the clicker/treat method would be my starting point.
My other rooster not only loved to sit on my lap, but loved to be carried around on my shoulder. He was already #2 in the flock, so maybe for him it was more of a cuddle, safety & comfort situation than one of dominance. And he loved our alone meal time when he could eat & drink his fill without worry of being chased. When he did get a little big for his chicken britches, I just stopped and talked to him until that glaze lifted from his eyes. I tried the 'show him who's boss by poking him lightly once or twice' but it just seemed to really tick him off & agitate him more. So for me, just stopping in my tracks & talking him back to reality seemed to work better.
I guess every chicken is different with their own quirks, glitches & personalities, just like people. I like the idea of finding common ground, speaking the same language & everyone living in peace, but for those who can't maybe starting fresh is the best answer. I am just glad that I don't have to think about that & can focus on running an old age home for chickens, lol.
