I had to kick some SERIOUS rooster a_ _ this morning. We had a little "come to jesus" meeting.

[County Boy]

I know that cochins have been the best roo for me. They can be a little slow in the head but overall they r my favorite. The only bad thing is how much they eat. I got a bantam and standard. My brother Seth loves the bantam because it likes to be carried.

 

[welasharon]

Welsharon - this is just my opinion - and others may feel differently, but I find a rooster respects me more if I did not treat it as a pet.  I treat my hens as friendly as I want, but the roos (as soon as I identify them, they are not coddled...I use my body to push them away from me and/or everything they want - food, water, other chickens.  I don't torture them, but I move them away and hold them away, and then I walk away.

*shrug*  it has worked for me...so far...

Sometimes a rooster is just not going to suit our needs...whatever those needs are (I need a respectful and attractive rooster).

You could very well have something there. He is the only one that I have really petted. He would come up to me and want me to hold him. He would fall asleep in my arms and he is now the only one to turn like that. Sad thing is he is half GL and half tolbunt....

 

[Christie Rhae]

I think of roosters like bears. Bears that have lost their fear of man are much more dangerous than wild bears that never see humans. I do not handle my cockerels to try to tame them. I would much rather they have a healthy respect and keep their distance.

I have one cockerel that attacked my legs a couple times when my back was turned. The first time this happened I scooped him up and carried him around on my hip while I did chores. He got to watch me water the pig, pick greens for the flock, I even gave him a tour of the kitchen...showed him where I make chicken soup. The whole time he was very mellow and calm. I touched his comb, petted his head, etc. While walking back to the pens he saw the hens and started fussing. When we got into the pen he got very feisty. I had to hold him upside down for about 45 seconds till he finally settled down then laid him on his side in the straw. Once more he came at me and actually bruised my leg. I held him upside down that day also. From then on every time I go into the pen I make sure to bother him a little. I walk towards him so he has to move away. If he is on a perch I push him off.

I try to think like a chicken would and just make sure they know I am top dog...er rooster.

I had a pen of 8 extra cockerels (now re-homed) and I would go into the pen every day and ask them..."ok who wants to wrestle??" A couple times I had some wing dances at me and I felt obliged to scoop them up and give them a snuggle. lol...nothing takes a cockerel down like a little snuggle. Imagine how humiliating that must be in front of his buddies?

The boys I have now have all learned who is the biggest rooster in town. I am sure I will have to repeat it all again when my little squirts in the brooders start testing the boundaries.

 

[rosebuddhorse]

ok sound like the feaking turkey we had note i said had lol

 

[WalkingWolf1]

I try to think like a chicken would and just make sure they know I am top dog...er rooster.

IMO -- excellant work. I think this is key with any species of animal we are working with. The sooner we learn their "language" the better the relationships will be.

Nice job Chistie, et al. I have read through your pen build thread and am impressed with what you guys have accomplished. I wish you all the best
Eddie

 

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
aw thanks! I think I might have stage 4 chicken fever! lol

 

[samouw]

After disposing of my RIR roo that punched a hole in my thigh, I got a beautiful wheaton Ameraucana roo (that is him in my avatar). What a difference! I don't try to pet him or try to handle him - I just expect him to respect me in the pen and I will let him stay with his girls. He lets the hens come eat out of my hands (the RIR roo would chase them away from me) and he comes running to the pen when he sees me coming - mostly because I always have treats or food of some form. He has yet to drop a wing or act in any way aggressively towards me.

I am so glad I didn't give up on roosters after my experience with three (hatchery bred) RIRs!

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

I am so ready for a "Come To Jesus Meeting with the Bantam Rooster we adopted last week. He attacked my mellow Silkie Rooster, and chases my GLW Rooster, who is twice his size.
He has not chased or come after me...Yet. But I have shot him with the water hose when I saw him chasing my big rooster.
Owl, our GLW Rooster, has been hanging with me more and will follow me when I call him for treats. He is also letting me pat him on the back more, and stayed with me on the deck last week during a hail/rain storm. He use to do the Man Dance when I let them out in the morning, so I carried a broom & scooted him out to the yard when he tried it.

I keep telling him that he needs to let "Little Red" know he is the boss when I am not there, and not to let him take over.
This is my handsome boy - Owl

 

[californiagirl]

I just want to thank the OP and all who have responded to this thread. This thread has helped me see that my Speckled Sussex cockerel, Lincoln Rooster, is behaving in a perfectly natural way which should be respected. When taken outside he is constantly on alert, glancing at the sky, making these funny chirping noises, rather than getting to business eating grass like the hens and pullets. He's very squirmy and quivers when I hold him. Now I know why! The information here has helped me have a better understanding of flock dynamics and a rooster's place in it. Hopefully it will help me to avoid common mistakes. My experience with other animals led me to believe that putting Lincoln in a submissive position is the way to better behavior, but it seems that at an early age that can actually lead to more power struggles rather than mutual respect. He is our only cockerel and our intention is that he will help protect our free-ranging hens, so it's not like I can pick the best one and cull the rest. It's encouraging to know that my behavior with him can make a difference for the better and that I don't have to just hope I don't have a nasty guy on my hands. Of course, this doesn't guarantee a gentleman rooster, but I feel like my chances are better having been informed and given some tools to work with. Thank you to all who have shared their experiences!

 

[Aeropennchick]

I just read these also and am new to owning chickens. It's a little sad for me to accept that once I identify the roos I should be a little less personal with them, but it makes a lot of sense. As with the dogs we have raised, being their buddy seems tempting, but when it counts, it's safer and more rewarding if they see you as a superior and not an equal.

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!