I LIKE my Rooster

[The Moonshiner]

The other thing i don't get is that if I have a beaten down submissive rooster what good is he? Would I be the dominate and my job to take care of the hens? Would a submissive even provide protection to a flock that isn't his or just run off like a hen and wait for me to fight the fight with the threat.

 

[Steve J]

You don't have to beat him down, just don't let him get to you . I don't allow my rooster to get at me, when I catch a hen. A broom will keep him away , without hitting him. He still looks after the hens, their still his.

 

[igorsMistress]

Emmett is my first rooster, raised from a chick a few days old. He's six months old.

He became pretty standoffish about the time I was sure I have a boy. I didn't do anything at first, just started reading about behavior. But he started herding the girls, even acting jealous when the girls would come to hang out. I recognized that as a problem.

Even after I started dominant behavior, he would tidbit and drop his wing sometimes. That shows he thinks he's the boss, can't have that or the rooster will rule the backyard. So, now I treat him like a subordinate rooster.

I have made plenty of mistakes, I'm sure to make more, but this method works for me and my roo.

LOL Emmett is by no means beaten down. He's like a 3 year old little boy who just had his balls drop. Until he calms down, this works to keep him in line.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I meant more beaten down mentally.
I don't need a broom because I don't have any come at me. That's my point. If I am not doing these mental dominate/submissive mind games with them why are they not challenging me or coming after me?
I moved some hens yesterday from breeder pens. The roosters made some noise when I made the hens squawk but just stood there. Or moved to the other end of their pen. These are breeding groups in pens. I would think they would feel more dominate then the ones out free ranging.

 

[igorsMistress]

You guys it's not like this happens all the time. It's not every interaction we have.

Any rooster that is not dominant is subordinate. It happens in nature between males. I'm doing the same minus the blood and feathers, that's all.

When Emmett was going to go after my grandson, all I had to do was walk in that direction and Emmett split. As far as I'm concerned I have that boy under control. He crows plenty and my eggs are fertile. Works for me.

 

[Steve J]

Chickens are all different, if you don't have a problem with roosters attacking you no matter what you're doing with the hens, then I would wonder if they're going to back off when a predator goes after them. I got my rooster to protect the hens and that's what he does. I don't expect him to differentiate between me and a predator, don't think he's that smart. I've heard of roosters that won't lay down their lives for their hens and I wouldn't want one.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Emmett is my first rooster, raised from a chick a few days old. He's six months old.

He became pretty standoffish about the time I was sure I have a boy. I didn't do anything at first, just started reading about behavior. But he started herding the girls, even acting jealous when the girls would come to hang out. I recognized that as a problem.

Even after I started dominant behavior, he would tidbit and drop his wing sometimes. That shows he thinks he's the boss, can't have that or the rooster will rule the backyard. So, now I treat him like a subordinate rooster.

I have made plenty of mistakes, I'm sure to make more, but this method works for me and my roo.

LOL Emmett is by no means beaten down. He's like a 3 year old little boy who just had his balls drop. Until he calms down, this works to keep him in line.

I'm going to follow Emmett and see how it goes. Thanks for sharing his story.
I think we are completely opposite when raising a rooster so be nice to see the other side.
I agree about him being like a 3 year old. But 6 months is still really young. Usually problem roosters are closer to 1 1/2 or so. Fully mature. Then he's going to be like a 16 year old boy that knows everything and wants everything his way.

I read your next post and didn't assume you had issues all the time or anything. You have mentioned a few things with the wing dropping and now the time he was going to go after your grandson. That would be a real concern for me. I have a young son and he was flogged once. It was by a rooster i bought grown and he did it at feeding time the first day out of quarantine. He died as soon as I made sure my son was alright. I have 0% tolerance for even eyeballing my son now. But I've not had even one rooster i raised mess with him.
I have to wonder if all this being dominate over them is going to back fire sooner or later. Wouldn't you think if you keep putting him down a notch then sooner or later he's going to decide its better on top and want to challenge you?
I'm thinking all these little signs they show is just testing you to see if the time is right?
There's all these little tricks to show dominance. And behaviors on their part to show they need to be dominated. I just don't have birds doing those things and i dont dominate them.
Kinda seems like these control tactics are causing their bad behaviors.

 

[aart]

I don't expect him to differentiate between me and a predator,

Of course he should be able to do that.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Chickens are all different, if you don't have a problem with roosters attacking you no matter what you're doing with the hens, then I would wonder if they're going to back off when a predator goes after them. I got my rooster to protect the hens and that's what he does. I don't expect him to differentiate between me and a predator, don't think he's that smart. I've heard of roosters that won't lay down their lives for their hens and I wouldn't want one.

That's my other concern. If youre dominating your rooster isn't that telling him you're in charge and if a threat shows up he should run off like a hen and that you've got this?

I have actually had very few that would fight to the death for hens. Most every time they put up a good bluff for as long as they can then they retreat. I figured it was to give the hens time to escape but he still wants to be around to breed tomorrow. I just don't know if a rooster should be smart about it or just give up his life.
Or now if that's how they are because of how I raised them.
I like the ones that would go out full on with the one of us isn't walking away attitude when it comes to predators but I could never fully trust one of those around my kids.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

My 3 roos are perfect gentlemen. I've never had a single problem with them. I love these guys.