Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have a 2y.o. american game cock who joined my flock 7 weeks ago.

Do you have any knowledge of his behavior with his previous owner?

 

[LaurenRitz]

First I would be talking to whoever you got him from. Did they notice any aggression? If so, under what circumstances?

The fact that he's 2 years old and showing aggressive tendencies tells me this is an established pattern and not likely to change.

 

[Wild Iris]

Do you have any knowledge of his behavior with his previous owner?

I don't. I texted the previous owner (a local breeder) to ask his opinion. I know the guy was trying to provide me with a good flock leader who would not be aggressive to people or pets, but I have this rooster free-ranging with about 10 females after having spent most of his life in a cage of one kind or another.

When I got him, the breeder invited me to bring him back if he didn't suit our needs, so I don't think he was trying to unload a bad one on us.

 

[Wild Iris]

First I would be talking to whoever you got him from. Did they notice any aggression? If so, under what circumstances?

The fact that he's 2 years old and showing aggressive tendencies tells me this is an established pattern and not likely to change.

Yes, I've contacted him to get his opinion. He hasn't gotten back to me, but I expect he will soon. Meantime, I just wanted some more opinions about the behavior.

When I got the rooster, I asked about aggression and the owner said, "Well, he's never offered to fight me--I think he will be fine." And he offered to take him back if there was any problem.

 

[LaurenRitz]

My first aggressive rooster was about the same age. I talked to the family who gave him to me but they hadn't noticed anything--except that he and several of his brothers were constantly fighting.

On discussing it with them, they weren't free ranging their birds. The boys had been in a bachelor pad, they were fed from outside and had no direct interaction with humans, so the family literally couldn't see human aggression.

They got rid of that whole group about a year later because one of the daughters had to go into their run for some reason, and got attacked.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Not to derail the rooster discussion but I feel like I need to post my own update here because today was a big day. I let the game hens out to free range with the rest of the flock and they stuck around the coop which is not what I expected. My head hen repeatedly challenged one of the games—even after it rolled her down a hill. Maybe I did the wrong thing but I picked the EE up after the third scuffle and took her for a little walk to cool down because I thought she was going to get really injured. She has never let me pick her up before. After that she hung well away from the game hen. They all went into the coop (the games into the run where they have been sleeping on a branch) which I didn’t expect after only two weeks in there but I guess they are used to being penned so it doesn’t occur to them to sleep out in the trees. I am curious if the new rooster I plan on getting (who should be from a free-range flock) will be likely to entice any hens away from the coop…

Pictures for tax:

 

[Wild Iris]

My first aggressive rooster was about the same age. I talked to the family who gave him to me but they hadn't noticed anything--except that he and several of his brothers were constantly fighting.

On discussing it with them, they weren't free ranging their birds. The boys had been in a bachelor pad, they were fed from outside and had no direct interaction with humans, so the family literally couldn't see human aggression.

They got rid of that whole group about a year later because one of the daughters had to go into their run for some reason, and got attacked.

Thank you! Maybe something like that is going on here.

 

[Molpet]

Seems like some of you have knowledge in this area. I had my first experience with something like this recently and would like your takes on it.

I have a 2y.o. american game cock who joined my flock 7 weeks ago. He is the only full grown rooster I have..

The other day, this new guy flew at my legs and slightly wounded my bare knee (above my boots) when I went out to feed them in the morning. I shouted and swore angrily at him and he backed off. I have noticed that since then he will often walk towards me with purpose when I go out, especially in the morning, but he stops and backs off when I stand my ground and speak firmly to him. It's not every time, however; most of the time he is respectful.

Where does this kind of behavior fall in the spectrum for gamecocks? I don't have enough experience to know whether I should be worried, or whether he is just testing boundaries. Or something else.

He does seem very irritable in the mornings, which is when this happened. There are three teenage half-game roosters who seem to be getting on his nerves. Also, the rest of the flock often runs to me, or follows me when they see me headed out. It seems like this new guy joins them in running toward me, and then that kind of triggers his "invader must be chased off" instinct. Is that possible?

How should I categorize his behavior right now? Is it likely to escalate and become dangerous? What is the best way to handle this?

He might be trying to keep his hens thinking you are trying to take them. Try giving him the food first.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Thank you! Maybe something like that is going on here.

I gave my cockerel a three strike limit. I don’t know if that helps. He really only got two because his second strike was so offensive. But it helped me draw a line in the sand, so to speak. I would call this his first strike.

 

[Wild Iris]

He might be trying to keep his hens thinking you are trying to take them. Try giving him the food first.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

I hadn't thought about it like that--I've tried tossing him some food in case he is hungry, but that's a little different from feeding him first. Thanks!