Mean rooster

[Amy's Animals]

my silkies arent laying but my layers are! Which is how is spose to be altough I would appreciate it if all of them laid

I had a silkie hen that layed a clutch of eggs and hasnt layed an egg since, this was July, luckily I was able to sell her.
Oh yeah! The Hose is a wonderous idea!

 

[JestersEye]

Our big Orp rooster was just like that last spring, but he's gotten so much better with constant attention and "gentle" retraining. As much as you feel like fighting back, that only increases his aggression toward you, it turns out. Believe me, I had even been planning to purchase some catcher's leg armor because Frost used to leave bruises all over my legs with his spurs. He also used to bite pretty hard, sometimes even breaking the skin and leaving bruises. If he can be rehabilitated, so can your roo! He needs to learn that you have the power to end the fight without really even fighting.

I followed the advice of others on this board, and started picking him up whenever he acted out. I'd hold him and carry him around with me while I did my chores... no easy feat considering his extraordinary size! At first, I'd have to tuck his head under my arm to keep him from biting, but later he got used to the experience. I also got him used to handling by petting him and touching every part of him, despite his objections. I stroke his comb gently until he realizes that it feels good. I deliberately reached around his face to feel his wattles, knowing that he would try to bite in the beginning. When he did bite, I'd roughly push my hands against his face to make him uncomfortable. If you're afraid of getting bit, then you could wear gloves for this part. I made sure to grab his beak, almost daring him to bite.

Eventually, you could see him struggling to deny his instincts because he would clack his beak over and over when you reached for him. I can't begin to explain to you what a wonderful bird he has become through these techniques! Once in a while, he gets frustrated and forgets himself, but his attacks are nothing at all to worry about now. If anything, he might sometimes flutter toward someone, but no one has gotten spurred for many months. As soon as he acts up, I still pick him up to remind him whose boss, and he almost melts in my arms like he's realizes his mistake too late. I pet him and hold him a bit to reinforce my dominance, and he doesn't even blink when I touch and play with his beak. I'm actually amazed myself, at times! My son is so confident handling him now, he plans to show him in the 4-H this summer.

 

[rufus]

Jester, that is a bit much. I am not really interested in having an intimate personal realtionship with a bird that is eventually going into the crock pot. It is livestock, not a pet. Each to their own.

Good Luck and best wishes.

Rufus

 

[Amy's Animals]

That is already my first problem, I can't pick him up! It would take me hours just to catch him! The only time I might be able to hold him is at night but that would be pointless because he is not being bad. Also, I don't have the time to constantly work with him. Sadly to say, your technique only works out with semi-tame roosters. Not one that would rather jump off a cliff than be picked up. Thanks any way though.

 

[JestersEye]

Oh, okay... Well, my birds are pets, primarily. We use them for eggs, but not meat. If you're only interested in keeping him from blind-siding you, then I'd simply keep a hose handy to spray him whenever he gets too close.

 

[Amy's Animals]

Quote:
Amen, Rufus! Jester, I don't care for this rooster, he's only here to fullfill his duty, which is making babies and thats it. If this was a good laying hen instead, I would take the time. But on a rooster, that's just a waste of effort and time and food. And I bet your appetite isn't as great if "bambi" is on your plate either. Sure, if you wanna keep this rooster to the day he dies of old age, be my guest.

 

[JestersEye]

Amy's Animals :

Amen, Rufus! Jester, I don't care for this rooster, he's only here to fullfill his duty, which is making babies and thats it. If this was a good laying hen instead, I would take the time. But on a rooster, that's just a waste of effort and time and food. And I bet your appetite isn't as great if "bambi" is on your plate either. Sure, if you wanna keep this rooster to the day he dies of old age, be my guest.

I wasn't aware that you didn't really care about your chickens. I was only offering a suggestion for what would work, which others here on BYC have also used. I happen to think that strong roosters are beneficial to the flock, as protectors and providers for the hens, and therefore are worth the effort to be able to trust them around other pets and kids. If you don't feel it's worth your time, then just cull him. Whatever.

I also eat and enjoy meat, even if I don't personally choose to do the butchering. And even though 'Bambi' has nothing to do with this conversation... I can assure you that I have eaten venison, although I don't care for it all that much. Keep your own issues and insecurities to yourself, if you don't mind! When I choose to care for an animal, whether he is to be used for breeding or any other purpose, it usually will be until the day it dies from old age. I don't see anything wrong with that. It's called being a responsible caregiver!

If you never intended to hear advice from people with other points of view, then you shouldn't have posted. I'm sure you had already considered using a simple hose or a butcher's block to "tame" your rooster, or simply keeping it caged up so it couldn't attack. I think you just wanted to find an unsuspecting victim to verbally attack on this thread. How sad!

Sorry I made the mistake of offering my advice on the matter. "Merry Christmas!" to you, too!​

 

[Amy's Animals]

Amy's Animals wrote:
Amen, Rufus! Jester, I don't care for this rooster, he's only here to fullfill his duty, which is making babies and thats it. If this was a good laying hen instead, I would take the time. But on a rooster, that's just a waste of effort and time and food. And I bet your appetite isn't as great if "bambi" is on your plate either. Sure, if you wanna keep this rooster to the day he dies of old age, be my guest.

I wasn't aware that you didn't really care about your chickens. I was only offering a suggestion for what would work, which others here on BYC have also used. I happen to think that strong roosters are beneficial to the flock, as protectors and providers for the hens, and therefore are worth the effort to be able to trust them around other pets and kids. If you don't feel it's worth your time, then just cull him. Whatever.

I also eat and enjoy meat, even if I don't personally choose to do the butchering. And even though 'Bambi' has nothing to do with this conversation... I can assure that I have eaten venison, although I don't care for it all that much. Keep your own issues and insecurities to yourself, if you don't mind! When I choose to care for an animal, whether he is to be used for breeding or any other purpose, it usually will be until the day it dies from old age. I don't see anything wrong with that. It's called being a responsible caregiver!

If you never intended to hear advice from people with other points of view, then you shouldn't have posted. I'm sure you had already considered using a simple hose or a butcher's block to "tame" your rooster, or simply keeping it caged up so it couldn't attack. I think you just wanted to find an unsuspecting victim to verbally attack on this thread. How sad!

Hi Jester,
Thank you ever so much for your kind, and mature reply.
I love my hens, but I make an effort not to get attached to my roosters for this specific reason.

I feel that strong roosters are beneficial to the flock as well, when you only need to be around them minimally.

I rather try my chance at another rooster who may not have the same problems. What you did with Frost is a miraculous thing, but not guaranteed to work with every rooster. I would be very dissapointed that after 8 months and he is still the same as the 8 months earlier. I also assume you had Frost since he was a chick, which is not the same case with this rooster.

The term "bambi" was just a very creative metaphor for having to eat your pet.

We live on a ranch and cannot afford to keep every animal until they die or lost their purpose, that goes for chickens, cattle, and horses and selling or eating them before that time does not make you and irresponsible caretaker! Altough if they do get sold, I make sure they go to a loving home.

If you had read my PS at the bottom of my first post, you would have noticed that I clearly stated my rooster is not tame. Yet you give me advice that applies largely, if not only, to tame roosters. That does not help me and I hate having to explain things all over again for people who do not fully read the thread before they reply. And about verbally attacking, please take the time to read your own posts before you submit them.

Sincerely, Amy

 

[JestersEye]

Amy's Animals :

I rather try my chance at another rooster who may not have the same problems. What you did with Frost is a miraculous thing, but not guaranteed to work with every rooster. I would be very dissapointed that after 8 months and he is still the same as the 8 months earlier. I also assume you had Frost since he was a chick, which is not the same case with this rooster.

Yes, I did raise him from a chick, but have heard of others on BYC who tamed older roosters with this technique, as well.

Amy's Animals :

The term "bambi" was just a very creative metaphor for having to eat your pet.

Clearly it was used to belittle my relationship with "livestock" as pets, as if I must not be capable of appreciating their use as a food source.

Amy's Animals :

We live on a ranch and cannot afford to keep every animal until they die or lost their purpose, that goes for chickens, cattle, and horses and selling or eating them before that time does not make you and irresponsible caretaker! Altough if they do get sold, I make sure they go to a loving home.

I have no problem with operating a ranch or a farm in a business-like manner, and fully understand the need to limit one's resources to only the most useful animals. I never said that selling or butchering an animal makes you an irresponsible caregiver; but caring for one until old age does not make me an idiot, either, as your post implied by its derisive tone.

Amy's Animals :

If you had read my PS at the bottom of my first post, you would have noticed that I clearly stated my rooster is not tame. Yet you give me advice that applies largely, if not only, to tame roosters. That does not help me and I hate having to explain things all over again for people who do not fully read the thread before they reply. And about verbally attacking, please take the time to read your own posts before you submit them.

Your PS said that the rooster wasn't "tame", not that you weren't interested in taming him. Instead, I now realize that you are more interested in "controlling" him, rather than taming him, as your original post suggested. In no way were my responses intended to attack anyone, and I don't see any instance in which you could infer as such. When I realized that you, like Rufus, were not interested in using my technique, I simply said as such and offered a much simpler suggestion... which I would use myself under different circumstances. You then decided to attack my character and beliefs with regard to caring for animals on a more personal level; for no apparant reason that I can determine.

Now, to be honest, I am no longer interested in anything you might have to say on the matter. It is done and I am sincerely sorry to have wasted my time on BYC this evening!​

 

[Amy's Animals]

Clearly it was used to belittle my relationship with "livestock" as pets, as if I must not be capable of appreciating their use as a food source.


That is not how I intended it to be perceived, it seems you assume too quickly.

I have no problem with operating a ranch or a farm in a business-like manner, and fully understand the need to limit one's resources to only the most useful animals. I never said that selling or butchering an animal makes you an irresponsible caregiver; but caring for one until old age does not make me an idiot, either, as your post implied by its derisive tone.

Nor did I say that you were an idiot. The way you stated it also made it seem like I was an irresponsible caregiver, so I think we're on the same page about what you think I intended with my words and vice versa.

Your PS said that the rooster wasn't "tame", not that you weren't interested in taming him. Instead, I now realize that you are more interested in "controlling" him, rather than taming him, as your original post suggested.

That's about right.

In no way were my responses intended to attack anyone, and I don't see any instance in which you could infer as such.

ditto

I apologize for offending you and wasting your time

, and writing things that I didn't know would be perceived in such ways,

I hope you accept my apology.

You have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!