My chick doesn’t like to be held

[aart]

The tamer they are and the less wary, the more vulnerable to predators they become.
That probably won't be a problem if they are closely confined in predator proof runs but if they ever free range, I prefer them to be skittish and aloof. Those birds are the survivors.

Yeah...but...we don't even know if these birds are free ranged(or I missed that part)......and it's a beginning keeper concerned with a male bird.

With my male birds, I handle them just enough so they know they won't die if I touch them, but not enough to instill the familiarity that may lead to contempt.
..and I only handle them off the roost at night.

 

[Cheychey222]

Yeah...but...we don't even know if these birds are free ranged(or I missed that part)......and it's a beginning keeper concerned with a male bird.

With my male birds, I handle them just enough so they know they won't die if I touch them, but not enough to instill the familiarity that may lead to contempt.
..and I only handle them off the roost at night.

That’s what most chickens like

 

[Chickassan]

I handle these from the time they see daylight.
None of them like it, not a single solitary bird.
I have ones that tolerate it, but nobody melts at my touch unless poop is the result of chicken melting.
Not saying there aren't snugglers out there, I am saying they decide and you let it happen.
It is and always will be chickens choice.

 

[Chickassan]

Oh, and FYI new keeper males are freaky.
Too much attention will get your feet mated or get you bitten and no it does not matter if you are male or female they are not picky.
My advice, as an owner of two boys if you can get close enough to handle him then he already trusts you more than most would and you can do what you'll need to do for him meds/spurs/bug control with minimal effort.
As hard as it is, be content for now he's pre teen rooster hence his limits are many and his common sense is low.

 

[Mimi13]

I really, really wanted a rooster...after I had kept chickens for two years. I read everything I could about “raising a good rooster.” Most of what I read said to not handle the cockerels, after you know it is a cockerel, so at 5-7 weeks old, possibly. Soooooo, that’s what I did, with SIX different cockerels. Guess what? All six had bad blood against me and/or the girls, mostly me though.

Last winter I got a wild hair and hatched 8 chicks in an incubator, and 7 wound up being cockerels. Yep, my luck. Out of those 8 chicks I had two favorites from the get go - my very first one to hatch and then the chick I helped assist in hatching. I didn’t know the sex for several weeks.

Everybody always asks (with good intentions), “Why do you want a rooster?” My answer was, “Uh, for no other reason than I just want a rooster! Period!” No harm, no foul! It is what it is! I later added more reasons to why I wanted one, but that was my initial response.

So, with this many cockerels I thought surely one of these can be a keeper. Up until now, the hands off approach had not worked for me so I asked myself, what in the heck do I have to lose? I continued treating my two favorites like I have all my girls, even after I knew they were male.

As my story continues to unfold, my two “favorites” were definitely cockerels, affectionately named Rusty and Oreo. As time rocked on I had to separate the remaining five cockerels from the flock, leaving just Rusty and Oreo running with the girls. Those two had a few skirmishes, but nothing major. In time I decided to keep just Rusty, he was my very first chick that hatched under my care and maybe I imprinted on that little sucker. Who knows? He has been the best cockerel ever. He will be a full fledged rooster in about 6 weeks. I include him in everything and make no difference between him and the girls. He is a mixed breed (Welsummer over a Barred Rock), but he is as beautiful as he is sweet.

Long story short, the boy you have now may not be your forever rooster, as my Rusty may not always be, but you can try again and again. Another thing I’ve always read is, “There are too many good roosters out there to put up with a mean one.”

I think you have to do what seems best for you, but you may not know what that is if this one is your first.

I do have a bit of advice regarding that though. My current boy was brought up in a multi generational flock of biddies. I personally think this is a HUGE factor in the making of a good rooster...more so than how much they are handled. As he was maturing, he could not focus on me, the care giver. He was too busy trying to stay out of the way of all the old biddies. It was funny and sad at times, but I think my hens helped raise a respectable rooster.

You will hear two sides on the “raising a rooster” debate...they are both correct. It will be up to you to know both sides and try out whichever way you think is right for you. And remember, it may take several tries, but in the end it will all be well worth it.

Best of luck on raising a good boy.

 

[Cheychey222]

I really, really wanted a rooster...after I had kept chickens for two years. I read everything I could about “raising a good rooster.” Most of what I read said to not handle the cockerels, after you know it is a cockerel, so at 5-7 weeks old, possibly. Soooooo, that’s what I did, with SIX different cockerels. Guess what? All six had bad blood against me and/or the girls, mostly me though.

Last winter I got a wild hair and hatched 8 chicks in an incubator, and 7 wound up being cockerels. Yep, my luck. Out of those 8 chicks I had two favorites from the get go - my very first one to hatch and then the chick I helped assist in hatching. I didn’t know the sex for several weeks.

Everybody always asks (with good intentions), “Why do you want a rooster?” My answer was, “Uh, for no other reason than I just want a rooster! Period!” No harm, no foul! It is what it is! I later added more reasons to why I wanted one, but that was my initial response.

So, with this many cockerels I thought surely one of these can be a keeper. Up until now, the hands off approach had not worked for me so I asked myself, what in the heck do I have to lose? I continued treating my two favorites like I have all my girls, even after I knew they were male.

As my story continues to unfold, my two “favorites” were definitely cockerels, affectionately named Rusty and Oreo. As time rocked on I had to separate the remaining five cockerels from the flock, leaving just Rusty and Oreo running with the girls. Those two had a few skirmishes, but nothing major. In time I decided to keep just Rusty, he was my very first chick that hatched under my care and maybe I imprinted on that little sucker. Who knows? He has been the best cockerel ever. He will be a full fledged rooster in about 6 weeks. I include him in everything and make no difference between him and the girls. He is a mixed breed (Welsummer over a Barred Rock), but he is as beautiful as he is sweet.

Long story short, the boy you have now may not be your forever rooster, as my Rusty may not always be, but you can try again and again. Another thing I’ve always read is, “There are too many good roosters out there to put up with a mean one.”

I think you have to do what seems best for you, but you may not know what that is if this one is your first.

I do have a bit of advice regarding that though. My current boy was brought up in a multi generational flock of biddies. I personally think this is a HUGE factor in the making of a good rooster...more so than how much they are handled. As he was maturing, he could not focus on me, the care giver. He was too busy trying to stay out of the way of all the old biddies. It was funny and sad at times, but I think my hens helped raise a respectable rooster.

You will hear two sides on the “raising a rooster” debate...they are both correct. It will be up to you to know both sides and try out whichever way you think is right for you. And remember, it may take several tries, but in the end it will all be well worth it.

Best of luck on raising a good boy.

My first year of having chickens went terrible, I bought like 8 chickens and 6 where roosters!

 

[ChickenKiera]

Yeah...but...we don't even know if these birds are free ranged(or I missed that part)......and it's a beginning keeper concerned with a male bird.

With my male birds, I handle them just enough so they know they won't die if I touch them, but not enough to instill the familiarity that may lead to contempt.
..and I only handle them off the roost at night.

Yes I am a beginner with roosters and they will be in a massive coop with other hens

 

[DiYMama540]

Are you sure he's not screaming because you're hurting him? When they start feathering, it can be very painful and sensitive for them, so if you're fluffing and moving the feathers as you pet him you could likely be causing him some pain.

 

[Cheychey222]

I handle these from the time they see daylight.
None of them like it, not a single solitary bird.
I have ones that tolerate it, but nobody melts at my touch unless poop is the result of chicken melting.
Not saying there aren't snugglers out there, I am saying they decide and you let it happen.
It is and always will be chickens choice.

I used to have a rooster named Tick and he could snuggle for like 10 minutes

 

[ChickenKiera]

Are you sure he's not screaming because you're hurting him? When they start feathering, it can be very painful and sensitive for them, so if you're fluffing and moving the feathers as you pet him you could likely be causing him some pain.

I barely touch him and he screams