my roo is a jerk

[delfargo]

here's an up-date.....
well, after the advice i got here, i decided to act on some of it, and so far so good. my jerk of a roo is actually starting to learn. i have not been able to catch him (too fast for me), so i haven't been able to hold him as suggested, but i'm getting the message across to him. when i walk up to him, he usually crows and flaps his wings at me, so i crow back at him (but LOUDER) and flap MY wings (arms) at HIM!!! if he takes a step towards me, i take a step towards him.
if he's giving me some lip, i'll follow him around the pen slowly and will occassionally give him a little tug on his tail feathers .
i also did the "make him eat treats last" thing that was suggested. that really worked out great.
my wife was handing out some banana (which my roo LOVES ), and while she was doing that i was standing between Magellin (the roo) and the treats and wouldn't let him go for it. i could see he was getting madder and madder, but i kept him blocked untill everyone else had thier fill, then i let him through.
the only time i can "catch" him is after he's gone to roost, so when i go in to tuck them in for the night, i'll pick him up, pet him a couple of times and put him back on the roost. and i'll tell you, after a few days of this, he is a MUCH nicer bird. he hasn't charged at me OR my wife since i started doing these things. there may be hope for my roo after all.
so, thanx for all the advice. i'll keep up the pressure on him and see if he becomes as nice as i hope he can be.

 

[PunkinPeep]

woohoo! i love success stories! keep us updated!

 

[NHchicks]

Yeah. How do cows eat cabbage?

I like the page above about how to de-throne your rooster.

I'm just wondering. Do you have a page like that about teenagers?

 

[azygous]

I'm late to this thread, but I just want to say I'm pleased you're making the effort to tame Magellin instead of sending him off to be slaughtered.

You should know it's a long term commitment to tame a rooster, and it takes consistency. But it will pay off for you in spades if you stick with it.

I posted earlier about my two year old SLW roo Stan suddenly deciding he'd rather be a lover than a fighter. After over a year of him charging me, flogging me, and getting flogged by me in return, he's become a tame, lovable pussycat.

Part of every "training" session, where I repeatedly established my dominance over him, (never involving any cruelty or harm) involved holding him tightly for extended periods.

Well, now I guess he's decided he likes being held and hugged, because he comes up to me, stands at my feet like a perfect gentleman, and waits to be picked up and held and cuddled. He "cuddles" back, by tucking his head under my chin and cooing.

With determination and repetition, Magellin just might end up like my Stan - a lover, not a fighter!

 

[snowflake]

I can't catch my young roos either, so I go in to the coop in the evening pick them up and carry them out in the yard, does it need to be in front of the hens? cause although it is just dusk most of them are in the coop by that time.

 

[Yazzo]

Whoohoo! SO glad to hear it Delfargo!

I love the 'crowing at him' part....my mom is always crowing at our roosters!

Hope he turns out to be the great rooster I'm sure he can be.

 

[write2caroline]

When my roo gives me that look?

I point at him and show him I am the boss. I don't let him breed in front of my and I mentally think I am the biggest baddest roo in the run so he gets a mental image - He doesn't mess with me anymore! When he did charge me I grabbed him and held him like a baby to show him I was the boss - I wasn't mean I just want him to know I am the boss!
Caroline

 

[serendipityfarm]

My little man (Bantam Cochin) occasionally gives me the look. He gets pretty upset when his girls are messed with. Usually, though, he knows to keep his distance. I pick him up and carry him around when he needs a reminder and so far, I think we have an understanding.
The problem is my Mother-In-Law. She insists on touching, holding, petting EVERYTHING, and sees MY chickens as fair game since I'm married to her son. Sammy does NOT like her at all. He jumped up and bit her in the rear end once when she was trying to pick up one of his girls (it all happened while I wasn't home). He does that little whine whenever he sees her, and wen she poked at him through the fence, he bit (and I mean bit, not pecked) her finger. He didn't hurt her, and I feel like it serves her right, she's the human and should know better than to taunt an animal. I have explained to my husband that I think her behavior is going against what I am trying to teach him. My question is this:
Is it possible to teach a young rooster to be respectful of OTHER people as well as me? I know it's probably a lost cause as far as my M-O-L is concerned, but right now, if anyone wants to visit my chickens, I have to catch (after lots of chasing, he's a fast little bugger!) and hold him, just in case!

~Terry

 

[serendipityfarm]

I'm starting to get a complex. Whenever I post on a thread, it seems to go dead.

 

[seminolewind]

I certainly don't want you having a complex!!!

Delfargo, you are doing a great job!!! I believe your thinking like an alpha roo. I have fixed every roo with just what you are doing. I love stalking roos.
Young roos don't know how to stay on while doing the deed. It's pretty painful to watch. But they do get better at it.