Need Aggressive Rooster Advice

[PioneerChicks]

Hi fellow chicken lovers.

I recently got some cockerals that I am going to keep. This is my first time keeping roosters. They are all 6-7 months old. One of them, an Old English Game bantam named Finn, is starting to show signs of aggression. He crows actively around me and isn't afraid to approach me or look me in the eye. He isn't showing any interest in mating yet, though the other roosters do. The other day a friend of mine (a grown man) saw a silkie rooster mating a pullet (he didn't know about mating and thought the roo was hurting the pullet), and he chased the cockeral around trying to make him stop chasing the pullet. Finn must have thought my friend was chasing the hen, because he jumped up on my friend's neck, though he was so tiny he was just brushed off like a bug.

If this helps, I have Finn (as I said before, an OEG bantam) and two other silkie cockerals (I plan on getting rid of one silkie roo sometime next spring). They are all the same age and grew up together, and they don't really fight each other.

I have found a lot of information on BYC about aggressive roosters but I don't know what method to use. The stew pot is NOT an option, and I don't want to get rid of him because I am planning on breeding him. I don't know if I should try to tame him, or make him respect me, or if I should respect him, or something else.

Please cast your vote on the poll or post your method below. Any information will be useful.

 

[Alaskan]

Over the years I have found human aggression from roosters to be HIGHLY genetic.

At this point I simply refuse to breed any male that isn't safe around kids....

 

[SunriseChickers]

Nothing. This person's responses are all over the map, no offense.

And that's why I asked.

Imagine a rooster with a blue face he's not feeling so tough anymore

Okay, I don't mean to come off as rude, but honestly you're posting useless information. I can't tell if you're trying to be funny or you genuinely think it will help, but please stop and read before you post. I've seen your posts in many threads and it's always "worms" when worms obviously aren't the problem, and it can annoy some people(like me). If you are trying to be funny please make it obvious, but if not you need to stop. (But for the record if the Rooster had a blue face, which some do, it would not be able to see its own face nor would it care. ) But thanks anyways for trying to help - or whatever it is you're doing - and giving input, just please try and make your information as accurate and relative as possible. Mistakes in info happens but repeating it over and over can't be a mistake IMO.

 

[Folly's place]

My bantam roosters can fly really well, and an aggressive bird could easily take out an adult's eyeball, never mind a child's.
Reproducing and condoning aggression is not good flock management!!!
Mary

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Okay, makes sense. What's your reasoning behind that?

Don't waste your time.

 

[Folly's place]

At the very least, I'd be watching this bird very carefully. While chasing him around wasn't the best ever idea on your friend's part, There's really no excuse, IMO, for any chicken to attack a human.
He's starting to mature, and thinking bad thoughts. I hope no children are out there, so they aren't injured as he gets tougher.
If he is human aggressive, he shouldn't contribute to the gene pool at all.
Mary

 

[50-45-1]

i dont know how experienced with chickens you are but your roosters are still young and their hormones are not kicked in yet.
some people have bachelor flocks. i dont see the purpose of feeding a flock of roosters that cost me feed and dont give me eggs in return. if you have no plans to eat them, im not sure of your longterm plans.
i keep one nice rooster and re-home or dress out the extras.
once these roosters are mature they will run your hens ragged and more than likely fight among themselves to the extent of injury or death. its not pretty, and can wreck the whole chicken experience.
if one become human aggressive, it doesn't matter the size of the bird, once he is armed with spurs he Can hurt you, your children, your neighbors.
good luck to you!

 

[Uff Da]

What does a wound spray do for aggressiveness?

Nothing. This person's responses are all over the map, no offense.

OP, here is an excellent article on rooster management: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-viewpoint-on-managing-roosters.74690/

 

[SunriseChickers]

View attachment 1943126 Don't waste your time.

Hey, ya never know. I like solving problems.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Thank you, everybody for your advice.

Over the years I have found human aggression from roosters to be HIGHLY genetic.

At this point I simply refuse to breed any male that isn't safe around kids....

Would taking him keep his children from becoming aggressive or would I have to take several generations?

At the very least, I'd be watching this bird very carefully. While chasing him around wasn't the best ever idea on your friend's part, There's really no excuse, IMO, for any chicken to attack a human.
He's starting to mature, and thinking bad thoughts. I hope no children are out there, so they aren't injured as he gets tougher.
If he is human aggressive, he shouldn't contribute to the gene pool at all.
Mary

I have advised all my friends and family to stay out of the coop.