"Nice" Roos?

[blueskylen]

our roo is smaller than the hens, and so he treats them well, or they get after him! he is not mean to them or me, but I do keep an eye on him. He did try to challenge me once when I was kneeling down in the garden, but I stood up and raised my arms over my head like Frankenstein and he quickly backed down.

I have actually picked up dirt clumps and offered him worms, which he will pull out of the clump , drop on the ground, and call for the hens. Good Boy!

 

[LindaN]

I happened to get 2 cockerals in my 4 chick order earlier this year. (Both of my EEs turned out to be roos!!)

One of them was a real beauty, although rather loud. I successfully rehomed him with another BYCer who lives on much bigger property outside of the city.

The other cockeral may not make it much longer, either. He's not as loud and persistent in his crowing, but he's a nervous guy. I don't think he was all that ready to have the role of being the one and only rooster in a small flock thrust upon him. Every time I go out to the coop, he looks and acts really anxious.

A few days ago, when I was bending down inside the coop he walked over to me and pecked me on the head. Well, I know that's not right so I've been doing the whole "pick up the rooster" thing almost every time I enter the coop.

I think it's helping, but he still really bugs me. It seems like he's just trying to work up the nerve to go after me. We'll see how much longer he lasts...

 

[ella]

All of my 8 roosters are lap buddies, I pick up and cuddle them regularly whether they like it or not, most do.

I have been flogged by the older ones before I learned how to handle them. The aggressors haven't touched me in 3 years and I am in with them every single day. Being flogged certainly hurts but getting angry or afraid doesn't help, they meet aggression with aggression, smacking them has always made it worse.

I dominate by taking complete control over them.

At the very beggining when they would go after my feet, I'd reach down behind them and spin them around so they're facing away from me, then kneel down and clamp them between my knees. They'll probably bite with their beak and get you in the hand or arm at this point, but I never let go.

I'll then scoop them up and tuck him under my arm and carry him around for awhile. When he's settled down I crouch down again but don't let him go. I'll start petting him on the back and giving him little squeezes (hugs) and pet his comb and wattles. When he starts to enjoy it I'll let him go.

Gradually they stop seeing you as a threat and see you as something else- not sure what- they don't act toward me like anything else, I think I'm unique in their experience. I am not a rooster, I am a human being, bigger, smarter and stronger than they are.

I can do anything with them, from trimming their nails and spurs to kidnapping their hens and breaking up fights. They may run over to see what's going on but like I said I haven't been threatened or attacked in 3 years.

They still do all the normal rooster things. Protecting the flock and scuffling for dominance with each other. They just don't bother me.

Every flock is different and every situation. But I know just like with dogs, agression can be curbed in almost every individual.

 

[patandchickens]

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Um, bear in mind that the stuff rooster-red describes is NOT going to convert a roo into a cuddly fluffy lap pet. It is just going to keep you from getting excessively beat up by him.

Some people do apparently have cuddly fluffy peaceful lap pet roosters. They seem to be a small minority however and there does not seem to be any good way of ensuring that's what you get.

Just because you wuv 'em and hug 'em and take care of 'em, does not BY ANY MEANS mean they will be Disney cartoons or small feathered dogs. They are chickens. Roosters' basic thing in life, as honed by thousands and thousands of years of selection, is to a) mate hens, b) protect hens from whatever they (not you) think needs protecting from, and c) beat the cr*p out of any other rooster who might try to do (a) with their hens.

Being sweet companions does not really enter into it.

Just sayin',

Pat

 

[ChickaD]

Pat, you've nicely summed up our roo experiences to date. As soon as I let him out of his isolation pen, reached down to pet him like any other time but got pecked so it drew blood, I knew we were not going to be cuddly-cuddly. When I got attacked at the knees, I did the roo attitude adjustment prescribed (upside down roo) and now he knows he's #2 Roo. We co-exist nicely now, but are not mushy. He sometimes challenges other adult family members, and, if need be, they will go from defensive kicking to subduing. I'd say we're all happy.

 

[patandchickens]

I should say, of my 3 cockerels, I can pick any of them up (er, so far -- only 7 months old) and regularly give them neck and wattle scritchies; have not been flogged yet though Itchy had "ideas" at one point; and Pants in particular is actually, at least so far, a really really super cool responsible guy (I was somewhat skeptical of other peoples' descriptions of smart, responsible, altruistic-towards-hens roosters til Pants showed me the light <g>)

So I'm not saying "my roos are homicidal maniacs so I think that's every rooster's destiny"

Just, they are male chickens first and foremost, which just intrinsically involves a lot more alertness, humping and leaping-feet-and-beak-first-at-things than it does sitting peacefully on a person's lap being loved on

Pat

 

[lovemychix]

Quote:
Been there!!

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

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This is how I feel. However, I did give my cockerel treats when he was young. (hey I am new to chickens) If I take treats out now though he passes them to his girls.

 

[snowydiamonds]

Why on earth would you allow a roo to thrash on you more than once? Any sign and they usually do give a sign, verbal or physical, and you just pick them up, hold like a football tucked under your arm and with the free hand hold the head and stroke the raised feathers down while talking to them calmly.

Same w/the broody hen you're taking eggs from, reach in and grab the head, use the free hand to lift the body out and either get the eggs or keep her head in one hand while she's on the floor of the coop and get the eggs w/the free hand.

Keep them below your head or shoulder level when doing this as with cockatiels, who think if they can perch higher than your shoulders or head, they are "above" you and you are "beneath" them.

It helps to be relaxed, giving them your full attention, talking to them, in otherwords, you have a "relationship" going on, you are their protector, feeder, caretaker and they acknowledge you are the one providing what they need and like.

I got a very wild and attacking rooster (bantam) but as summer developed into winter, he is now the calmest and nicest rooster I've got and my young cockerel/roo's have watched him and learned to try to be just like him. He has never tried to come at me and now he and I can be inches away from each other inside their small coop or outside in the yard with no stress.

"Cockadoodle"

See his spurs? He tore up the man I got him from who said I should/could do him in if I wanted and should, but I watched this guy, he's a GREAT rooster and I'm so glad my young roos learned proper manners from him. I know I should trim those long things but I've got to read up on it or have someone tell him how far I can cut, I've got dog nail trimmers I can use and I can pick him up and hold him so just am not sure if I have to be careful that I do not bleed him as dog nails do if a person's not careful...

Of my young roo's, only the Andalusian has come over and pecked me once because I was mistakenly trying to nudge his favorite hen out of the way to put their clean water beneath the heat lamp by waving the bucket at her three times which he saw as a threat to her. I picked him up and stroked his raised neck feathers down until he calmed down while he began to forget he was mad at me and began watching his favorite hen, she was happy so I put him down and now we watch each other daily, he and I.

But, I'm the one that gives him access to two different lady flocks and he's the one who keeps my young GLW hens in line and doesn't allow them to peck the feathers out of two of them and also allows him back in w/his BLRW's, his favorite sweet hens. He also sees how I provide some warm treats for them that his girls like in winter so we came to an understanding and will keep it that way.

 

[ams3651]

My RIR roo is fair to middlin as my gram would say. I wouldnt want a "sweet" roo. He still comes at me sometimes but I understand why, his girl is too close to me (she likes me) and we have an understanding. I go at him sometimes when he's too close to me. Its his job to protect and Im glad he does it. I know he will go for my youngest son if he feels threatened and my son wont put him in his place, he doesnt understand just a little amused and a little scared. If Don comes at me when Im filling food or water its become instinct to immediately grab for him. I rarely catch him but I do "front" him just like he would do me, flap my arms and stomp in his direction. Reds page is great info, If you save it for reference his techniques do work. Just think like a roo. I did have 2 others became lesser on the pecking order and they had to find a new home. Dont expect you roo to sit on your lap and do his duities too. Although that does make me recall a photo I saw a while back of Rooster Red with a big rooster asleep in his arms.