Cute story thanks for sharing ..
NY chicken lover!!!!
- Thread starter peggym
- Start date
Cute story thanks for sharing ..
this is in my chicken File How to Train a Rooster
from
Beekissed & Marqeella
How about "how to never have a rooster attack you"?
In all my years of raising chickens, I've never had a roo that I've raised come at me. Sure, maybe one or 2 have given me the eye, but that is as far as it goes. And this is why.....I never, I mean never pick up or cuddle with a cockerel, Unless I have to for a medical reason or for safety's sake. Theirs not mine.
I always am the boss. From day one, as soon as I see that there is a cockerel I am keeping, I let it know I am the boss. If I see it looking at me oddly, or come at me a little, I start to go after it. Usually its just walking towards it & yelling. They soon learn not to even think about attacking me.
I've had Silkie roos I bought from other people, almost always be attackers. I don't know what it is about them. Napolean complex...dunno.
Anyway, it works for me. I prefer to not have a situation happen rather than have to fix it.
BTW, I do walk into my pens and all my roosters, will walk up to me, around my feet, etc. They are not really afraid of me, they just respect me. Well, that is unless I have my big net in my hands, then they all run like crazy! LO
Quote:
I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.
Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.
If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.
Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.
When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.
Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.
When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.
Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.
THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.
If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.
It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.
from
Beekissed & Marqeella
How about "how to never have a rooster attack you"?
In all my years of raising chickens, I've never had a roo that I've raised come at me. Sure, maybe one or 2 have given me the eye, but that is as far as it goes. And this is why.....I never, I mean never pick up or cuddle with a cockerel, Unless I have to for a medical reason or for safety's sake. Theirs not mine.
I always am the boss. From day one, as soon as I see that there is a cockerel I am keeping, I let it know I am the boss. If I see it looking at me oddly, or come at me a little, I start to go after it. Usually its just walking towards it & yelling. They soon learn not to even think about attacking me.
I've had Silkie roos I bought from other people, almost always be attackers. I don't know what it is about them. Napolean complex...dunno.
Anyway, it works for me. I prefer to not have a situation happen rather than have to fix it.
BTW, I do walk into my pens and all my roosters, will walk up to me, around my feet, etc. They are not really afraid of me, they just respect me. Well, that is unless I have my big net in my hands, then they all run like crazy! LO
Quote:
I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.
Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.
If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.
Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.
When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.
Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.
When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.
Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.
THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.
If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.
It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.
Chicken girl 15
Songster
Sadly there are Roosters that just need to be cooked due to bad genetic disorder. Bob was such a @$$ all I could do was cook him.
How far are you. I'm happy to drive for a good home
Chicken girl 15
Songster
She is a bit of a drive. She is clear in VT. She'd make a great home for him though
Chicken girl 15
Songster
Beekissed always has great advice, knowledge, reading her comments is always informative. I hadn't read this one before, but she is spot on, I usually don't have problems with roosters, her advice is meant for young well bred cockerels I'd say.
I don't have any problems with the roosters I have now, they come runnin and fussin when I toss the dumb girls off the nests, but stay their distance. But have had problems with hatchery roosters when they get older, nothing worked, they visited the pressure cooker.
What you said, 'due to bad genetic disorder', I never thought so, always figured down right nasty cockerels came from allowed learned behavior, either from the owner who allowed it, or the roosters it grew up with. Have had some long time breeders disagree with this, say it's genetic, I'd have to go with experience on this now.
Look at any breeder website, they always mention, 'we cull for aggressive behavior'.
I think you tend to get more aggressive/mean roosters from hatcheries, they don't watch their birds, don't cull for behavior, don't get it out of their gene pool. That's been my experience anyway.
This is one of the two Easter Egger cockerels I have. He has more of a barred look than the other. Mama hen of them is a Crested Cream Legbar. Papa roo of them is most likely a Cream Brabanter, but might be a Wheaten Ameraucana (considered an Easter Egger by some people because he has cream instead of gold). Either way they'll pass on a pale blue/white/blue egg gene to their offspring. They are 9.5 weeks old. If anyone is interested in them, let me know.
- May 26, 2013
- 1,482
- 305
- 311
I'm in Vermont - near Lake George NY ....
?? I bet too far
But I would drive to Lake George
Chicken girl 15
Songster
oh I'm not disagreeing at all that roosters require strict rules, I just couldn't get Bob to behave. He was ugly to the kids and the hens and even myself. He was great to look at her just was nasty. He got the same treatment my other roosters got and they are sweet as can be. I think it does go back to genetic. Hatcheries use pretty , breeders use well behaved and pretty.
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
-
Question of the Day - Thursday, August 14th, 2025- Started by casportpony
- Replies: 69
-
Ended BYC Poultry Caption Contest 08-08-25 Pic by Molpet- Started by TwoCrows
- Replies: 62
-
-
-
