One of the best resources I've found on dealing with roosters

[16 and me]

I have less experience than many on this forum, but I do love my rooster. He is calm, confident & does a great job being an alpha male. We have a mutual respect for each other. He knows where the food comes from, and I know that he has a very important role in protecting the hens & reproduction. I had a polish rooster that failed at his duties and had to be relieved of command.
When I first got chickens, my human nature wanted to humanize the social dynamics of chickens. "Don't peck her, that's not nice!' But as I watched and learned, I saw that they have to be what they are - not what we expect from them. If I raised cows & kept a bull - would I expect the bull to be a bull? I expect my rooster to be a rooster. Some are more aggressive, and training can be helpful, not imprinting will probably help as well. In my experience, the more I've tried to "help" (coddling a shy a hen.. Big mistake!; training an aggressive roo only to ask, "who's training who here?") the bigger mess I make for them. And my roo is left to try to preside over the mess I made of the dynamic that they worked out. I'm hoping my teenage roo will smarten up with age, but at the end of the day if he is agressive, there are 2 more in line behind him that are going to be culled for the sake of the flock - one of whose life may be spared if my little man keeps it up. This may upset some, and so be it. We give them a good life up to the last day, and in return they provide us with sustinence. It's the natural order & none of us should me made to feel like we need to be trained by our roosters to behave their way or else.

 

[Winniesweetpea]

I purchased two chicks on April 11th this year to replace my sweet Ginger (Americana) who suddenly passed way for no apparent reason at just under a year old. Both were supposed to be hens, but by the middle of May I could see their tail feathers growing differently.. and on May 29th, I heard the first “crow” attempt.. and that has continued.. there’s no longer a question that he’s an Americana rooster.. that being said, I’m ok with a rooster but his temperament is important.. I talk to him, I pick him up.. I handle him.. but in the last couple weeks he attacks my hand when I’m changing food and water.. I make a point of picking him up.. I watched a couple videos on how to help them be more submissive.. but nothing seems to be working.. I would love to keep him.. but I need some help, as I am committed to the animals I have, including my girls, and Sargent Pepper (that’s what I named him).. I am willing to put in the time.. my neighbor brings her 3 year old grandson over several times a week to feed the girls.. I can’t have a mean rooster.. please help!