Praise to all the rooster whisper-ers out there! And advice for troubled roosters.

[gimmie birdies]

Hey, I just wanted to give a shout out to all the rooster whisper-ers who raise great roosters, without, hitting, kicking or fighting with them. I include myself in with these fine people.

No, you don't have to raise the rooster from a chick to do this, although it doesn't hurt. I have raised roosters other people have given me who were attacking them, and calmed them when they came to my coop. I do handle some of my roosters from a young age, and some times I don't have the time to hand raise and I might mostly ignore the rooster, but either way I go, I don't have problems. There is no right or wrong with hands on, just do what feels right. My hand raised ones I enjoy the most because I can pick them up easier. The ignored ones if they are near, I give them a gentle pat on the back when I can, and they warm up pretty quick.

First you must not be timid or show fear, walk with purpose in your coop. Always keep the rooster, (especially if you do not trust him yet,) in your eye line. If he gets real close to you pick him up. He will soon learn to not get close, or he will want to be picked up. I pick them up before they get a chance to attack. When you see him get near you he will pretend to look at food on the ground and wait for you to turn your back again that is a trick, so pick him up as he is looking at the ground.
If you are too timid to pick him up in the day, you can pick him up off his roost every evening and carry him about as you are finishing your chores, or just to spend time with him. When he realizes you can pick him up anytime you wish, and you are not hurting him, he will know you are the boss.

Never offer him your leg, or foot to attack. This says you are going to meet his challenge and the attacks will get worse as he gets braver.

Give him treats to give to his ladies. Then you will be his friend.



This is not lastly because people will always think of something to add to what I said, but listen to what these wise people have to say, we are all trying to help.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have one that behaves so long as you let him patrol around you. I find that if you can work with a male's quirk, sometimes it's easier than trying to reroute those thoughts entirely

 

[Sally PB]

@gimmie birdies, thank you for starting this thread. I have a 10 month old cockerel who has challenged me. I have done the "hold him down" tactic a few times now (including yesterday), and he seems to be getting the message. I think.

I have never done the "carry him around" thing. He can be very squirmy, and I'm afraid I might drop him or hurt him.

I am willing to work with him, as I don't want to cull him or get rid of him. So I'll be paying attention to the posts here to see what I can learn.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

I am one of those ppl, and my fav way is when they start tid-biting grab them and hold them down. Mine learn real quick.

 

[Folly's place]

I also walk around and through my flock, expecting everyone to move out of my way, especially the cockerels and adult roosters. It's not always possible to pick one up out there, and it won't work with some cockerels anyway.
Having cockerels for the first time, it's easy to miss behaviors that are red flags for obnoxiousness, before that first, or second, or third actual attack. By the time he's actually attacking, 'reform' may be a lost cause. If children or visitors are involved, there's the liability, and real injuries are very possible.
Human aggressive birds may learn to avoid individual people, but are going to try every other individual that shows up, and might try again, because it's who they are. Genetics matter in this!
Being calm, talking, and confidence matter, and accidently bumping a bird out of the way can help. Nothing that seems like an attack, just a bump with the feed bucket or waterer as you walk through the flock. never walk around a rooster, he needs to move away instead.
I don't hand feed, rather scatter treats around on the ground while calling the flock.
'Friendly' cockerels are often the bold ones, who get coddled, and then have no respect for the giants bringing food, and turn into attack birds with sexual maturity. I am not a chicken, and not part of the pecking order, so the roosters have no reason to go for me, no matter what I happen to be doing, or wearing. They are supposed to be watching out for actual predators, treating their flockmates, and not following me around.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

@Beekissed and @BantyChooks have good articles about roosters, and @Shadrack, who has a different flock and environment than many of us, all are worth looking up.
Management matter, but so does genetics, so some birds will just be dangerous no matter how they are raised, and need to be gone.
Here we aren't interested in keeping birds who are threatening to us, or visitors, so if one doesn't want to behave, it's just too bad. He wouldn't fit into our breeding program either.
Some breeds and bloodline will have more, or fewer, polite rooster, although every bird is an individual, nothing is 100% true of every one.
For politeness, Salmon Favorelles are often wonderful. Rhode Island Reds, at least the orange hatchery types, not so much. And Speckled Sussex, really nice hens, and the cockerels are 50% each way, at least here.
It's easy to 'fall in love' with those cute chicks, but don't be blinded into keeping a dangerous rooster who can cause real harm, upsets the flock daily, and makes chicken keeping a miserable experience.
Mary