Preventing aggressive behaviour in cockerels/ roos

[Dona Worry]

So there is quite a bit about what to do with an aggressive rooster, but I was hoping for tips about preventing a roo from ever becoming mean.
I have two youngsters, one is 5, almost six months, the other almost 3 months. So far, neither have shown any 'adult' behaviors, other than some tidbitting and strutting for the pullets from the older one. What are some steps to take to keep them calm and respectful towards people as they grow up?

 

[centrarchid]

I have a lot of roosters, more than most have in terms of chickens total so do not have time for fooling around with man-fighters. Many of my roosters also live several years and a few are used for intensive social interaction with human public. That public is populated by people that assume roosters are mean or should be dominated. I shut those human behaviors down during the education process.

Effort is made to not be part of the pecking order. Movements we make are slow and deliberate. When feeding, very subtle delays between approach and dispensing make so birds do not associate jumping on you or feed container (feed-bucket aggression) with immediate reward of more feed. We do not pick on birds nor do we recoil it they make aggressive overtures at you. Do not give them a response which sometimes requires a thick skin when you feel you have to be the cock of the flock. Avoid distressing hens around rooster, but there is another bigger thing; do not distress the rooster's offspring while he is observing. The rooster is not about protecting his ladies, rather it is his reproductive effort. Also be easy on roosters during the heavy part of molt while they are replacing body feathers.

 

[aart]

It's all right here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beekisseds-rooster-speak.73664/

 

[Dona Worry]

The 9 week old (red and white) I am still allowing to come and eat with the pullets, but am insisting he stay in back and no more treats from the hand. The 5mo (white, waaaaay in the background) is staying well away, and when he crowed a plastic water bottle fell from the sky and smacked his head, so he hasn't tried that in a while.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Article states pretty plainly that a cockerel should not crow in the presence of a higher-ranking rooster.

Hi.

I'm only on page 2 so sorry if someone has said this..

That there is some TOTAL falseness... and ONE of the things I don't agree with about the article from Bee.

I agree that it can be a good guide line. I tried it with my misbehaving cockerel and it did NOT work for ME. I do think it is a good tool to help tune people into reality but beyond that... EVERYTHING you read or hear should be processed through with some more fact checking, verifying, and UNDERSTANDING.

Listen, I keep a stag pen... with full grown roosters and cockerels from still peeping to very randy... They ALL crow whenever they feel like it. Once in a while another boy standing next to them will do something in attempt to make them stop. They one crowing simply jumps aside and continues his crow. So they might choose to crow from a slightly farther distance but that's it. NO! The head rooster doesn't have to be the first one to crow every day.

And NO, you aren't the head rooster. You should NOT be seen as part of the pecking order. You are the giant who brings food... not the next chicken to show a sign of weakness and be taken down a notch in the flock by another seeking to raise their own position. You are the keeper and the care taker. You are not a threat and nor are you competition. How is the rooster supposed to understand that of the human doesn't?

Now I treat all boys the same... same as pullets until separated and then like pets who can respect my space. ANYONE "friendly" (people's misunderstanding of confident) who tries to cozy up is denied. I toss treat... and make sure they know their feed comes from me, ie: they see me bring it, I don't just open the door and it's there. All are treated the same... Some are Stew Piddaso's and others are not... in any of my breeds, including... Speckled Sussex, Swedish Flowers, and Silkies. I will catch up, cuz I wanna see all the tips!

Please note... a rooster crowing next to you is not the same as a rooster crowing at you. Which does happen. I don't block ANY of my boys from feed. I allow them to feed and they know it... doesn't mean they are disrespecting me or my space. Please use what you can, but don't treat any article you read or anything you hear as the end all truth to the subject.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

It doesn’t matter weather he was raised by hand,hen,or brooder,if he is going to be aggressive he is going to be.The best way to prevent it for me is make them move out your way,and anytime they don’t I just lightly shove them out the way.All my boys are pets and have never had a issue with aggression.

 

[centrarchid]

Below are aggression categories as I recognize them. I also think maturation process needs to be introduced to discussion where the term ”rooster” is avoided. Also, many of the forms of aggression below are not exclusively the realm of males.

1) Is he just running over, pecking / flogging then running to a safe distance to deny your counter attack and simply watching you?

Bird has associated such behavior with a reward, FEED BUCKET AGGRESSION. In most instances I have seen the bird has obtained food faster or in larger amounts by engaging in some behavior directed at you. This is frequently realized with brooder reared birds interacting with you as feeders are armed or eats otherwise become more evident with you present. Another situation is where birds work their basic tendency to try and get at the most attractive food which to them often involves it appearing fresh within their field of view. For me that can involve putting feed out from a bucket as feeding a flock of hungry birds. They rush after you pushing each and sometimes in the excitement the bucket or even you. Many people see such behavior and promptly put feed out for the apparently famished bird. It takes very little for bird to associate intense response with getting more or faster.

Prevention: Avoid rewarding exploratory behavior such as pecking and jumping up for food. Make so food reward is delayed relative to your activity around birds. My favorite technique is apply feed either when birds are asleep or foraging elsewhere. With latter you just call birds in after feed is applied.

Correction: Move about flock / bird even with feed but do not give feed out until bird looses interest.
Benefits of Behavior to You or Bird: I manipulate this behavior train birds for experiments and interacting positively with the public. Behavior promoted simply does not involve what a person would see as aggression. Smart birds are really prone to this.


2) Is he standing his ground and flaring his hackles and interspersing this with outright attacks with spurs, wings and bill?

He is outright fighting you for rank and treats you as a conspecific. Based on most discussions this the assumed by keepers of man-fighters. Something is or has gone on that got him into mindset that you need to be and can be defeated so as to be a subordinate. Somewhere along the line you got too familiar with him and / or he learned through exploratory pecking he can make you retreat. This is particularly prevalent with folks that are uncomfortable around their birds. Even many experienced keepers are afraid of their birds for one reason or another and sometimes these people are prone to act aggressively against the birds and even bully them. This situation is more frequent than you might suspect and denial is often a part of the problem. Folks like this may need to visit with the equivalent of Alcohol Anonymous to work problem out. I have even seen people into gamefowl that are scared of their birds and they would be ready to fight you if you said they were such. Males in particular will take advantage of activities that make them feel tough. This is where genetics can also impact predisposition for man-fighting.

Prevention: Do not retreat from him when exploratory pecking or even flogging occurs. Do not attack him in response to an attack as it is very difficult to do so with appearing to alternate between bouts of attack and retreat like which occurs when birds fight.

Correction: Make so aggressive bird can engage you by fighting you but do nothing that would be interpreted as fighting back or retreating. Let him wail away (flog) which may last several minutes. If he breaks off attack, then move towards him but do not even give him the respect of eye contact. Do not strike or push him. Repeat until he stops. Process may need to be repeated in subsequent days with hardheaded birds. You want him to start thinking of you as something that is very much not another chicken. This may mean a flannel shirt or sweat shirt and jeans. Ideally you will appear the same as you do on other days so he does not test you for days when you are weak. If spurs are an issue which they can be with birds more than 18 months old, then they can be neutralized by removal, trimming or covering with the equivalent of boxing gloves (most laymen will not have last option owing to legal restrictions). An alternative to this approach can involve the restraint / time-out sessions where bird does not get the release associated with combat but does get a penalty he will learn to avoid. This technique does appear to work although it takes more time and is hard on birds that are flighty and prone to panic when restrained which is a form of stress.

Benefits of Behavior to You or Bird: Can be used to help sell a gamerooster to a fool. In a competitive breeding setting such as in a commercial flock more aggressive birds garner more fertilizations of eggs therefore tend to be more prolific. This not directly related to what is referred to as gameness in gamefowl.


3) Is he attacking while fluffed up like a hen making lots of noises and moving about in a very fussy manner? This if often associated with roosters where members of his harem (hen(s) or offspring) are scared. Many roosters, especially games will attack whatever they see as the threat and sometimes, real or not, that can be you. His response will be in trying to repel you. Rooster may also get touchy when new feathers are coming in during molt.

Prevention: Be careful around birds, especially when hens or chicks are involved. Avoid grabbing birds during daylight. Get birds to move voluntarily. Any rooster is easier to work with when his charges are calmer so always having all birds tame helps immensely. One crazy hen can stir up a male. I always manage for calm birds and that means starting from before hatch of an individual. Be careful when handling birds, especially during molt.

Correction: Frequent low intensity interactions without stirring anyone up reduces sensitivity to your activities.

Benefits of Behavior to You or Bird: Such behavior can increase survival of males offspring which can benefit you. This especially with small predators a male can repel or distract.

 

[Chullicken]

Already been said, I will say it a bit more clearly. It's about genes...Nothing more, nothing less. You didn't really mention what kind of aggression you are hoping to avoid though? First few months of their life they will be or typically are obnoxious like a teenager and slowly mellow out into a rooster. Not sure the age of yours, but don't judge a cockerel on his pubescent months. I've seen 'pet' roosters turn on their owners in an instant after several years, so you never really know.

-When you do see him/them make sure they get out of your way. This doesn't mean get all hillbilly on them. Simply just don't walk around them.

-See what his dad is/was like. You may be able to get a potentially better idea.

-Respect what he is and what he was created to do. Fowl are complicated creatures, more so than most people realize. Sometimes rooster aggression towards people is guess what? Something WE are doing wrong that he finds threatening.

-Don't apply human emotions/conditions to a rooster.

-People keep animals, sometimes for a lifetime. Doesn't mean they really know anything about them. Keep that in mind. Do YOUR own research, and believe me there are tons of articles about the dynamics of roosterdom.

Roosters are amazing, a great rooster is spiritual. Good luck with your boy(s) and I hope they grow up into amazing birds.

 

[snow5164]

I’ve had success with my roo from small day old . As he grew and started running to me in front of the hens I just gently pushed him aside with my boot . He ran at me a few times but I stomped my feet and raised my voice , he’s definitely in charge of the hens , I never pick them up in front of him , I pet them but I also pet his chest ......

Give him time to grow up,
Let him grow into his job,
Running at you will happen it’s how you handle it that will make or break the relationship.

Roosters need to be understood by the owners, it seems to be a little work for the first year or two but then they are wonderful to have . Good luck

 

[bobbi-j]

this artcle talk bout attempt to correcting bad behavor where rooster already attcking. it mite work but do u reely want to go smackin stick at cocker that done nothin wrong?! OP not even mention chicken have bad atittude. i think throwin water bottle at cocker that just crow is not right.

why antagonize somthin when it not doin anything wrong!
re-home chicken mite be better here

The article itself does talk about correcting behavior, but I also treat my cockerels similarly before the behavior begins. I don't hand feed, coddle or cuddle my cockerels. I make them keep their distance from the beginning. I walk through them, making them get out of my way. I will occasionally move them away from feed and water, just because I can. If one looks at me sideways, I will walk toward him until he backs up. Same if one comes my way. I haven't had an aggressive cockerel/rooster since I started raising them this way. The objective is to keep them on their toes, so to speak. Make them wary enough to want to keep their distance. In my opinion, if he gets within smacking range, he's too close.

When she says to "smack" him, it's not beating the chicken, or hitting him hard enough to cause pain or injury. Just enough to get his attention. I don't worry about them crowing in front of me. I'm not another rooster, so I don't see that as a challenge. But we all have different ways of handling our flock. I think this article is a good guideline for teaching them to be respectful from the beginning, or correcting bad behavior. I don't think OP is experienced with roosters. We all have to start somewhere.