Preventing aggressive behaviour in cockerels/ roos

[TheTwoRoos]

And don’t hit him from crowing,that’s only natural.Those methods have no since to them,if anything it is likely to make competition.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

no article is the "end all truth" to any discussion, but this one, I believe, can give people with aggressive cockerels/roosters some tools to work with

Believe I said it could be a good tool/guideline so as far as I can tell we are in agreement.

Let me address a couple of points in your post. First, because it didn't work on ONE misbehaving rooster of yours,

I made sure to stress that it was ME that it didn't work for... but said process everything through... meaning take what works or makes sense to YOU and use it... sorry I didn't make full disclosure or spell out it out.

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.

I have read Bee's article several times. I don't recall her ever saying that the person is to become the "head rooster".

The OP stated she was the dominant rooster and mentioned the article. I used the word head but meant the same thing.

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

Dominant roo would be me lol.

Smile and say thank you, then take what works for you and ignore the rest." Raising chickens is the same way. We all have to figure out what works for us.

Yes, this is true for all things in life... One policy or practice does not work for a whole population.. in many instances.

Sorry if you thought I meant the whole article was crud. Not at all my intention and don't THINK I came across that way... but I DO completely disagree that only the highest male in the coop/pen will crow.

And I am minding my own business about the bleeding husband and "choosing the rooster" that is clearly off balance. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I'm continuing to receive unkind messages (privately) about my rooster post in this discussion. Here's what I just shared with someone:

My comment about my husband was facetious. He and I are very light hearted in our humor, and sometimes in this marriage it helps keep us going. He read my post when I was editing it and said I should mention his vertigo and how if he passes out in the chicken run, the chickens won't leave anything left. Then he said, "Honey, you may want to up the insurance policy."

The chickens have brought a lot of grace and love and humor into our marriage.

 

[ashlierami]

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?

I think it's based on the roosters personality itself. I have an all rooster flock an used to have a separate room with hens. They were all different. When they did get agressive or bite me I would hold them upside down to show them I'm over them. I do pet and spoil my boys so that could be my issue. They tidbit me and dance around me. I have one that I call toe muncher. When I wear sandals he does like my toes. He also likes fingers. He doesn't attack me but he does jump up to take a bite of my finger when I'm just standing there not expecting it. I don't know much about prevention just how to handle it once it shows. My roos will peck my cats but I allow this and encourage it so that the cats know their place since they used to chase my chickens and think they were fun to hunt. I have a 12 week old roo that started showing signs of being male when he was 9 weeks. He does chase the female chicks and he has bitten me. I originally thought he was a hen but he sure showed me.

 

[centrarchid]

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

Aart, with all do respect sometimes we may be promoting concepts that not agreed upon by all, and may have considerable potential to promote problems that keep getting repeated over and over.

 

[Dona Worry]

have no probs w/not hand feed/no cuddle. cocker keep distance ok/ walk thru them ok/ they need move out of way that good! No probs with makin cocker repsect space.

i can read jus like everbody else so get that article dont say to beat chicken. peeple read it mite not read thru an understand what being said. see lot threads here where peeples kick/hit/throw/use broom/use rake/use stick/chase/yell an on it goes only to be more frustrated an angry at cocker! cocker confuse an afraid/lash out like a cornered animal or jus tramatized an is useless. peeples end up culling an cry rivers cause they baby is gone

some probs come from peeples bad behavor not cockers bad behavor!

shoulda sayed OP is behaving badly. throw bottle at head of cocker for crowing is bad form. OP give "punishement" when not needed. OP say cocker not doin anything wrong but still hit cocker! how that right thing to do? OP scared of cocker an livin in fear that somthin mite happen so it better to rehome cockers until they comfy with chickens an have time tolearn bout behavor

fwiw this my opine/how i see it bykt

Article states pretty plainly that a cockerel should not crow in the presence of a higher-ranking rooster. I am not hurting him, (how much does your average empty plastic water bottle weigh? Lobbed gently through the air? Come one now, we both know it did nothing more than startle) nor am I afraid of him. I 100% don't want to cull him for aggression issues so I am laying out the ground rules-- can't chase hens away from the food I am putting out, no crowing in my face-- NOW. And I am holding Rory to the same standards.
So far, life in the flock is peaceful. Nardole has started to show signs of being amorous towards some of the older pullets, but no scuffles yet. And, when I come out to be with the girls, he peels off to one side and waits. He is starting to figure out I will toss him some food further away, and he does not crow.

You can follow whatever method works best for you. I for one think total consistency BEFORE he really hits puberty will make it easier on everyone, including Nardole, when he does. He won't be dealing with raging hormones and a total shift in the ground rules, just following the ones that are already in place!

 

[aart]

w/e work 4 u


what this mean??!!! u implyin somethin?!

Your posts are hard to read...
...I'm guessing you're using texting 'language',
instead of fully spelled and punctuated English grammar.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

And don’t hit him from crowing,that’s only natural.Those methods have no since to them,if anything it is likely to make competition.

I Agree. I do not hit my roosters when they crow. My roosters mate and crow in front of me and I have never had an aggressive rooster that I raised. As long as they are respectful of my space I'm happy. My roos eat out of my hand, I am gentle with them and they mind my space.

 

[coop410silkies]

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?

I have raised a number of roosters in the five years I've been keeping chickens; some of them turned out to be homicidal maniacs, some became sweet pets, and some are masterful flock leaders. What I can say with certainty is that the rooster's temperament is genetically determined, by both breed and line/strain.

For example, of the dozen SS cockerels I raised, only 2 are not aggressive; the aggressive SS were from different lines of both heritage and hatchery birds and were hand-raised indoors as chicks. Although not handled often, they were well socialized and humanely treated; when they were old enough to be outside, they were housed in their own pen, separate from the pullets. Most of the SS cockerels sired by these aggressive Roos were equally aggressive. I might not have given them away had they been decent to the hens, but they were vicious with them as well, and I gave away all but the two who did not attack me. These two have matured into remarkably beneficent Roos who now live peaceably with their own flocks. I am happy to get chicks from them.

In contrast, of the dozens of Light Sussex cocks I've raised, not one has ever attacked a human being, some are puppy-dog sweet, and some are just marvelous flock leaders. This particular strain of LS will not produce an aggressive rooster (though they can be a bit hyper as cockerels), no matter what you do.

I have a benign RIR roo who came in an order of pullets. He is an aloof bird, but has never shown any sign of aggression. And I have an LS/SS hybrid roo, a free-ranging cock-of-the-walk, brooded by a pair of SS hens and an LS Roo, who is clearly the dominant cock of all; he demonstrates nothing but respect for the Songster and her friends.

I have a Cochin Roo and 3 of his hens living in my crawl space; he is not a very well-mannered bird, and I'm sure he would be attacking me were it not MY space he's living in. In order to have nicely mannered Roos, you must establish the fact that they are living in Your space, not you in theirs. This is key, but you need not lord it over them.

Temperament is hereditary; it can improve with age, but I've seen it worsen. I've raised chicks in my house, and on occasion a Broody and her Roo will get some raised outside; a hen-raised chick tends to be well-mannered and respectful of both humans and other chickens, if the hen is herself well-socialized.

All in all, I would say that if you are raising chicks you will do well to not tolerate misbehavior and to not inspire fear in them of you. Do not engage in power struggles and keep your personal feelings out of it. Don't single out your "favorite" and make him feel special. I've used BeeKissed's switch tactic, and it's the best. Walk toward and through your cockerels; keep an eye on them, but don't engage them. Be in charge but not overbearing.

I have at least a dozen cocks now; some are bachelors living together, some live together with a flock of hens, some have their own personal flocks, and some are loners on the fringe. Though different, they all are benign and each is a special blessing for me. Nice roos are possible. Look locally for nice tempered breeds/strains.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I'm a Henry expert, not an all-roosters expert — and I honestly doubt anyone can claim that title for themselves.

When Henry started sexually maturing last year, he became protective of his home and everything in it, such as food bowls and digging boxes. Remove one for a refill or a cleaning and he'd scream and then run after my ankles. My reaction was always fear and to put something between me and Henry. But that only encouraged his role as the aggressor and me as the screaming crazy person.

So one day, when he was three or four months old, I grabbed a Mr. Longarm (an extension pole with a fluffy head for removing spiderwebs) and gently moved it toward him as he charged for my ankles. He screamed and jumped up into the air. I was able to get him under control enough so that I could safely grab the bowls and leave.

This wasn't a solution, problem solved kind of thing. It was more about me realizing there are things I can do to feel some sense of control around my rooster. From that point forward I've used Mr. Longarm to herd the entire flock daily. You barely need to move it in their direction for them to respond, and I swear to you, after a year of saying "Go home" and guiding them with the pole, they'll sometimes head to their yard on their own with only words as a guide.

It was encouraging to see my macho rooster behaving like an ornery baby with that pole and doing what I was asking him to do. But although the pole is super lightweight and much more comfortable to use than a rake or a broom, it wasn't giving me the relationship I wanted with Henry. All it was doing was playing on his fear and keeping him focused on that tool rather than me. There was no power in this, no true control of my darling boy.

Then one day while I was quietly reading a book, he charged my ankles. They were extended out in front of me, and Henry was walking across the deck between my chair and the deck's edge (no railing). It occurred to me that my jutting legs disrupted his space and forced him to walk closer to the edge. My legs were an obstruction, and even though I was there first, he felt the need to attack instead of walking around me as I've seen the hens do. I refused to run, as I was getting accustomed to doing, and sat still and pushed both of my hands into his chest. Henry didn't try to bite my fingers since he was focused on my ankles. He came at me again, and once again I deflected him with a chest push.

Now, let me make this clear: There's a horrible video of a woman on YouTube who intentionally engaged her rooster in a flying, all out fight, punching at his chest. She thought it'd be fun to demonstrate this. That's NOT what I did with Henry. My hands were simply acting as a wall with no give and only a slight movement toward him. It worked. He stopped, did a quick Spanish dance toward me, which I immediately did back at him with my feet, and then he left.

This was a breakthrough for me. It was a positive interaction that didn't involve running from him and thrusting a tool in his direction. From then on I took care to study his movements and reactions to stimuli immediately around him. A pattern began to reveal itself. Each attack or scream (he has the cutest scream ever) could be attributed to something near him that wasn't to his liking, and the reasons for this were specific. There was nothing vague or "just because" about any of it.

Side note: I can't stand when someone says their rooster does this or that because he's an arsehole and that's what arseholes do. That's a copout, lazy man's answer. Don't give into that thinking.

The most effective response I use when Henry shows aggression, which hardly ever happens anymore, is holding my ground and doing a Spanish dance just like he does. Every single morning I let the flock out of their house, he runs toward me and does a series of dances. I do it back at him and that's that; we're done. He feels the need to remind me, again and again, that the chicken yard is his, and I show him I'm in agreement with him but that I'm allowed to be there, too.

A change in his environment can trigger an attack, but he rarely bites me anymore because I've learned how to immediately react and deflect him with my hands, Spanish dancing even when he's not, and not budging an inch. I do feel that once Henry passed through that strong surge of sexual maturation, he started settling down a bit and became less intense. But I've also observed a direct response to my actions, and now, at 15 months old, I can sit down next to him and read a book without any reaction from him. I can walk out the back door to the deck when he's standing right there on the doormat, and nothing. No reaction.

We've learned how to be around each other. And I can say with certainty that there's one element here that has definitely helped: learning how to hold him. I may have said months ago in the forums that I'm not so sure holding a rooster benefits them. It's important knowing how to pick up your rooster and hold him. But practicing this seemed to be all about how it was helping me, not him. Others have expressed the same opinion.

But now I feel differently.

There's no doubt in my mind that teaching myself how to pick up and hold Henry has instructed both of us in how to relax into each other. If that sounds too mushy-talk for you, I get it. But this is exactly what has happened. When I would pick him up, I'd do it all wrong and often end up with a sore finger or two. Then one day I smartened up and studied Henry and his movements as I moved toward him. His reaction never varied; it was always the same, and he seemed mostly focused on my outstretched arms and wiggly sticks at the end.

That's when I realized I needed to equally place my hands on either side of him, following the movement of his body, so that when I pick him up he feels the same pressure on both sides. Nothing is jutting out and scaring him. He used to fight me, so I held his wings in close. But now he totally relaxes and his legs dangle loose. It's a remarkable difference for both of us.

By the way, I'll often gently rub his breast as I'm carrying him to the chicken yard. He shows absolutely no discomfort with this, and I'll stroke his wattle, which he seems to love. I used to do this a lot when he was recovering from a coyote attack.

I'm now totally at peace with this boy and love him more every day. But there's a new problem I'm having to deal with: the husband. Stupidly, I sent him into the hen house for eggs when the chickens were getting ready to roost. All of a sudden I heard a scuffle and a scream and Rich came running out with a bleeding cut on his leg. Henry is more sensitive when he comes in to roost. I can be in there with him no problem, but I'm aware of this and expect some Spanish dancing. Rich went in there blind and came out a wounded soldier.

And then about a month ago, Rich charged across the back deck with a paper grocery bag hanging low to the ground near his legs, just as Henry jumped onto the deck. Henry panicked, screamed and bit my husband again, and this time Rich was livid. He threatened horrible things and wouldn't calm down. Ever since he's been terrified of Henry, with no willingness to listen to me and get this figured out. The solution is VERY simple. But if you refuse to challenge yourself to move past the fear and instead expect attacks and behave accordingly, you're relationship with your rooster is doomed.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, so is my relationship with my husband. Yes, I'm choosing the rooster over him, but I won't say anymore about that.

So there's hope, people. But it doesn't come in a magic pill. You need to be very patient, and you need to learn how to identify patterns in your rooster's behavior. Also, it's possible that some roosters are simply going to be difficult to work with — and some behaviors are going to be uncorrectable, such as Henry's strong dislike of the dogs. It's a serious problem, and I'm seeing no resolution. Henry will attack them if given the chance, as he should when he fears for his flock, and two of my dogs will attack back, and sadly this has happened more than once.

The solution is to develop a routine on how to keep the dogs and Henry separated. I never let Henry free range when the dogs are outside in their dog yard. He'll stalk the fencing, and if the dogs bark at him, he'll lunge. As long as we remember this system and triple check that Henry has been put inside the chicken yard, everyone's safe. But I did forget recently, and that was nearly a disaster.

As for training them when they're young, I think that's what I've described here. This all started when Henry was no more than three months old. But I will say I've seen noticeable behavior modifications with my three month-old roosters (Henry's sons). Every time I kneel down next to them, the little flock flies up to my arms and legs and perches. When they do this, I stroke the roosters' chest feathers. They squeak and squeal and sometimes jump down, but they're noticeably doing this less and less. Like, really: These teeny Henries are indeed responding to my touch.

One baby rooster is more dominant than the others, so the personality factor and sexual maturation will play a role in how they develop. It's encouraging and very sweet, though, and almost seems to have a calming effect, but I think it's more a matter of them learning how to tolerate my touch. I'm not so sure how this will translate as they grow older: Will this have an effect on helping to shape shift their aggression to something more gentle? I can't really say since I haven't done this before. But there's no doubt they're allowing me to do this, whereas a week ago or so they'd simply squeak and fly away.

Hopefully what I've written helps present another side to working with roosters. They're wonderful creatures and so worth keeping if you're allowed to have roosters and can figure out how to work with them.

Cheerios.