Preventing aggressive behaviour in cockerels/ roos

[Shamo Hybrid]

I've always felt like the more you interact and hold them, the more tame they will be! It's like with wild animals at first, enough human interaction and they become domesticated pets. I got kicked a few times by my rooster, after that I made it a point to pick him up and hold him every time I go change the feed/waterer in the coop..... after a few sessions of holding/petting, he seems to be much less aggressive than before.

 

[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.

 

[Dona Worry]

what, what?!? That's a Sussex cock on the main page.
Find another breed. Sussex males are known for their gentle, noble, curious disposition. They are one of the last breeds I would have picked to typify male aggression.
The cock in the pic is not acting aggressively. It looks like he has found a tidbit for his ladies and is about to call them to it. I have seen this posture in that scenario many, many times.
Best,
Karen

Where now? I have an EE and a Polish crested.

 

[Dona Worry]

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.

There are a few rules that I expect all animals-- regardless of species!-- to observe around me, and that is no fighting amongst themselves when I am in the 'room'. That means when I approach my horses/cows/chickens with food/water/treats/attention, I will not tolerate the big/dominant ones beating the smaller/weaker ones away from whatever it is I offer, nor to I appreciate a 'bubble invasion ' where everyone competes to be closest to me. That is not rooster specific (obviously lol) but it is behavior I discourage.
Any form of human aggression will not be tolerated. I live on a very safe dirt road, and the neighbors very young children like to ride their bikes, walk their dogs go exploring etc past my house, and if either rooster attacks a child, it would be bad. Also I have young neices that enjoy the birds. I don't allow anyone to chase or pick up the birds, so there is no reason for a human to be percieved as a threat to their flock.
Attacking the dog is not a hard no, but I would like to discourage it. Freddie, bless her heart, is a sweet and loving dog, but a hound, and dumb as a box of bricks, and if it moves too fast none of the training in the world will stop her from chasing it.
I won't allow any sucker punches with the dog on the receiving end, but if she chases a hen and gets attacked, well. . . Maybe she won't do it again!
So far, she is heavily monitored around the chickens, and NO chasing is allowed, but I won't say she won't ever chase them. She's a dog, and not a particularly smart or obedient breed either.

Overall, I think Nardole (polish crested) has the potential to be an EXCELLENT flock rooster. He has started dancing for the pullets, and tidbitting for them, but when his advances get rejected he does not get forceful about it. He constantly monitors the area for potential threats and alerts his girls.
I am quite fond of the ridiculous little guy, and hope he sticks around!

 

[meetthebubus]

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.
View attachment 1468499

You can hand feed a rooster it won't ruin them, I have a 2 and 1/2 yr old so gentle I feed by hand
I have a grumpy one really gentle and a third one who still cuddles and us gentle

All get treats by hand so the theory that feeding by hand Will ruin them is wrong it depends on the rooster bc I've had mean ones too
In fact violence even gentle violence towards a rooster when they are young will make them fear you thus when they get hormones they can view you as a threat they want rid of

So if your rooster trusts you that is best and it will depend on them if they work out or not

 

[Dona Worry]

You can hand feed a rooster it won't ruin them, I have a 2 and 1/2 yr old so gentle I feed by hand
I have a grumpy one really gentle and a third one who still cuddles and us gentle

All get treats by hand so the theory that feeding by hand Will ruin them is wrong it depends on the rooster bc I've had mean ones too
In fact violence even gentle violence towards a rooster when they are young will make them fear you thus when they get hormones they can view you as a threat they want rid of

So if your rooster trusts you that is best and it will depend on them if they work out or not

There is a difference between claiming space and being violent. I don't want crowing, bird-on-bird violence, resource guarding, or posturing in my space, and I will enforce that by a sharp startle (see also: water bottle) a firm but gentle push either with my hand or something that extends my reach, or even the tried and true LOOK.
Nardole comes running with the rest when I call, is calmly allowing my to treat his head and check his weight, etc.
All flock and herd animals have the same basic laws and structure. I don't demand fear, I expect respect.

 

[lomine]

I've only got a little over 2 years of chicken owning under my belt so I'm still a beginner as far as I'm concerned. That being said, I really don't understand the idea of not letting a cockerel/rooster crow or mate in front of you. I've never tried to insert myself into the flock hierarchy. I do expect them to get out of the way and if a bird pecks me I will use two fingers to 'peck' back by pocking them in the head (not hard). That's the most I've ever done to correct a chicken's behavior and it's actually only been needed for two females. As my rooster was growing I let him do his thing. I know without a doubt he knows I'm no threat. More than once he'll come running to a squawking hen I just picked up and as soon as he sees it's just me he turns right back to what he was doing. I raised a few batches of cockerels too and not a single one has ever shown any human aggression.

I just feel like if you try to dominate the boys they will always have the mentality that some day they will need to get you. Even if they back down for the longest time there's still a chance. I'm not going to mate with any hens, dig around in the dirt to find them bugs, or discipline them if they get in fights so why would I try to make myself to the head of the flock? I just don't get it.

 

[Trish1974]

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.

All this makes perfect sense!

 

[meetthebubus]

There is a difference between claiming space and being violent. I don't want crowing, bird-on-bird violence, resource guarding, or posturing in my space, and I will enforce that by a sharp startle (see also: water bottle) a firm but gentle push either with my hand or something that extends my reach, or even the tried and true LOOK.
Nardole comes running with the rest when I call, is calmly allowing my to treat his head and check his weight, etc.
All flock and herd animals have the same basic laws and structure. I don't demand fear, I expect respect.

I wasn't accusing you violence just wanted to state a diff view

 

[Dona Worry]

I wasn't accusing you violence just wanted to state a diff view

Ton is hard to read online.