Question about Cockerel

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Actually a day or so later, he stopped with her. And she is stopped hanging back when he was around. He still try’s to corral them to where they need to go, like in the morning to the food, but he isn’t aggressive any more. He is starting to almost mellow out. I know it’s short lived but it’s just so weird how quick it changed. I’m not letting my guard down knowing how quick it changed.

I also took my youngest littles out there (3 weeks old) and I stood with them but he didn’t even mess with them. And he was the one I worried about the most.

Thank you for asking!

Such good news!

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Such good news!

Absolutely! His aggression with them has drop tremendously. I feel like how he is acting is more “normal” and the fact that he isn’t “picking” on just certain ones is a big deal.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Now my little cockerel is starting to want to challenge me. 12 weeks old tomorrow. Little butt. When I went out yesterday he came up to me like he would the girls if he was gonna grab their feathers. Then looks up at me and I tell him “you better not even ever think about it” and he walks away. This morning he comes right out of the coop and starts pulling on a few of the girls feathers. I walk up to him and he again, walks up like either challenging me or wanting to pull more feathers. Again looks at me, and I tell him the same thing and he walks off to eat.

This boy is gonna not make it much longer if he attacks me. I would feel bad for punting him across the run, but I don’t want to get hurt because he is all hormonal. My husband won’t think twice about culling him if he gets out of hand.

 

[3KillerBs]

Now my little cockerel is starting to want to challenge me. 12 weeks old tomorrow. Little butt. When I went out yesterday he came up to me like he would the girls if he was gonna grab their feathers. Then looks up at me and I tell him “you better not even ever think about it” and he walks away. This morning he comes right out of the coop and starts pulling on a few of the girls feathers. I walk up to him and he again, walks up like either challenging me or wanting to pull more feathers. Again looks at me, and I tell him the same thing and he walks off to eat.

This boy is gonna not make it much longer if he attacks me. I would feel bad for punting him across the run, but I don’t want to get hurt because he is all hormonal. My husband won’t think twice about culling him if he gets out of hand.

Try walking through him when he stands up to face you that way.

Not answering his challenge, but just being a force of nature moving on through so that he has to get out of your way -- the same as if you were a horse or a cow in the same pasture.

Pick up a bucket or something, walk straight through where he's standing without diverting, and put it down. Don't challenge him or be aggressive, but do brush him aside if he doesn't move.

No guarantees, but one of the experienced people here told me to do that with my boys some time ago and I've had great success with it so far.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Try walking through him when he stands up to face you that way.

Not answering his challenge, but just being a force of nature moving on through so that he has to get out of your way -- the same as if you were a horse or a cow in the same pasture.

Pick up a bucket or something, walk straight through where he's standing without diverting, and put it down. Don't challenge him or be aggressive, but do brush him aside if he doesn't move.

No guarantees, but one of the experienced people here told me to do that with my boys some time ago and I've had great success with it so far.

Thank you! I will for sure try this! Seems so much easier than pointing a finger at him like a toddler and telling him he better not

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you! I will for sure try this! Seems so much easier than pointing a finger at him like a toddler and telling him he better not

Meeting his eyes is more of a response to his challenge.

You don't want to meet his eyes then lower yours, because that's submission. You just want to take the fact of his existence very casually, as if he is only a matter of mild and minor interest.

I forget who it was who first told me that I shouldn't try to be the lead bird in the flock but, instead, to be outside the flock completely.

The Giant Who Brings Food -- a force of nature and not one of the birds at all.

There are no guarantees that it will work -- some cockerels/roosters are just nutty-aggressive no matter what -- but the psychology of it is sound.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Well everything was going ok, until the last 2 mornings. He comes out the coop first and of course I’m standing there. I open the door and walk backwards to the door because every morning he is always feisty. And because of that I am just waiting for him to attack. He really makes me nervous in the mornings.

This morning I’m backing out and he has his feathers fluffed up, all big and bad. I like to think of it like the man that puffs out his chest for like intimidation. He starts towards me and I just tell him, he better not. He’s feathers go down and he is after the girls as they come out. He started trying to mount them this morning. And they aren’t interested at all. They are all only 14 weeks old.

I bring in there food and as soon as I walk in the door, there he his. I try to ignore him and keep walking and he starts pecking at my feet. The girls do it but that is if I’m just standing there. It’s more like they are trying to get my attention, he was a little more aggressive about it. But nothing that worried me. So I kept walking and he gets in front of me and starts pecking again. I keep walking and he gets kicked. Again, didn’t mean to but I’m trying to ignore him. And he is just in front of me and not moving. Unless I move and then moves in front of me again. After that he would keep clear of me the rest of the morning I was out there.

I don’t know if it will make a difference when the girls are ready but I’m hoping once they are, he cools down some. The rest of the day he is just fine. It’s just the mornings. So I know he is just feisty but he has 17 girls that will be ready soon enough.

 

[3KillerBs]

I keep walking and he gets kicked. Again, didn’t mean to but I’m trying to ignore him. And he is just in front of me and not moving. Unless I move and then moves in front of me again. After that he would keep clear of me the rest of the morning I was out there.

I'm afraid this isn't looking promising, but when he gets in front of you move confidently toward and through him.

Don't kick him or otherwise act in an aggressive manner, just move through him and don't let his presence change your path or your pace.

If he's right there against your feet push him aside or even knock him over by the force of your movement, but don't strike at him.

No guarantees.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I'm afraid this isn't looking promising, but when he gets in front of you move confidently toward and through him.

Don't kick him or otherwise act in an aggressive manner, just move through him and don't let his presence change your path or your pace.

If he's right there against your feet push him aside or even knock him over by the force of your movement, but don't strike at him.

No guarantees.

I guess I should clarify that im not “kicking” him. Just when my feet are moving and he is pecking at me my feet, I don’t stop moving. And as a result, he gets more of a foot nudge. But he didn’t like it.

I try not to hurt him, as that isn’t my goal. I don’t want him afraid of me in anyway. That would make things worse. Especially if something is wrong with him.

No lie though, the older he is getting the more worried I am that he will come at me. Like more than what he has done. Luckily no talon's yet.