Raising A Rooster Tips

[Sunny Side Up]

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Does it seem he's just being greedy for the food? Or is he being aggressive towards you, trying to turn you away? If he continues pushing the hens aside in order to eat first he may not be a keeper. Let's hope that as he matures he'll begin to wait for the hens to eat first, even clucking to call them over to the food. Does he act aggressive if you just toss the food in there, or just when you put your hand in the box? Maybe that is what is making him feel/act defensive. Try not to act in ways that would cause him to be fearful, and also try not to reward him for pecking by leaving the food after he pecks at you.

 

[GotChicken?]

There's a lot of advice on this forum about dealing with roosters, but you have to take it with a grain of salt and use what works best for you.

From my own personal experience, a rooster that attacks you, other people, or other animals (and I mean ATTACK, not merely exert dominance over) has to be put down. Don't use him for breeding; too great a chance of breeding aggression into the line. Don't give him to someone else to be their problem, unless they plan to process them. Process him yourself or just put him down.

Also pay attention to the roosters behavior. I had a Maran I recently put down who was constantly eyeballing me to the point of actual stalking. He would also herd his favorite hen (the Maran pullet I hatched him with) away from the other birds and keep her isolated. He would also fixate on one particular chicken and relentlessy chase them down for at least a day, sometimes more. All signs pointed to something vicious in his nature, and once I got fed up he was gone. Note: this Maran was a bully to other chicks when he was younger, pecking or shoving other chicks around for no reason, while the pullet never did. If your roo had a vicious streak, the little voice inside your head would have warned you by now.

Feel free to handle your birds as much as THEY like; trying to force yourself on them will create fear. Most of the roosters I have are friendly as all get, but some loved to be handled, some like to be hugged - but only when the want to be hugged, and some like to be petted but will get upset if you handle them.

The advice about pushing roos off of hens if they're trying to mount them in front of you has worked for me. It let's them know I'm in charge, but it doesn't make them scared. And don't hit them, even lightly, for no reason. I read some advice about just slapping the roos around to show them whose boss, because they claimed chickens do that for no reason to show dominance. Well, after observing my chickens for four months, it became obvious that only one of my birds went after the other birds for no reason, and he's in my freezer now. It doesn't make the birds respect you, it makes them fear you, and that left a sick feeling in my stomach I didn't care for.

Basically, all the nuturing in the world will do nothing for a bad rooster, but it will make a good rooster a joy to have around.

 

[SmartyChick]

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I have heard this advice from alot people. Mind you this is just my observation. I have a rooster that was raised by a broody hen. I hardly EVER held him as a baby. I didn't know he was a boy at all, his brother/hatchmate I knew was a roo so I handled him from the beginning. The rooster I handled, turned mean at puberty and I don't have him any more. His brother on the other hand is a gentle and sweet boy, and will SOMETIMES let me cuddle him. My feeling is that roosters that are held alot as babies turn meaner because they have no boundaries. While nonhandled/broody raised roosters have more respect of humans. I have known plenty of people that handled their roos as chicks and then turn mean. But everyone has there own way of doing things, that is just mine.