Raising a rooster

[Shadrach]

What do you mean about "indoor roosters"? Who would have a rooster without hens?

There are quite a few here with 'pet' roosters.

 

[JedJackson]

What do you mean about "indoor roosters"? Who would have a rooster without hens?

Quite a few people do. Often they are Silkies or Cochin bantams.

 

[JedJackson]

There have always been hens around here. The problem is in most cases the hens have a senior rooster. While the cockerels are say under six months old the senior hens will just bash the cockerel if it tries it on. As the cockerels get more mature the senior rooster protects his favorites and any 'spare' become fair game for the maturing cockerel. The senior rooster will only intervene if he is regularly mating the hen the cockerel may jump on. In the second six months or so the cockerel learns he has to 'persuade' the hen to follow him and take the food he offers. He learns fast that while he may be able to force them to mate, he can't force them to follow him and become 'his' hens.
Meanwhile, with the cockerels here, those who I have had minimal involvement with become group satellite roosters given the senior rooster doesn't drive them out or kill them until new hens become available. Those I have looked after while young (Orphans with no living relatives more often than not) tend to see me as their mum/whatever.

That's all normal behavior for free ranging chickens, except maybe the cockerels seeing you as Mama

 

[nchls school]

In the house; as pets. Many people have chickens as pets. I have a serama cockerel on my knee as I type this.

I handle many of my roos. Aggressive roos I get rid of. Most of what I have do not get aggressive and remain easy to handle.

 

[Ptera]

What do you mean about "indoor roosters"? Who would have a rooster without hens?

ME! I have two indoor roosters and no other chickens. They're both pets, get along like best buddies, and are complete "lap chickens."

 

[Shadrach]

That's all normal behavior for free ranging chickens, except maybe the cockerels seeing you as Mama

It doesn't happen often.
I've had a few over the years that have lost their mothers and siblings to predators before they grew up and I take care of them until they can manage on their own.
I've always manged to integrate them into a flock at some point.
I imagine those who keep roosters as pets would have similar problems.

 

[Biddybot]

I tame and handle all my cockerals/roosters and always have. In fact, if I can't wander out and up to one of my roosters wherever he is and whenever, and not be able to pick him up and instantly have him go limp and compliant, then he's not a keeper and he CERTAINLY hasn't got the disposition that I want being bred on through my hens! There have been some good threads being posted recently about how to tame chickens in general for show handling and showmanship. Those are probably the best ones to check out for advice on how to get along with your own young cockerel...

I confess I've been a little baffled by how much trouble so many people are having with their roosters--handling your rooster should IMPROVE your relationship and make him more docile towards people in general, not make him potentially more aggressive because he's lost his fear of you or some nonsense like that!--but I think I'm starting to get it. There IS a difference between babying and just messing with a cockerel and treating it like a feathered kitty or something versus actually TRAINING one to allow himself to be handled at YOUR convenience and the bird learning to enjoy it. That's why I'm going to recommend you look into incorporating show handling lessons as part of raising a good rooster if you want a relationship with your bird, even if you haven't the slightest intent of actually showing him. It just conveys the sort of attitude I feel one should have towards cockerals in general if you want to be successful in getting along with them better than just advising you pick them up and carry them around and so forth. Lastly, I'm going to post a link to this short video about what I think is a very nicely handled backyard rooster who's got a good thing going with his handler and vice versa--and no, I don't know the person pictured, I just stumbled across this video and like it. Note how easy to manage this particular rooster is and the benefits of him being so tame when it comes to such things as clipping his spurs! I also like how respectful his owner is towards his pet...this one's likely not into hugging, but he clearly does like gentle petting. Anyway, there's no reason anyone can't tame any decent cockerel to be like this. All you need is patience and kind persistence, really...

 

[Ptera]

I'm surprised at some of these posts. I've had chickens (as pets only) for 35 years, and my experience has been that roosters usually make more snuggly pets than the hens. But it's important to pick a docile breed and work with them from day old chicks to get them this way. I've never had one become aggressive in later life, but you have to interact with them almost daily. I've had some flighty breeds (like leghorns) that never liked to be held, but none have been aggressive. I've posted before on how to train them if they start to get uppity. I've also kept mixed flocks (30+) of multiple hens & roosters and everyone gets along. Again, these are pets that have been raised from day old to be pets. I've introduced ducks & turkeys into the flock with no problems. BTW--turkeys also make great snuggly lap birds! It's funny and awkward when they get to be 20 lbs. and still want to sleep on your lap. Currently I only have 2 roos, and they are exclusively indoors. They are mixed breed longtails (like Phoenix) so are a normally docile breed.

 

[Shadrach]

I tame and handle all my cockerals/roosters and always have. In fact, if I can't wander out and up to one of my roosters wherever he is and whenever, and not be able to pick him up and instantly have him go limp and compliant, then he's not a keeper and he CERTAINLY hasn't got the disposition that I want being bred on through my hens! There have been some good threads being posted recently about how to tame chickens in general for show handling and showmanship. Those are probably the best ones to check out for advice on how to get along with your own young cockerel...

I confess I've been a little baffled by how much trouble so many people are having with their roosters--handling your rooster should IMPROVE your relationship and make him more docile towards people in general, not make him potentially more aggressive because he's lost his fear of you or some nonsense like that!--but I think I'm starting to get it. There IS a difference between babying and just messing with a cockerel and treating it like a feathered kitty or something versus actually TRAINING one to allow himself to be handled at YOUR convenience and the bird learning to enjoy it. That's why I'm going to recommend you look into incorporating show handling lessons as part of raising a good rooster if you want a relationship with your bird, even if you haven't the slightest intent of actually showing him. It just conveys the sort of attitude I feel one should have towards cockerals in general if you want to be successful in getting along with them better than just advising you pick them up and carry them around and so forth. Lastly, I'm going to post a link to this short video about what I think is a very nicely handled backyard rooster who's got a good thing going with his handler and vice versa--and no, I don't know the person pictured, I just stumbled across this video and like it. Note how easy to manage this particular rooster is and the benefits of him being so tame when it comes to such things as clipping his spurs! I also like how respectful his owner is towards his pet...this one's likely not into hugging, but he clearly does like gentle petting. Anyway, there's no reason anyone can't tame any decent cockerel to be like this. All you need is patience and kind persistence, really...

Good post. I don't agree with it all but a good post none the less.

 

[JedJackson]

I tame and handle all my cockerals/roosters and always have. In fact, if I can't wander out and up to one of my roosters wherever he is and whenever, and not be able to pick him up and instantly have him go limp and compliant, then he's not a keeper and he CERTAINLY hasn't got the disposition that I want being bred on through my hens! There have been some good threads being posted recently about how to tame chickens in general for show handling and showmanship. Those are probably the best ones to check out for advice on how to get along with your own young cockerel...

I confess I've been a little baffled by how much trouble so many people are having with their roosters--handling your rooster should IMPROVE your relationship and make him more docile towards people in general, not make him potentially more aggressive because he's lost his fear of you or some nonsense like that!--but I think I'm starting to get it. There IS a difference between babying and just messing with a cockerel and treating it like a feathered kitty or something versus actually TRAINING one to allow himself to be handled at YOUR convenience and the bird learning to enjoy it. That's why I'm going to recommend you look into incorporating show handling lessons as part of raising a good rooster if you want a relationship with your bird, even if you haven't the slightest intent of actually showing him. It just conveys the sort of attitude I feel one should have towards cockerals in general if you want to be successful in getting along with them better than just advising you pick them up and carry them around and so forth. Lastly, I'm going to post a link to this short video about what I think is a very nicely handled backyard rooster who's got a good thing going with his handler and vice versa--and no, I don't know the person pictured, I just stumbled across this video and like it. Note how easy to manage this particular rooster is and the benefits of him being so tame when it comes to such things as clipping his spurs! I also like how respectful his owner is towards his pet...this one's likely not into hugging, but he clearly does like gentle petting. Anyway, there's no reason anyone can't tame any decent cockerel to be like this. All you need is patience and kind persistence, really...

Showbirds are a whole different ballgame. For one thing, they've been raised and trained that way from early on, and often part of the criteria in choosing a showbird is a calm disposition. But even so, it is no guarantee that a show rooster won't turn on and attack an owner when it is in its own environment and it feels its dominance is being threatened. It happens all the time. It has happened to me. And judging by the number of posts seen on here of tamed roosters attacking their owners, I'd say it is a very real problem.

I guess it all boils down to what you want, in the end. I definitely do not want most of my cockerels acting like pets and going limp if I touch them. They need to be tough and ready to deal with constant competition and the threat of predators. So not taming them makes sense for me as a way to avoid aggression. But if the original poster wants her cockerel to become a tame pet, then yes, with a lot of time and training it is possible. But it is still no more of a guarantee than any other way of dealing with cockerels that this bird won't turn aggressive. There really are no guarantees, only things to avoid to make aggression less likely to appear.