Reforming an aggressive rooster (project)

[LaurenRitz]

I wrote an article which I hoped would help people who were having rooster problems.

I read your article a few days ago and it gave me some good information. Thank you.

The video is good as well.

 

[centrarchid]

Here is yet another article to consider.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...hicken-directed-at-humans-man-fighting.75750/

 

[LaurenRitz]

Here is yet another article to consider.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...hicken-directed-at-humans-man-fighting.75750/

Thanks. The differences between the forms of aggression is very helpful. My rooster is definitely in the fightI ng for rank category, and my own inclination when attacked is to hit back harder. I'm fighting my own instincts as well as his. Right now I'm wearing three pairs of pants any time I go out there, but I still get bruises.

 

[JedJackson]

Has anyone really succeeded in reforming a human aggressive rooster? I've yet to see it. I agree that much has to do with genetics, and that is the exact reason why aggressive roosters belong in the stock pot rather than the breeding pen. If you breed from them there's a good chance their sons will be aggressive as well. To me it is unethical to keep a bird that presents a danger to other humans, especially children.

 

[centrarchid]

Has anyone really succeeded in reforming a human aggressive rooster? I've yet to see it. I agree that much has to do with genetics, and that is the exact reason why aggressive roosters belong in the stock pot rather than the breeding pen. If you breed from them there's a good chance their sons will be aggressive as well. To me it is unethical to keep a bird that presents a danger to other humans, especially children.

I have, and will say that in my setting it is not worth the effort because I have "depth" in available roosters. My focus is on preventing it from even starting which is pretty easy to do.

 

[Shadrach]

Has anyone really succeeded in reforming a human aggressive rooster? I've yet to see it. I agree that much has to do with genetics, and that is the exact reason why aggressive roosters belong in the stock pot rather than the breeding pen. If you breed from them there's a good chance their sons will be aggressive as well. To me it is unethical to keep a bird that presents a danger to other humans, especially children.

I have, 4 that I can think of at the moment. I think Dobie Lover here on BYC has, plus a few others who don't post on the subject any more.

 

[A Justice]

I agree that much has to do with genetics, and that is the exact reason why aggressive roosters belong in the stock pot rather than the breeding pen. If you breed from them there's a good chance their sons will be aggressive as well. To me it is unethical to keep a bird that presents a danger to other humans, especially children.

I think it's also counterproductive to the entire concept of domestication of animals. The whole point of domesticating something is to breed "domestic" traits into it, like not attacking humans. Breeding an aggressive rooster is, I think, a step backwards.

There was a study done, in Russia I think, on domesticating foxes over a long period of time. They basically only bred the friendly ones, and now they're all friendly, I think that showed genetics can play a large part in behavior.

 

[JedJackson]

I have, 4 that I can think of at the moment. I think Dobie Lover here on BYC has, plus a few others who don't post on the subject any more.

I'll take your word for it but I still think it would be a very rare occurrence. For me, it's not worth the risk of them reverting back to bad habits.

 

[JedJackson]

I think it's also counterproductive to the entire concept of domestication of animals. The whole point of domesticating something is to breed "domestic" traits into it, like not attacking humans. Breeding an aggressive rooster is, I think, a step backwards.

There was a study done, in Russia I think, on domesticating foxes over a long period of time. They basically only bred the friendly ones, and now they're all friendly, I think that showed genetics can play a large part in behavior.

I read an article about that in National Geographic years ago. Very interesting stuff. It did take them a long time to domesticate the foxes, and only a very few were friendly at first. I also remember that it said that certain traits were common to many domesticated species, such as spotted coats.

 

[Shadrach]

I'll take your word for it but I still think it would be a very rare occurrence. For me, it's not worth the risk of them reverting back to bad habits.

There is a difference between coming to an arrangement with an aggressive rooster and making him tame. I think a lot of people are interested in having a tame rooster and that takes time. There are also culture differences and experience differences. The ex cock fighting chicken keepers I knew in Spain dealt with human aggressive roosters a lot and most from what I saw managed to make the necessary changes. For many here on BYC a lack of confidence seems to be part of the problem. All creatures can gauge confidence levels in other creatures and humans are just another creature.