Rooster aggression...Can you nip it in the bud before adulthood?

You have to become the 'alpha rooster'. When you go out with treats, let the hens have it first-keeping the roo back. (you'll be the 'provider')
If he comes at you, raise your 'wings' and don't back down. If he tries to peck or flog you, give him a swat. You have to be consistent with all of this and it still may not work. I do all of the above and my roo respects me. However, he will not let my sons or DH near the girls without a fight....it's game on with them.
Good luck!

 

I've heard the hanging trick

I've also heard the love them to death trick...just hold them and kiss them and don't let him go until it's on your terms

I don't let my roo crow from above me....as a matter of fact he's not allowed perched on anything around me.

When I give treats...I do a "chick chick chick"---it's not all that different than when he finds something to eat and calls over the hens to give it to them....

Basically, you have to assert yourself as the ALPHA.

NOw. that being said....I've also heard that polishes can be a handful, especially bantams and especially if they're the only roo.

Then again, I know someone who has a single bantam polish with the nicest composition and he's never given her grief.

Sandra

 

I have 23 11 week old pullets. When my baby roo died I went out and bought a year old roo for flock protection. He was used to being the man in charge. I'm still breaking him of that. I kill him with kindness. Give him treats and touch him as much as I can. He's pretty tame now but I still don't want him to lose his "wild side" because he is here as a flock protector. I don't want him going soft on me.

 

You have to establish yourself as the dominant being.

Never, ever back away from him, at the first sign of aggression catch him and hang him upside down by the legs. He'll flap his wings and carry on for a few seconds then calm down and just hang there, he's showing you submission and in about a minute of this you can let him go.

Be consistant, do it absolutely everytime he gets "cocky" with you, and you will rule the roost.

This will in no way effect his instincts as a protector of the hens, he is still the dominant one when you're not there.

 

I have found that many roosters mellow with age. Maybe they realize that you are not competing with them or threatening the girls. I have some polish Tolbunts that are very mello, but in the past I had a wcblack cockerel that got mellowed out with an ax. He went spurs first at my niece and that isnt tolerated.

Generally I just ignore the roosters entirely and go about my business. If they flog me once or twice, I'll kick them off my leg and let them decide whether we are gonna play "who's bigger". If they dont learn really quickly, then I figure they will always be a problem and they get locked up or lopped off.

chel