Rooster Question

[Crazy_Beautiful]

No I didn't handle that often but he was in the house for 7 weeks.
And I wouldn't say we give treats. It's more once and a while when we go in with the chickens we will take feed out of their feeders and sprinkle it around.
More so because we have a few babies in their with them to ensure they are getting some feed.

I need to go into their run a few times a day to refill the duck water and since he hit puberty its just not always as easy as it should be. Bending down for example to rinse the water pan out is a keep your eyes out for the rooster more than it is watching what I'm doing with the pan.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Breed and personality is much of a muchness really. If you don't know the range of variation in the parent stock, it's hard to predict the personality from chicks. You can have two individuals of the same breed and even same parents that turn out very different in personality.


Pecking can be aggressive but isn't always. It can also mean they want something, like food or attention. My guess is he was expecting snacks to be tossed in exchange for his antics.

Is he one of the house-raised ones? Did you handle those cockerels a lot? (EDIT: I mean like actually caring them around, petting them, etc. - not just being around them)

x2.

 

[Mrs. K]

What I am picking up is that you are sensing some aggression. I believe that there is a pre runner to aggression, and a lot of people don't believe it, and often times come up with excuses for it. Sometimes I get the sense that for some people they feel like some random chance got them this cockerel, and they are obligated to keep it.

Chickens just are not great forever friends. Their forever often times is not that long. Some birds just do not work out in a set up, might work out fine in a different one.

If you don't like him for any reason, let him go down the road, or into a stew pot, or under a rose bush. This feeling will ruin the hobby for you.

Why should you be expected to wait for a violent attack before you make the decision. I think he is warning you as loudly as he can, and you just need some confidence that this bird is not for you.

Mrs K

 

[Nashv755]

From what you've said I just don't get the feeling he's aggressive. Sounds like he's getting bullied by the others and wants to hang with you. You sound timid of your own birds. Don't take offense I'm just thinking outloud here. But I believe most aggressive roosters are tought to be aggressive unintentionally or not. I've noticed some people like myself and others on here never have a problem with roosters and others nearly every one they get becomes aggressive.

Like it or not they see you as the flock leader. That means you hold the highest position in the flock. Without people around the head rooster (flock leader) doesn't get flustered, try to avoid lower roosters or allow them to mount hens near him. If he shows that behavior the lower roosters see him as a weak flock leader and will challenge him for the top spot in the pecking order.

I simply give mine a light punt to knock them off a hen if they try when I'm around and if they are in my way between point A to B. I walk like I'm going to step on them if they don't move, make them move! Outside of that I treat mine like any other member of the flock. It's not being mean you're just speaking chicken and letting them know you're the boss and what you'll put up with. Mounting hens is the main way they test if the flock leader is a pushover or not.

It becomes a game to them to see if they can get away with it without getting in trouble. Fred my oldest roo only tries if I have company and thinks I'm distracted. Then he might try a few feet behind me. The rest of the time he leads the girls behind the car and comes skipping back a few seconds later if my roosters thought that I was such a danger they wouldn't still eat out of my hand or lay at my feet when I'm just sitting in the yard.