- May 25, 2011
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I am making myself crazy. This is our first flock. We had twelve roosters, and have culled to the one who I thought is the most calm with me. We named him 'Friend'. Friend would come when I call him. He is very protective of the girls (8 hens different breeds, he is a RIR) One day while I was opening acorns to feed them, the tool I was usuing fell apart, and a large spring fell to the ground. I grabbed the hen who grabbed it in order to get it back. Afterward my "Friend" jumped up at me, toward my chest. I know this is a good thing, that he wanted to protect her, but I can't have him showing aggressive behaviour toward me. They are all only 6 months old, and so he does not have spurs as of yet.
So I read this article that said I should 'take charge', and not let him mate a hen in my presence, and knock him off her. Or to periodically 'let him know who's boss' by touching his tailfeathers when he doesn't expect it. All this is suppose to be rooster-speak for "I am the alpha male - not you". I've only done this two days, and I hate it, he hates it, and we're both acting psycho.
I don't want my friend to have to change his named to culled. I don't want him to hate me, but I don't want him to think I'm weak, and that he can attack me either.
Please help me on what I should do. Should I continue down this path of being alpha male, or go back to the way it's always been so that we can be friends again. By the way, he is now doing a lot more crowing and wing flapping since I've gone crazy on him.
Thank you for your time.
So I read this article that said I should 'take charge', and not let him mate a hen in my presence, and knock him off her. Or to periodically 'let him know who's boss' by touching his tailfeathers when he doesn't expect it. All this is suppose to be rooster-speak for "I am the alpha male - not you". I've only done this two days, and I hate it, he hates it, and we're both acting psycho.
I don't want my friend to have to change his named to culled. I don't want him to hate me, but I don't want him to think I'm weak, and that he can attack me either.
Please help me on what I should do. Should I continue down this path of being alpha male, or go back to the way it's always been so that we can be friends again. By the way, he is now doing a lot more crowing and wing flapping since I've gone crazy on him.
Thank you for your time.