Rooster Red Flags?

[onyx2011]

Hello! I have over a year of experience with chickens, and nearly all of that I've had a cockerel/rooster in my flock. So I'm still a bit inexperienced. I recently adopted a 14? week old blue marans cockerel and am anxious that as sweet as he is now, he might develop poor tendencies.

My first cockerel was an accident and was sold to me as a RIR pullet, and I didn't spend extra time with him as we didn't know he was a boy until I realized that he had green coloration. (also our first time raising chickens!) Big Red was a massive boy, but he was rarely human aggressive. He only really attempted spurring if your back was turned for too long or if you handled a hen poorly to the point she made distress calls, which summoned him like a bat out of hell. Unfortunately he got sick in the winter and despite all my best efforts, he just got worse, and i decided to euthanize him and spare him further agony.

Second rooster was a booted bantam my aunt gave to me and his time on our farm was limited. He was 2 or 3 years old and would chase people across the yard and made me frightened to even fill up their water dishes. So i helped him cross the rainbow bridge...

Then, while I was buying new chicks, my breeder handed me this blue marans cockerel and my soul just melted with all his chirping! His name is Earl Gray, and although he doesn't crave cuddling, he relaxes in your lap and will just chill. He even goes limp, splaying out his legs as if he were dust bathing! He also casually perches on arms and shoulders and will just chill for a bit. While I was petting him yesterday, I noticed some big dark feathers coming in that haven't quite popped out yet. I'm excited to watch him go through this metamorphosis, but I'm anxious that the testosterone will make him a demon. I suppose it doesn't help that he's the first cockerel I'm aware of, so it feels like I can mold him further than my previous boys. Any recommendations to keep Earl Gray a snuggly companion that doesn't mind my presence, especially when he becomes conscious of his harem?

 

[tripletfeb]

Keep him off your shoulders and below eye level. Birds that are the dominate ones get the highest roosting places. You don't want him to think he is dominate over you because he can look down at you.

 

[Chickassan]

Nice or a jerk not much you can control either way that iv'e seen. Like any other sentient creature he is what he is. Just be a good keeper and watch his personality unfold as he matures "which may take years". But don't worry about things you absolutely can't do anything about.

 

[50-45-1]

I never try to hold or coddle my roosters.
I do not have any problems with the roosters i keep because they fear me.
I only touch them if they need treatment for an injury or spurs clipped and i do this after dark.
Once they loose there fear of you, the trouble starts.

 

[Chickassan]

I'm on the other side of the spectrum. I handle everyone I figure if they're mean when i'm not a threat i'd hate to see them if they think I am. I still don't dodge or sidestep anyone i'm the keeper so I never will. No fear out there but the boys have to accept i'm around and not going anywhere. If they can't then those don't stay. The thing is OP neither way is wrong or right. You have to figure out what works for your flock and build on that.

I never try to hold or coddle my roosters.
I do not have any problems with the roosters i keep because they fear me.
I only touch them if they need treatment for an injury or spurs clipped and i do this after dark.
Once they loose there fear of you, the trouble starts.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I'm with the buddy buddy crowd when it comes to roosters..... I think it's best if they DON'T see you as a threat, therefor allows you to go about your business without any fear of you hurting him, his hens, or taking over his flock. I suppose instilling fear in them might work too, but knowing one day he might snap and had enough of your bullying is not a good thought to always have in the back of your mind.

 

[onyx2011]

I raise my birds free range, so it's important to me that they like me and will come when i call them! I try and spend an hour with all my birds every day so their small brains eventually realize im a friend!

New development for Earl: he's still making mostly baby noises, but he's growing like a weed! I only have 1 hen right now due to a predator attack, and Oreo hates Earl with a passion. (Dont worry, raising 4 9 week old pullets right now!) Thankfully the run is overgrown with plants so he's able to hide. However, he has a favorite place to run... His human mother!

As cute as it is, Ive gotten hit in the face 3 times this week due to him realizing that Oreo wont climb me. Cant wait for him to stand up to Oreo so I won't be a casualty to chicken politics!!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Every rooster has a certian amount of game chicken blood in them.

Game chickens are bred not to back down or runaway from confrontation. By using intimidation on a rooster you are almost guaranteeing that sooner or later he will turn on you. This is most likely to occur in the months of March, April, and May in the Northern hemisphere, which is the fat part of the chicken breeding season, for like both sexes.

 

[MissChick@dee]

There is a lot I could say about me and Rooster ‘s the one piece of advice I’ll give you...I learned the hard way. DONT cuddle him (trust me). As much as he is adorable and cuddly now (young Roos are more than pullets). It creates and power struggle in his mind once the harmones begin. So if you want a decent adult Rooster keep your hands off it just messes up their pyschie’ and god knows when they develop the fight or mate mentality you don’t want a part of either.

 

[centrarchid]

I do not "cuddle" roosters, but I do handle them frequently. I have about half a dozen that are outright pets with names and everything. Those roosters are used for public display where they must be trustworthy with any and all members of the public that want to approach them. The roosters are trained to come when called and to fly up into hand for treats. Cuddling as often described has a lot in common with a form of restraint used to punish chickens. My handling usually has the chickens perching on me or me touching them on the flank with the back of my hand. No touching from above. I also avoid stressing hens and offspring a rooster has attachment to.

A real biggy is to not reward a chicken immediately with food when a chicken rushes you carrying a feed container. With some chickens, roosters in particular, that can morph into aggression later as the bird figures out harassing you gets food coming it's way.