Rooster Triggers

[centrarchid]

I have been using items of all colors without issue involving rooster aggression. Most are blue or hot pink, but some are white or black and a couple scoops are red.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's only been one day, but I was able to water my one without much incident (a pulley wandered into his pen and he grabbed her, so I had to seperate them so he didn't mount her). He didn't care about me as long as I didn't bring that jug in. Hoping it continues!

My younger male was polite when I moved him today. The sun was still up, but to that point where birds start to settle in, and I was able to just pluck him up, and carry him over to the coop house with his gals. Not more than a blink to show he might have cared about the handling. I'll just have to make sure I don't wait until it's pitch black to move everyone inside

 

[centrarchid]

It's only been one day, but I was able to water my one without much incident (a pulley wandered into his pen and he grabbed her, so I had to seperate them so he didn't mount her). He didn't care about me as long as I didn't bring that jug in. Hoping it continues!

My younger male was polite when I moved him today. The sun was still up, but to that point where birds start to settle in, and I was able to just pluck him up, and carry him over to the coop house with his gals. Not more than a blink to show he might have cared about the handling. I'll just have to make sure I don't wait until it's pitch black to move everyone inside

The actual interruption of mating attempts put you in a different light by the rooster. He may consider you to be a problem later.

 

[Acre4Me]

The boys are young still, just 4 and 5 months old (?), so they are just entering the teen hormone stage. Are there any older males or older hens around to teach them any manners?

We have had some aggressive males, and the worst occurred when they were all the same age, and no older chickens (male or female) to teach them how to behave. Of course, an aggressive male can happen in a multi-age flock bc that just the way he's wired.

We re-homed one male that was aggressive to the tween child. We later re-homed the next rooster (age 2 years) that had been aggressive to everyone BUT the tween child! We waited to rehome this 2yo one until the underling was a bit older and closer to 1 year old. While we were dealing with the aggressive rooster, we used @Sally PB method of "pecking" him on the head when he was aggressive or flaring his neck feathers. This worked. We have since gotten rid of him, and the year old underling was flock master for about a year. It is a huge improvement when a rooster is not aggressive to you. You realize life is too short to always deal with an aggressive male, and males that move out of your way do exist.

Good luck.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The actual interruption of mating attempts put you in a different light by the rooster. He may consider you to be a problem later.

That's a good point, dang, I hadn't thought about that when I grabbed him, I just didn't want him to hurt her.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The boys are young still, just 4 and 5 months old (?), so they are just entering the teen hormone stage. Are there any older males or older hens around to teach them any manners?

We have had some aggressive males, and the worst occurred when they were all the same age, and no older chickens (male or female) to teach them how to behave. Of course, an aggressive male can happen in a multi-age flock bc that just the way he's wired.

We re-homed one male that was aggressive to the tween child. We later re-homed the next rooster (age 2 years) that had been aggressive to everyone BUT the tween child! We waited to rehome this 2yo one until the underling was a bit older and closer to 1 year old. While we were dealing with the aggressive rooster, we used @Sally PB method of "pecking" him on the head when he was aggressive or flaring his neck feathers. This worked. We have since gotten rid of him, and the year old underling was flock master for about a year. It is a huge improvement when a rooster is not aggressive to you. You realize life is too short to always deal with an aggressive male, and males that move out of your way do exist.

Good luck.

My four month old is in the same flock as his father, but my 5 month old isn't. He's far bigger than any of my male's and I didn't want to risk him injuring them badly if he decided to change his ranking. He's in with a few older hens though that are about his size so he isn't all alone

 

[Sally PB]

When I look back on the times my cockerel has come after me, I think I was wearing either my orange Tigers T-shirt, or one of my tie-dye shirts. I put him in his place, but it is easy enough for me NOT to wear those shirts. The conflict riles up the girls too, even though they don't pass judgment on my sports affiliation or my fashion sense. It's football season now anyway. Time for a Steelers shirt.

He's a rather orange-ish Buff Orpintgon. Maybe I should put a mirror in the run to see how he reacts to his own reflection. Maybe I shouldn't?

Other than these episodes with me, he has been a good fit with the girls. No evidence of overmating, lots of tidbitting when I bring treats. The whole flock is the same age - six months - so hopefully things stay calm.