Roosters: The Good The Bad & The Ugly

[imtrying]

i have the following breeds and have never had an aggressive rooster. that said, the closest to aggressive i've had were both silkies. I would define them as just mean little jerks, not aggressive. not my favorite breed.

marans
araucana
favorelle
Plymouth Rock
Welsummer
Silkie

 

[math ace]

Perhaps I missed it, but I did not read any tips on handling roos, so I thought I would add my $.02 worth.

Never kick or hit a rooster. Even trying to hold then off or brush them away with your foot will be taken as a threat and they will defend themselves and their flock. Once they perceive you as a threat, you probably will never change their attitude. Handling them often as they are growing up may keep them from getting aggressive. If not, as soon as they start to challenge you, you have to establish your dominance. When they challenge you, pick them up by their legs and hold them upside down in front of the entire flock (embarrassment city for a roo!) until he puts his head down and gives in. Not long - 20-30 seconds should do it; if not gently take his head and pull it down to make him give in. Then, turn him upright and backwards to you, put his head under your armpit (sticking out the back just enough to breathe) and carry him around like that for awhile. I find it helpful to have a conversation with him at this point that my crockpot is dying to meet him if his attitude doesn't improve. After awhile just put him down gently. He should just walk or run away in shame.

If you catch them early enough, many roos will then respect that you are not there to harm them and you are higher in the pecking order and charging you is not a good idea. Most of my roos have caught on after one attitude adjustment session. Some took two. The most stubborn may take three, Those that didn't get it after three sessions were banished to freezer camp. I don't put up with mean roosters.

How do y'all handle them?

Preach IT !

I handle mine very similiar and feel the same way... If you treat a cockerel aggressive then you are just acting like another rooster. This is bad ... A rooster never, I repeat, NEVER gives up. They are nasty, VERY NASTY, sneaking back attackers. You do NOT want to be another rooster in their eyes... That means... no kicking, no hitting, no broom sticks, no fast moving or jerky movements. The last item is where children can counter act all your hard work. Children do not understand that when they wave their hands in the air, the bird thinks it is a giant flying predator. Same thing with running and jerky movements, they are counter productive to a trusting environment. Once a rooster learns to distrust you, there is no fixing it.

I also believe in a few attempts at fixing a bad attitude and then off to a crock pot. I have only had one rooster that I could not gentle. I named it Soup Pot as soon as we realize that the bird was not going to be nice....As soon as it got big enough... that is where it went ... the Soup Pot.

Gentling should be done young and frequently. I start handling my cockerels a lot around 15 weeks of age. I concentrate on them coming to me for treats. They need to know I control the good stuff. Then I work on picking them up for a couple of minutes, rubbing them, and putting them down. They need to know that they are safe with me. I speak to my cockerels a lot more than my hens. If I train my roo correctly, he will do all the work for me. If I train him to come when I call... then he will call his ladies. If I train him to follow me.... then he will get his ladies to follow him. I work with the cockerel because he will make my work less as he matures.

Sooner or later, the yound stud muffins are going to try to claim their territory. They are going to try to stop you from getting in their space. It is important to THINK before you react. Instinctly, you want to smack or strike back. This is wrong and will turn a good bird into a mean rooster. Instead, at the first sign of him inserting himself, pick him up, rub his wattles and comb, rub his hackles, talk to him... When he has settled down, release him gently on the ground. I hold mine a few inches above the ground and teach them the word WAIT... They have to stop struggling, stop moving, before I release them all the way. Be Calm...Be Patient.... Continue doing this every day for a week or two. The cockerel will learn.

By doing this routine, BEFORE trouble really hits, you may be able to avoid it all together. This builds trust between you and the cockerel. This teaches him that you won't hurt him. That touching and picking him up is not a bad thing. If he hits the teenage stage and becomes a jerk you may need to pick him up and hold him longer. I've used several techiniques for the longer hold times. I pick him up and stick him under my shirt with his head sticking out my neck hole. This is kind of like a snuggle for a baby. Of course, I would not do this if he was nasty dirty... I've used a publix reusable fabric bag to put the cockerels in before and carry them around for a while too. The whole idea is to put the bird in something so that it can not flap and struggle. When I use the bag, I've put the bird in it and then put my neck through the handles... I know it looks weird, but it works for me. What ever you use. the idea is to carry the bird around long enough for it to realize you are not going to harm it AND it can not harm you. I have 6 pens of birds that need water and food every day. Yep, naughty bird gets to go with me for the whole 20 to 40 minute experience.

I would say KYtinpusher and I attend the same school of thought when it comes to making gentlemen out of our cockerels. Breed does make a difference. Some boys are just more trusting at an earlier age

Other breeds, like my buff leghorns, are afraid of every thing.

 

[Rebel Soldier]

I can assure you that if you handled gamecocks this way YOU would be the one upside down and embarrassed! I have seen these 5 lb warriors put men to flight when they are mishandled. If you have this big of a problem, then the problem is with you and not the rooster. Get you some tie cords from Randall Burkey and stake him out on good grass and sit down and spend some time with him. GET TO KNOW THEM.They each have different personalities and quirks and you need to know what they are. Just because what you are doing is working, doesnt mean there isnt a better way. I train horses, dogs, and have raised gamecocks for 40 years, and what I have learned has been mostly by doing it wrong to start with. Next time I get a TRUE man-fighter{ I only have had a handful out of thousands of cocks], I will send him to yall and let me know how the upside down thing works out. This method is the same train of thought that people use to "BREAK"a horse by tying three of its legs up and throwing it to the ground and sitting on it to show it who the boss is. YOU CAN ACHEIVE OBEDIENCE THROUGH FEAR, My dad did! But what happens when the object is no longer afraid? Trust is EARNED! take time to earn it.. It will last a lifetime.

 

[ChicknBaron]

I think that I'll just try to build trust with them and spend bonding time with them next time instead of the more aggressive/dominant approach, and only use that as last resort... last time (my first time ever raising a roo) i didnt know any thing about how to treat/raise them but i've learned alot since and I'm going to raise them right next time

 

[math ace]

I can assure you that if you handled gamecocks this way YOU would be the one upside down and embarrassed! I have seen these 5 lb warriors put men to flight when they are mishandled. If you have this big of a problem, then the problem is with you and not the rooster. Get you some tie cords from Randall Burkey and stake him out on good grass and sit down and spend some time with him. GET TO KNOW THEM.They each have different personalities and quirks and you need to know what they are. Just because what you are doing is working, doesnt mean there isnt a better way. I train horses, dogs, and have raised gamecocks for 40 years, and what I have learned has been mostly by doing it wrong to start with. Next time I get a TRUE man-fighter{ I only have had a handful out of thousands of cocks], I will send him to yall and let me know how the upside down thing works out. This method is the same train of thought that people use to "BREAK"a horse by tying three of its legs up and throwing it to the ground and sitting on it to show it who the boss is. YOU CAN ACHEIVE OBEDIENCE THROUGH FEAR, My dad did! But what happens when the object is no longer afraid? Trust is EARNED! take time to earn it.. It will last a lifetime.

I KNOW I was preaching "Building TRUST" not fear and I am pretty sure KYtinpusher was too. I don't think either one of us was insinuating that we have a problem. I believe my whole text was about getting to know them and them getting to know me. Perhaps, you should re-read our posts. ..... I believe you will find that KYtinpusher and I were both preaching against using physical aggressive techniques for gentling cockerels.

For the record, I KNOW the personalities of ALL my roosters and trust each one of them. I turn my back to them everyday without a concern. They happily come running when I call. I NEVER use anything to restrain my roosters. They trust me enough to allow me to walk up to them and pick them up. A rooster that Feared me would not allow me to do that....

 

[math ace]

I think that I'll just try to build trust with them and spend bonding time with them next time instead of the more aggressive/dominant approach, and only use that as last resort... last time (my first time ever raising a roo) i didnt know any thing about how to treat/raise them but i've learned alot since and I'm going to raise them right next time

I've raised many MANY roosters using the gentle approach. I've never regretted. My roosters do not charge me. They calmly follow me around the property. Right now, I have three roosters that are over two years old. I have three young boys that are 1 to 1.5 years old. Plus, I am working with the 5 remaining cockerels from the 20 week old hatch.

I have friends that are old school. They believe in the kicking and physical techiniques. They believe in showing the rooster who is boss..... I've put ONE rooster in the soup pot for meaness. They have put MANY in the soup pot for meaness. They had a super hard time believing all the sweet talking and holding that I was doing with the cockerels. They thought I was just asking for trouble AND wasting my time PLUS spoiling my birds. No matter what they thought, they now acknowledged that I have less trouble getting my birds to do what I want them to do. They won't let their birds roam because they can't get them to come back... I just step out the door and start calling for which ever rooster is in charge... and he comes and the ladies follow... EASY PEASY...

 

[ChicknBaron]

Yah, i think the people that have chickens as livestock tend to use the "meaner" style while the ones who have them as pet's like to do the more "nice" way... (mine are pets)

 

[Rebel Soldier]

My apologies if I offended anyone, and yes the gentler approach is better, whether your raising animals or children. It is also more time consuming, and therefore in our rushed society, seldom practiced. I have to tether my cocks on 12 ' tie cords because they will kill each other if they can get to one another. The tie cord is a excellent method to gentle cocks, as it gives them a wide area to call their own without being confined to a pen. Instead of reaching down to get the bird {remember hawks attack from above, thats why you NEVER use a net} you can simply sit on the cord until the bird stops trying to get away. take a apple or some other treat and pitch it at his feet while you talk quietly to him. It is important to be calm at all times, and to move slowly. He will soon associate your prescence with good things. Now you have began to earn his trust. Build up to where you can pick him up, always from underneath. I run my hand between their legs from behind.and gently pick him up. When holding him, keep one side of his body against your upper stomach, your right hand between the legs with his breast resting on your wrist.Rest your left hand gently on his left wing. You can safely walk with him now without him thinking he is falling. I have tamed thousands of gamecocks this way for 40yrs. I always use the same call to call them, when they are young running on the yard, so they are use to my voice and associate it with food. It is amazing to watch 400+chickens come flying out of woods and bushes where it looked like there were 20 or 25! I never grow tired of it. Just remember, trust is earned. whether your talking about relationships with people or animals. I personally like animals better. Never had one of them lie to me.

 

[ChicknBaron]

WOW! 400 chickens!

 

[heath_elisha]

We have welsummer mix rooster who is a gentleman all the way. He has never shown any aggression at all to me, my young children, husband or even strangers that come over. We are so proud of him...... really a gentle bird. Even when injured, he was so incredibly gentle. His trust is amazing..... and we really never tried to make him that way. It just came natural. We never threatened him ever, never had to kick or anything. We have raised several young cockerels from him and all have never shown any aggression- although one seemed like he would some day lol He left before we found out

Also, we have raised a couple marans roosters and they seem to be very skiddish. Raising them since hatch didn't make much of a difference.... I have a 17 week old marans that will barely eat out of my hands- when all the other birds do. Then I have a 7 week old marans and he is just as skiddish. I think in every breed there is a chance for aggression or even more anxiety of people, which can lead to aggression- out of fear. Treats have seemed to be effective with all my birds. They see me and they know something good is coming, whether it is free ranging time or food scraps