socializing cockerels, to pet or not to pet?

[Hopeful Peacock]

I've heard two streams of thought on raising baby roos to be well-behaved with people as adults. What has your experience been?

opinion #1:
Pick them up several times a day just like pullets to tame them and make them as docile as possible when they are babies. Then, they will stay calm and docile as they grow older and the hormones kick in.

opinion #2:
Do not hold, cuddle, etc. baby males as you would females. If you do, you become part of their flock and they will try to dominate you as they get older. Better to care for them, but not handle them excessively so they just dominate their hens, not you.

What have you done? With success or no? Or is it just luck of the draw?

Thanks!

 

[pips&peeps]

Only handle them when needed. Do not make pets out of them.

 

[mother o' chicks72]

I would handle them, no reason they shouldn't be pets.

 

[Hopeful Peacock]

I appreciate the responses, and i'd ideally like to hear you add your experience too. Something like, "I've handled them and not handled them, with these results. . . " Otherwise, I don't know if it's just your guess?? and if you don't have expereince, your guess is no better than mine

 

[pips&peeps]

I've raised lots of roos and the ones I tried to make pets of (early on in my chicken career) ended up turning on me. I have only one bird that is mean, (he's one of the original lavenders that came out a few years back) all the rest get culled.

There is no reason to keep a mean roo.

 

[gritsar]

I don't handle them, after babying my first roo and having him turn on me. Now I have two adult roos (+ three cockerels), they've never been handled and they are real gentlemen.

 

[angelbabyamy]

I am wondering the same thing about a 4 week old roo I have now. He is an a**! He is huge compared to my others chicks. (FBCM) but he is so much better looking than the other two roos. He pecks me when I reach in and change food and water- I'm not talking curious pecking the fingers or rings. He bites and pulls- I had red marks yesterday.
I have a 3 year old silkie roo that lived in the house with some hens until they were about 8 weeks old. The hens are the tamest little things, but "Fluffy" the roo will flog you if you turn your back on him. When I walked past him the other day he was looking at me sideways so I whopped him in the butt with the empty egg carton. I try to show I'm the boss before he has a chance to attack.back
I had a Polish roo my father accidentally killed a few weeks ago. (The roo flogged him when he was opening the gate with his hands full of eggs, he hit him back and killed him) He would flog everyone also. He was another house chick. I held him constantly.
My idea with this Maran roo is to not baby him. Maybe they are "too" comfortable with people if you try to make pets out of them and they don't respect you. After yesterday, I started "pecking" the turd back and holding him down. I don't know if that will work, but I don't think loving on him is going to help this one. I have never seen chick so mean! You don't want to hear what his name is so far!

 

[noodleroo]

Ok. When I ordered pullets, the hatchery sent me 10 male peanuts. I didn't spend time taming the males. When we moved all the chickens except the 4 I intended to keep in the backyard, one of the roos kept excaping so DH left him there. He was really pretty (a SLW) so I decided to let him stay-we could always move him or eat him later.

The pullets were very tame; all in my lap competing for attention at once. The roo was standoffish at first, but then DECIDED to be tame and would jump up onto my shoulder while I was sitting in the chair and I started petting him, too. To make this story short, he never flogged me, however he did start flogging DH which, of course, was the end of him. So, I guess my advice would be to do what you want and if dominance becomes an issue, deal with it then. There are other ways besides having to dispatch your roo...

 

[Sjisty]

'Ya know, I think it's just really luck of the draw. I have roos. I always hold and pet all of my chickens. One roo (a serama) now won't let me near. Another (light brahma) floggs me whenever my back is turned. A third (dark brahma) is in my lap whenever I'm sitting down outside and follows me around like a puppy dog. They all got the same treatment and are all grown.

 

[Rooster61]

Growing up we(7 kids) had a roo that was raised in the house until 8 weeks old, and handled everyday by all of us and it was the sweetest roo I ever seen! When ever any of us were outside it would follow us where ever we went always wanting attention and when he was hungry he would come peck an crow at the screen door until he was brought a plate of peanuts and a bowl of milk.