Super sweet rooster suddenly aggressive?

[Leatherworker]

This article is a good one too!


https://bitchinchickens.com/2022/04/28/understanding-responding-to-rooster-behaviour/

I like this paragraph in particular—
Quote:
“The most problematic period of hormone overdrive is likely puberty which occurs for young cockerels from 3-4 months up to about a year of age. This period also coincides with when most first report that their ‘sweet’ boy has become ‘mean’. This, however, is an erroneous interpretation of what is happening. When hormones enter the picture, that baby bird who was only concerned with exploring and playing suddenly realizes he has a very important job to do. He is destined to be a protector, but he doesn’t know yet what he is supposed to protect against. What follows is often a series of bad guesses, some understandable, some downright laughable. I once watched one of our young boys let out a predator screech at a butterfly as it flew past. It’s not uncommon for that same confusion to come out in ways that are inconvenient, and sometimes downright painful, for the keeper.”

Good article, thank you. My situation was perhaps easier for my rooster to have a good relationship with me as I had my 11 hens from chicks and am close to them. I got him out of about 15 other cockerels that were advertised near me. He was in a small space with the others and as I always do before bringing an animal home, I sit and observe them for awhile. I brought some meal worms with me and watched as I fed some. He was not one of the more aggressive of the group. He stood back and watched. He seemed to be considering things. This group were not handled at all and the only food they had was the grass that was rotated and some occasional scratch. They were being sold mostly for food I believe. So when I got him home, he was frightened and I kept him away from the girls as they wanted to attack him. The look but not touch fence. He is about a month younger then they are. So I had time to work with him and get him to trust me enough to eat from my hand. He wanted so much to go out with the girls. I gradually let one hen with him, then another, etc. He is young and has those hormone moments, but he's a real good boy.

One of the hens got attacked and we think it was a hawk as now they are afraid when they hear the crows and run in. I wish I could have seen what happened, hoping he did his job and that's why she's alive. He is very watchful and wants the girls together. They sit in my lap, which he did not like at first, but now when they gather around me, he does as well. I can call him and he brings them all with him. If they see me, and he's in the lead, they come running to me. I have spent a lot of time with them. Even though he's young and has moments in the morning where he is very determined to find his outlet, I think he will become a real good rooster. I think mutual respect goes a long way. When I understood what his job was in relationship to mine, things went smoothly. It doesn't mean I can't have my relationship with my girls, it just means I have to back up a bit and realize he's the boss out there, where I can't be every moment to protect them. When he does something I question, I have to figure it out as to what or why. Because he's not mean at all.

 

[jBabychickn]

Good article, thank you. My situation was perhaps easier for my rooster to have a good relationship with me as I had my 11 hens from chicks and am close to them. I got him out of about 15 other cockerels that were advertised near me. He was in a small space with the others and as I always do before bringing an animal home, I sit and observe them for awhile. I brought some meal worms with me and watched as I fed some. He was not one of the more aggressive of the group. He stood back and watched. He seemed to be considering things. This group were not handled at all and the only food they had was the grass that was rotated and some occasional scratch. They were being sold mostly for food I believe. So when I got him home, he was frightened and I kept him away from the girls as they wanted to attack him. The look but not touch fence. He is about a month younger then they are. So I had time to work with him and get him to trust me enough to eat from my hand. He wanted so much to go out with the girls. I gradually let one hen with him, then another, etc. He is young and has those hormone moments, but he's a real good boy.

One of the hens got attacked and we think it was a hawk as now they are afraid when they hear the crows and run in. I wish I could have seen what happened, hoping he did his job and that's why she's alive. He is very watchful and wants the girls together. They sit in my lap, which he did not like at first, but now when they gather around me, he does as well. I can call him and he brings them all with him. If they see me, and he's in the lead, they come running to me. I have spent a lot of time with them. Even though he's young and has moments in the morning where he is very determined to find his outlet, I think he will become a real good rooster. I think mutual respect goes a long way. When I understood what his job was in relationship to mine, things went smoothly. It doesn't mean I can't have my relationship with my girls, it just means I have to back up a bit and realize he's the boss out there, where I can't be every moment to protect them. When he does something I question, I have to figure it out as to what or why. Because he's not mean at all.

Exactly! You have to let him have his domain; he needs to want to protect his flock and he can only do that if he feels like they are with him. I look at the relationship as I’m just one of his really bossy hens, one that always gets her way… LOL!

 

[Mrs. K]

Take all advice with a grain of salt, no two birds are exactly the same, and there is not a set of directions, 'if you do this, or don't do that, you will have a perfect rooster'.

And do know, how roosters acted last week or who they were raised with, or how they were raised have limited effect on how they will act tomorrow or next week. I do think a multi-generational flock helps, and a great deal of space helps. But some have been know to charge clear across a large opening to get someone.

As with any adult intact male - beware.
Mrs K

 

[RememberTheWay]

Take all advice with a grain of salt, no two birds are exactly the same, and there is not a set of directions, 'if you do this, or don't do that, you will have a perfect rooster'.

And do know, how roosters acted last week or who they were raised with, or how they were raised have limited effect on how they will act tomorrow or next week. I do think a multi-generational flock helps, and a great deal of space helps. But some have been know to charge clear across a large opening to get someone.

As with any adult intact male - beware.
Mrs K

Best advice. From my observations. Once I began keeping my flock as a multi generational flock and leaving the roosters to to be raised by the flock, I have no problems. I had one small rooster that broke his leg and had to separated before maturity. I ended up putting a hen in with him so he wouldn't be alone. The isolation from the different age roosters proved to be detrimental and he began attacking me and other roosters. I now keep everyone together. I have a huge open run and they free range a lot. What I have observed is that because there are lots of places to get out of view of one another they have divided into mini flocks withing the group. They have squirmishes every now and then but nothing serious and they all are friendly and respectful of me. I have observed that they also pair off in twos normally. One dominant rooster and a right hand man. the hens seem to pick their rooster. I did not have this hierarchy when they were in a smaller area. They would fight.

I am thoroughly convinced that keeping them from chicks within a flock made up of more then one rooster gives them a more natural up bringing where they are taught manners and respect by the other birds of all ages as well as lots of space is key to being able to keep everyone happy. When I have gotten flocks of hens with a single rooster that was raised as the one and only rooster it causes problems. This is all just my own observations and I'm no expert by any means so take it with a grain of salt. I keep a multi gen flock and have been raising chickens holistically with natural medicine for four years.