Hi, I bought very handsome white leghorn that hasn’t been handled. I would like to show him.does anyone know how to tame a very flighty 12 month old large (very large) leghorn Cockerel/Rooster. He’s not aggressive just scared. Would love to show him. If I can just get him to settle.
While I don’t over handle my roosters the leghorn I have I hatched and he has always been me around and never miss handled. He is still a scaredy-cat when I go near him. I am ok with it as he is not aggressive towards humans. Good luck but I would recommend trying to hand feed him.
Thanks guys. I have been attempting to hold him but he gets really nervous. I’ve always raised my own in the past and normally they’re over friendly. He’s really gentle with the hens too just wish he was less flighty.
Leghorn boys are naturally nervous, all roosters are to a certain extent they kind of have to be, but leghorns are just a tad bit more. Just don't move fast or be loud and let his interactions with you be soothing and pleasant and he will come to trust you as much as a rooster can.
I know this may sound silly, but my best advice would be to not handle him...yet. I have found that if you try and handle them and interact before they understand your intentions, they will continue to get scared. Start off with going up to him to give him food, then find a food that he really likes and hand feed him that and other scraps. Then he will understand your intentions and you can slowly start handling him. When you do start handling him, do it in short amounts and when you let him go, leave him be and give him food. This way you're taking away the thing that he's scared of (you) and giving him something he likes (food). He will also start to associate you handling him with getting food afterwards. This is how we tamed our two year old untamed golden pheasant.
I would first try to confine him to a smaller pen that has 3 side and top covered with a cover. Make so you approach with feed and water from open side. Restrict his feeding and spend idle time near him doing something like a reading a book where he is off to one side of you. When he calms down a bit, then offering him a small morsels to eat. My preference is to use live mealworms. Do not start offering eats until calms a little. Move very slowly and try not to look directly at him at first. This process may take a couple days to get him used to you. Once he calms enough to eat from your hand, then practice opening and closing door with a reward giving each time. You want him to greet you when door is opened. Then you get him to allow you to touch barely after you go through sequence of opening pen. I like to work up to point where bird allows me to push it around with hand. Then start reaching for him to pull him to you. It is about baby steps. A calm bird will impress judges and cause less damage to self making for better looks.