Teenage Roo Behavior

[deviflux]

First time roo owner and wondering exactly what I’m dealing with and what the best resolution might be.

I’ve got a buff Brahma roo, approaching 1 year old. This is his first spring hormone period and on the last week his behavior has definitely changed.

In the afternoon when I’m walking to the coop to put out some food and lock them up, he comes running up behind me and attacks. This started first as a little surprise peck on the back of my leg and is now flogging/spurring. No aggression in the coop or while I’m actually doling out the food. In fact he steers very clear of me when I am inside with him and walking around outside. It seems more like he’s overexcited and doesn’t know how else to deal with it. It’s only ever that first sneak attack and if I turn and catch him early, he nearly falls over himself trying to stop the attack and run away.

I’ve been responding as I always have with him. Face him, make myself big, tell him no, move towards him and claim my space until he moves away. Other than these instances, he gives me my space and seems to realize I’m the boss.

Is this just typical teen hormones and testing his boundaries? Is there anything else I should be doing to assert my dominance? I kept him as protection for my free range girls, but I worry that he will start having these kind of interactions with guests/delivery drivers etc. and I can’t risk that.

I read this post and am wondering if too much emphasis is being put on treats/food and I should start putting out food when they aren’t looking and not calling them. Letting him lead them to the coop more naturally without me interjecting…at least for a bit? https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

Picture of my handsome but way too stimulated, moody Rudy.

 

[CoopBoots]

He is very handsome.

I'm still learning too, so don't take me as gospel. But I haven't had any luck changing my dynamic with any particular cockerel or roo once it is established at sexual maturity. Fearful boys want to knife you in the back and see if they can take you after that first successful attack, overly bold boys should be watched in case they are just doing "tactical threat assessment" that may be acted on later, and boys that think you're a hen will perpetually dance and make potentially painful mating grabs at the feet. The latter is less prone to attack but it's inconvenient all the same. Just my experience.

I have two boys I love that run flocks right now, and three on deck for backup or breeding projects. Only the two trusted run free, the rest I know will take a swing or already have. I need to know where they are before I can turn my back and that has consequences, else I can't do my job with the coop maintenence, hen inspections, etc.

 

[deviflux]

@CoopBoots
Prior to the last month I was actually pretty hopeful he was going to be a good boy I didn’t have to worry about…aside from his overly amorous and somewhat rough mating ways.

I’ve always been respectful about the hens being “his”. If they come to me, I give them love. But I don’t just reach down and pluck them up in front of him. If I do need to handle them, I try to do it a little away from him. I haven’t tried to force any affection or handling on him. I want him to be their protector and so far he’s been doing it well!

The only common denominator I’ve found seems to be food, so I guess I’ll start making some tweaks there and see how it goes.

 

[getaclue]

When I began raising chickens, I encountered the same problem. This article, posted by another member, helped me so much, so I've included it for you. Yes, even in a line that's bred for good temperament in the cockerels/roosters, when they're young, and those hormones first rear their head, they still usually need some training. Keep in mind, the "rooster stick" is not to be used to beat the heck out of the offender. It extends your reach, since your arms are not long enough, without you having to bend over, making your face more vulnerable. With young cockerels, I find that a week or two of training are all that are ever needed.

I want to add that this method has failed me one time. I did have a rooster that would trained up nicely, but about 4 months later, began attacking again. I would get him back under control, then once again, in a few months, he would start attacking. In all other respects, he was a good rooster, and it was not a constant battle, so I tolerated it for about 2 years. The last time he attacked, I'd had enough, and sent him to freezer camp.

ROOSTER SPEAK
I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

When I began raising chickens, I encountered the same problem. This article, posted by another member, helped me so much, so I've included it for you. Yes, even in a line that's bred for good temperament in the cockerels/roosters, when they're young, and those hormones first rear their head, they still usually need some training. Keep in mind, the "rooster stick" is not to be used to beat the heck out of the offender. It extends your reach, since your arms are not long enough, without you having to bend over, making your face more vulnerable. With young cockerels, I find that a week or two of training are all that are ever needed.

I want to add that this method has failed me one time. I did have a rooster that would trained up nicely, but about 4 months later, began attacking again. I would get him back under control, then once again, in a few months, he would start attacking. In all other respects, he was a good rooster, and it was not a constant battle, so I tolerated it for about 2 years. The last time he attacked, I'd had enough, and sent him to freezer camp.

ROOSTER SPEAK
I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

I agree with making an aggressive cockerel realize where his boundaries lie, but one thing I do not agree with is purposefully scaring a rooster even if he is not aggressive. You should act kindly towards a friendly rooster—stressing him by scaring him off will only increase his chance of becoming mean. Personally, I have seen the trick of sitting on a rooster actually work, although it takes daily sitting multiple times a day for him to calm down with his hormones, and many people don't understand that and will simply do it once in a while, and then wonder why it isn't working. I have also seen that carrying a rooster after he flogs you has the same effect as sitting on him.

I have a super friendly rooster; he doesn't want to be held but I understand that, and he is calm in other aspects. He doesn't care if I make his hens squat in front of him, he doesn't care if I get behind him, etc. When it is that time where the flock is all resting and sunbathing, he will go find a spot to sleep. If no hen decides to come over to him, he will purr directly at me to tell me that he wants someone to sit beside him. Then he will fall asleep. If I had gotten this rooster and immediately acted out to him in a way that the above mentioned article stated, then he would not be so kind to humans—instead he would be aggressive because of me trying to act like I'm a chicken. There are limits to how you should act around roosters. If they are friendly, that's great, carry on letting them be friendly; if they are aggressive, then let them know you are the boss, and if that doesn't work then you should kill them because nobody should waste their time with an aggressive rooster.

 

[getaclue]

Princess, nothing was mentioned about doing this to a non-aggressive cockerel/rooster. Deviflux's cockerel is attacking her.

 

[getaclue]

For the record, as I mentioned previously, the few cockerels I've had to put into training (usually due to hormone change), a couple weeks of training was all that it took, and those same cockerels have been fine for the rest of their long lives.

 

[BantyChooks]

I too have tried out Beekissed’s rooster speak. I had less luck. I think what that approach fails to consider is why the rooster is aggressive and breed temperament as well. In my case, it resulted in a scared bird that became even more aggressive. All that to say, YMMV.

From your description I wonder if he’s a bit afraid of you. If so, chasing him is most likely going to make the problem worse. Confronting them works best when their aggression stems from overly confident behaviour. I can elaborate if desired.

Edited to add: I wrote an article where I explained most of my thoughts on raising roosters. Here's a link. It's intended as a springboard for discussion rather than a manual on rooster psychology.

 

[deviflux]

Since I made this post, I’ve been working with Rudy to manage his excitement levels and I’m feeling pretty secure that his sudden aggression is rooted in excitement and is going to be manageable.

I’ve stopped giving treats outside the coop for now. (Inside the coops he’s a perfect gentleman, does the food coo and lets the girls at it first). If he does come running up on me outside (because he thinks I have food) I calmly turn to face him with my hands on my hips and he instantly hits the brakes. I keep doing this until he loses interest in me and walks away. In the afternoon instead of calling/leading them into the coop and creating excitement, I’m stopping outside the door and letting him corral the ladies and lead them in. Then I enter and give them food.

I’m really hoping that he will continue to mellow as I work to undo the “people = food” paradigm I’ve created. Fingers crossed!

 

[BantyChooks]

Since I made this post, I’ve been working with Rudy to manage his excitement levels and I’m feeling pretty secure that his sudden aggression is rooted in excitement and is going to be manageable.

I’ve stopped giving treats outside the coop for now. (Inside the coops he’s a perfect gentleman, does the food coo and lets the girls at it first). If he does come running up on me outside (because he thinks I have food) I calmly turn to face him with my hands on my hips and he instantly hits the brakes. I keep doing this until he loses interest in me and walks away. In the afternoon instead of calling/leading them into the coop and creating excitement, I’m stopping outside the door and letting him corral the ladies and lead them in. Then I enter and give them food.

I’m really hoping that he will continue to mellow as I work to undo the “people = food” paradigm I’ve created. Fingers crossed!

Great! I'm glad to hear. Sounds like a good approach.