Tell me all about roosters

[Chicksnkits]

I’ve had a suspicion my chick is a rooster for a few weeks now and I’m so scared. The crowing and also the “chicken rape” stories makes me so nervous. I also heard they can be real buttholes I have no idea what to expect!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Well....my experience was bad. I tried 3 roosters. I’m bias I won’t have one. Maybe yours will be sweet dunno

 

[Folly's place]

I've had cockerels and rooster for a long time, and have had all kinds. Only the polite ones stay here!!!
I don't try to make 'pets' out of my cockerels, but rather expect them to move out of my way as I move through the flock. Almost daily, I happen to walk 'through' one or another of them, accidently, and they better just move away, and not think bad thoughts in my direction either.
Beekissed's article about managing roosters is excellent, and I'd recommend that you read it.
Currently I have three adult roosters and four cockerels here, and they all are doing fine with everyone.
I will cull any cockerel who's human aggressive, or who's too rough toward the pullets or hens. NO injuries allowed!
Having a beautiful rooster is wonderful, as long as it's legal where you live. Trying to shut him up isn't a better option, especially if another home can be found for him.
Mary

 

[IamRainey]

Roosters are extremely interesting, entertaining, and unpredictable. At just under four months, your M. Maurice is only just beginning to discover his gender and experiencing the interesting consequences of burgeoning hormones which make roosters so interesting, entertaining, and unpredictable.

One thing most people with a new cockerel aren't aware of is how much their own behavior affects their adolescent roo. Understanding how those hormones can sometimes produce behaviors changes and even personality changes is helpful in raising a polite and well adjusted rooster.

The hormones cause a young cockerel to begin to experience their world differently. They become aware of the hens with a new interest. At the same time, they are viewing the rest of their world in a new dichotomy of trust and danger, but they won't have the experience until months later to be able to discern who and what they need to protect the hens from. Sometimes, they get very confused if new people suddenly appear, or their keeper engages in suddenly new behavior around him. This is when a formerly docile and friendly cockerel surprises everyone by being a jerk and a menace.

My advice is to be very consistent when you're around a young cockerel learning his new role in the flock. Keep his world as predictable and calm as possible. Limit visitors, especially small children over the next several months. Try not to engage in any sudden or threatening actions when near him. And most important, leave him alone to find his own way in relation to his flock except to guide him away from unacceptable behavior with consistent discipline. (Not punishment!)

Your relationship to your young developing roo should be one of dominance, yet you don't want to be interfering so much that you confuse and frustrate him. For example, you will try to ignore his clumsy, experimental attempts to mate, but you will discipline him if he tries to threaten you. You will expect him to move out of your way instead of you trying to dodge him. If he suddenly starts to come toward you with the typical rooster "dance", take that as a warning that he's beginning to get confused about his relationship with you. Don't turn your back on him; be aware of where he is at all times. If he does come up behind you and flings himself at you, you need to immobilize him until he calms down. That's about the only kind of discipline that will be necessary.

Last of all, be sympathetic in your understanding of how difficult it's going to be for M. Maurice over the next several months as he adjusts to all those crazy hormones that have changed how his world looks. Be confident you'll both survive until he's a grown-up at around one year.

Thanks! That is certainly very thorough and just what I needed to know.

 

[bobbi-j]

Roosters are extremely interesting, entertaining, and unpredictable. At just under four months, your M. Maurice is only just beginning to discover his gender and experiencing the interesting consequences of burgeoning hormones which make roosters so interesting, entertaining, and unpredictable.

One thing most people with a new cockerel aren't aware of is how much their own behavior affects their adolescent roo. Understanding how those hormones can sometimes produce behaviors changes and even personality changes is helpful in raising a polite and well adjusted rooster.

The hormones cause a young cockerel to begin to experience their world differently. They become aware of the hens with a new interest. At the same time, they are viewing the rest of their world in a new dichotomy of trust and danger, but they won't have the experience until months later to be able to discern who and what they need to protect the hens from. Sometimes, they get very confused if new people suddenly appear, or their keeper engages in suddenly new behavior around him. This is when a formerly docile and friendly cockerel surprises everyone by being a jerk and a menace.

My advice is to be very consistent when you're around a young cockerel learning his new role in the flock. Keep his world as predictable and calm as possible. Limit visitors, especially small children over the next several months. Try not to engage in any sudden or threatening actions when near him. And most important, leave him alone to find his own way in relation to his flock except to guide him away from unacceptable behavior with consistent discipline. (Not punishment!)

Your relationship to your young developing roo should be one of dominance, yet you don't want to be interfering so much that you confuse and frustrate him. For example, you will try to ignore his clumsy, experimental attempts to mate, but you will discipline him if he tries to threaten you. You will expect him to move out of your way instead of you trying to dodge him. If he suddenly starts to come toward you with the typical rooster "dance", take that as a warning that he's beginning to get confused about his relationship with you. Don't turn your back on him; be aware of where he is at all times. If he does come up behind you and flings himself at you, you need to immobilize him until he calms down. That's about the only kind of discipline that will be necessary.

Last of all, be sympathetic in your understanding of how difficult it's going to be for M. Maurice over the next several months as he adjusts to all those crazy hormones that have changed how his world looks. Be confident you'll both survive until he's a grown-up at around one year.

OOPS! I totally forgot about DST!!!

I'd love to hear how your no crow collar works because I suspect we'll need to do something to be able to keep him.

He's simply too gorgeous to have to re-home. And, besides, who will take a rooster?

Actually, if I absolutely have to re-home him, my husband's boss got interested when we first got our chickens. He now has a coop and flock of his own at his country home on several acres so there's a good chance he'd take M. Maurice. ...but I'm hoping we'll be able to keep him.

Quite frankly, I think it would be kinder to let him go to the country home where he can be a rooster and crow to his heart's content. I would not ever use a no-crow collar on a bird. I don't like the idea of constricting their airway. (That's how it works. And it doesn't stop the crowing altogether, just muffles it.)

No, I am not a rooster cuddler. I handle them when necessary, and the rest of the time, I trust them to do their jobs and they respect me and allow me to do mine.

My two roos are father and son. The older one has never enjoyed being held. The younger one barely tolerates it. Part of the two-way respect is to refrain from forcing them to do something they object to. If I were to force my roosters to accept cuddling, I would be cutting into their "images" with the flock since it would be a display of dominance that neither roo has done anything to deserve.

I have an important role in my flock, but it's a completely different role from the roosters.

Agree totally.

I've had cockerels and rooster for a long time, and have had all kinds. Only the polite ones stay here!!!
I don't try to make 'pets' out of my cockerels, but rather expect them to move out of my way as I move through the flock. Almost daily, I happen to walk 'through' one or another of them, accidently, and they better just move away, and not think bad thoughts in my direction either.
Beekissed's article about managing roosters is excellent, and I'd recommend that you read it.
Currently I have three adult roosters and four cockerels here, and they all are doing fine with everyone.
I will cull any cockerel who's human aggressive, or who's too rough toward the pullets or hens. NO injuries allowed!
Having a beautiful rooster is wonderful, as long as it's legal where you live. Trying to shut him up isn't a better option, especially if another home can be found for him.
Mary

I agree with this. Having an illegal rooster could jeopardize your privelege to have chickens at all.

 

[IamRainey]

Thanks to everyone! I'm getting a good education and I appreciate it.

 

[IamRainey]

Actually my zoning permits a rooster. I just don't want to be surrounded by angry neighbors.

I lived directly next to a horse for several years and I want to tell you that can spoil a BBQ fast if the breezes switch. But we never complained because we're live-and-let-live sorta folks. I'm hoping we'll get an equal degree of tolerance but we'll see... I don't want to stand on the legality of it but I might push the envelope for 6-9 months to see how it works out.

 

[azygous]

I think you'll be surprised how many of your neighbors will actually like the crowing. I've been hanging around this site for a long time, and the posts where an individual is frantic to control a crowing roo due to a cranky neighbor are actually pretty rare.

The best strategy to avoid neighbor complaints is to get to know your neighbors within ear shot, and be straight with them. Let them know that you have a novice rooster learning the ropes, and invite them to let you know if the crowing bothers them.

I've found that neighbor complaints fall on people that are strangers to their neighbors. People who know and like each other usually will suck it up.

 

[elaineinspain]

Roosters are extremely interesting, entertaining, and unpredictable. At just under four months, your M. Maurice is only just beginning to discover his gender and experiencing the interesting consequences of burgeoning hormones which make roosters so interesting, entertaining, and unpredictable.

One thing most people with a new cockerel aren't aware of is how much their own behavior affects their adolescent roo. Understanding how those hormones can sometimes produce behaviors changes and even personality changes is helpful in raising a polite and well adjusted rooster.

The hormones cause a young cockerel to begin to experience their world differently. They become aware of the hens with a new interest. At the same time, they are viewing the rest of their world in a new dichotomy of trust and danger, but they won't have the experience until months later to be able to discern who and what they need to protect the hens from. Sometimes, they get very confused if new people suddenly appear, or their keeper engages in suddenly new behavior around him. This is when a formerly docile and friendly cockerel surprises everyone by being a jerk and a menace.

My advice is to be very consistent when you're around a young cockerel learning his new role in the flock. Keep his world as predictable and calm as possible. Limit visitors, especially small children over the next several months. Try not to engage in any sudden or threatening actions when near him. And most important, leave him alone to find his own way in relation to his flock except to guide him away from unacceptable behavior with consistent discipline. (Not punishment!)

Your relationship to your young developing roo should be one of dominance, yet you don't want to be interfering so much that you confuse and frustrate him. For example, you will try to ignore his clumsy, experimental attempts to mate, but you will discipline him if he tries to threaten you. You will expect him to move out of your way instead of you trying to dodge him. If he suddenly starts to come toward you with the typical rooster "dance", take that as a warning that he's beginning to get confused about his relationship with you. Don't turn your back on him; be aware of where he is at all times. If he does come up behind you and flings himself at you, you need to immobilize him until he calms down. That's about the only kind of discipline that will be necessary.

Last of all, be sympathetic in your understanding of how difficult it's going to be for M. Maurice over the next several months as he adjusts to all those crazy hormones that have changed how his world looks. Be confident you'll both survive until he's a grown-up at around one year.

Hear! Hear!
@IamRainey
IF YOU READ ONLY ONE POST IN THIS THREAD READ THE ONE I'VE QUOTED!!! This is terrific advice.

 

[IamRainey]

I think you'll be surprised how many of your neighbors will actually like the crowing. I've been hanging around this site for a long time, and the posts where an individual is frantic to control a crowing roo due to a cranky neighbor are actually pretty rare.

The best strategy to avoid neighbor complaints is to get to know your neighbors within ear shot, and be straight with them. Let them know that you have a novice rooster learning the ropes, and invite them to let you know if the crowing bothers them.

I've found that neighbor complaints fall on people that are strangers to their neighbors. People who know and like each other usually will suck it up.