Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad rooster.

[keesmom]

I haven’t culled him; I am however considering either selling or eating both of my current boys. I hatched a clutch sired almost solely (I think) by my Rhode Island Henry, but both of my current boys are terribly aggressive when mating the ladies (they’re all either completely bare-backed or partially!) and I’ve read lots of good things about roosters that were brought up with only the hens. The only thing is, I have a broody with chicks under her (maybe a week old but I can’t remember exactly), and ~23 chicks coming up on nine weeks old. I don’t want the ladies and babies to be without protection.


One thing I have noticed, in addition to the somewhat better behavior, is that this training has caused problems between the boys. I’m treating Henry the same way I’m treating Debbie; both are my subordinates. Before I began this treatment, Debbie NEVER challenged Henry for ANYTHING. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve caught him undermining Henry when there are treats present, crowing closer to him, openly mating in front of him, and challenging him intensely every time Henry himself mates a lady. Henry used to just bully Debbie but now they fight CONSTANTLY it seems! Another drawback... I’ve noticed debbies spurs becoming quite sharper and more typical for a rooster. I fear someday he will turn on me with those and cause some real damage, or he and Henry will get into a fight and one of them will end up killing the other. I believe he didn’t realize he was Henry’s subordinate before I started challenging and bossing both of them, and now he’s fighting for top roo as far as the flock is concerned.

I feel terrible for the ladies right now. On Saturday morning I noticed an atypical poo symptomatic of coccidiosis, so all chooks are up for today and the next three days (treatment was started Sunday) with only momma hen and babies separate so nobody gets hurt or trampled. I hate having the girls in with both of the roosters but I don’t have the space/containment/waterers/feeders to separate them as well

Competition is bringing out the worst in both males. Not a good situation at all for a happy flock.

In my experience a rooster provides little protection, however they are not going to keep an eye out for anything if they're spending all their time watching each other. You may not have the space but at least one needs to be separated. Once the competition is gone you can better evaluate which you would prefer for your flock.

 

[chicksandchores]

I sold my alpha rooster Henry today. He went to live with another flock whose boys have migrated to the neighbors. Debbie will be processed, along with my three black sexlinks and one poorly-looking Rhode Island Red hen that has thrown several “jelly eggs” over the past little bit. I just don’t like the sexlinks; they’re mean to everyone else and flighty/psychotic. They have no real personality. I have a young black copper marans cockerel that is turning out to be quite handsome; I want the hens to raise him and make him be more polit when mating. I also have a barred rock, Andalusian, and bantam cockerel and several suspected gold laced and silver laced Wyandotte cockerels. I’m going to watch perosnality and decide who stays that way. Right now I’m 100% certain my fbcm boy is gonna stay; he’s a goofy little fellow and so sweet with his pullets. Thanks all for the words of advice!

 

[Jersey mama]

I haven't actually seen this thread myself, only this bit I'm about to paste. I was introduced to this concept on another thread about an aggressive rooster that I was participating in (and by participating I mean getting told I'm terribly abusive to this hateful rooster because I kick him in response to being spurred and throw things in his general direction to get him to stay away from me after an attack, despite and feeding him treats and such.... ). Another user suggested I follow this in order to get him to calm down rather than kicking him as it only makes him more aggressive. I truly hope it works.

By Beekissed:
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.

 

[Jersey mama]

Thank you for the information.
I never thought I would have to be alpha to my roosters.
I don’t want to kill any of the three I have, so I had to be like a rooster.

My worst rooster is with me 24 7.
I grabbed his waddles when he bit me and pinched his crown. I do hold him a lot petting him trying to relax his racing heart.
Now we eat together, he sits with me and watches tv. He knows his pecking order outside and is not so crazed with the chickens and his rooster mates.
It has been a month of this boot camp and last night he decided to sleep outside with no problems this morning.
I know this isn’t for everyone but I’m a little more close to my animals
He’s 8 months old

 

[gtaus]

... I have a young black copper marans cockerel that is turning out to be quite handsome; I want the hens to raise him and make him be more polit when mating....

I heard someone explain that chicken sex is "short and not sweet." But good luck just the same.

 

[chicksandchores]

I heard someone explain that chicken sex is "short and not sweet." But good luck just the same.

I do understand that much; however from what I’ve seen of other folks raising their rooster with full grown hens, the boys running across the yard full predator mode and forcing the hens to lay for them even with abundant squawking and hollering is not typical. I’ve heard talk of roosters “asking permission” and leaving the hen be if she says no.

 

[danceswithronin]

View attachment 1733557
Meet Debbie. We thought he was a girl when he was young because he was a little behind the other cockerels in coloring and such, hence the name Debbie. Debbie is, to put it lightly, a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad rooster. He’s the beta of the flock and has, thus far, attacked me (his favorite person to try to spur), both of my sisters, my boyfriend, my sister’s boyfriend, and my cousin whom he had never met before. He luckily has very short and dull spurs, however my patience has grown thinner with time. Today he has finally done the one thing I said would guarantee his demise: he broke skin. I was giving scratch to everyone, with some poultry conditioner added because my old highschool’s ag day is coming up and my sister and I plan to take some of my chooks to show the kids. All I did was walk around him, I wasn’t even looking at him, and he attacked feet first. He got me good enough to leave scraped and welts and one place he did, in fact, break skin. Debbie has been doing this since a couple months after the flock was well established and five of the other roosters were sold off, which was in July or August of last year. I’m sick of it. I don’t necessarily want to kill him but in that moment I did and had I been able to catch him, I would have. I don’t know what to do. I’ll kill him if I have to, I’ll rehome him if someone wants him, I just can’t deal with him anymore. I’m at my wits end. This is a rooster I hand-feed treats (like raspberries and blueberries and such) and he STILL attacks me! Any advice?

Yeah, go to tastespotting.com or foodgawker.com, put "chicken" in the search engine, and let your imagination run wild.

I would eat any mean rooster I had just because there's no point in a rooster like that passing his temperament on to the next generation, too many nice roosters to put up with a butthole.

 

[chicksandchores]

Yeah, go to tastespotting.com or foodgawker.com, put "chicken" in the search engine, and let your imagination run wild.

I would eat any mean rooster I had just because there's no point in a rooster like that passing his temperament on to the next generation, too many nice roosters to put up with a butthole.

Thanks! He met his end on Monday. He’s been resting in a nice brine since then and I’m now trying to figure out what to do with him for dinner.

 

[gtaus]

I do understand that much; however from what I’ve seen of other folks raising their rooster with full grown hens, the boys running across the yard full predator mode and forcing the hens to lay for them even with abundant squawking and hollering is not typical. I’ve heard talk of roosters “asking permission” and leaving the hen be if she says no.

Yes, I watched a YouTube video where the rooster was doing a nice little mating dance in front of the hen, and if the hen was receptive, she would let him know. If she was not receptive, he would go to another hen and try his dance on her. I suppose that trait in a rooster is desirable if you want to protect your hens. Other roosters can be vicious on the hens, and everyone else for that matter. I personally don't want an aggressive rooster, so I can understand your concerns.