Topic of the Week - Aggressive Roosters: What is the best way to handle them?

[TheFoxyChicken]

That sounds like good advice SpeckledHen. Perhaps my experience is based on a small backyard flock. I have been successful at curbing some habits. But, perhaps I have been also removing good protective habits along with it. I will give this consideration.

 

[speckledhen]

That sounds like good advice SpeckledHen. Perhaps my experience is based on a small backyard flock. I have been successful at curbing some habits. But, perhaps I have been also removing good protective habits along with it. I will give this consideration.

Thanks. I want to add something. What some folks think is actual aggression may only be boundary-testing. That's what I consider it if they are under hormone age, but only if it hasn't progressed to flogging. In my experience, flogging is a very bad sign. I've never seen a flogging rooster become a non-flogging rooster unless it was caused by an excess of boundless energy in a male who needs to have more room, preferably free range time. That is one exception to the "once a flogger, always a flogger".

The boundary testing I'm speaking of in an immature male would be rushing/intimidating you, wing-dropping/dancing at you or biting. I'm dealing with that with an almost 12 week old cockerel from a line I've never had before right now. I have hope since he has never flogged anyone and he's still very young, however, if it ramps up, say in a month to six weeks, and keeps happening after chastisement, that is true aggression and the more he does it, the less hope there is.



A good rooster does not have to be aggressive to his keepers to do his innate duty to his hens. I know from experience. It's been proven here over and over again. They will still defend the hens because that's what they are supposed to do, but they are smart enough to know that I and my husband are not threats to them or the hens and never will be.

After saying all that, we all must remember that an animal with a walnut size brain may not act the way you think he will. Who the heck knows sometimes what's in a rooster's head? But, so far, never breeding from an aggressive male has kept super easygoing and pleasant roosters around here who still are johnny-on-the-spot to defend when the need arises.

 

[Arleneann1]

Aggressive Roosters CAN BE TAMED. I've had several aggressive roosters and have tamed them all. What you need to do is to teach them who the Alpha Rooster is - and that is you. Do not run or back down from them. Wear gloves & long sleeves to avoid getting scratched. When the aggressive rooster approaches or attacks you - you MUST catch him. Easier said than done, but you must catch him whatever it takes. Have a net or blanket nearby, so if you need to throw a blanket or net over him to catch him. I always go for a leg, if you can get ahold of a leg you are good. He will struggle and try to get away, but hang onto him. Then pull him up and hold him tightly against yourself. With arms firmly around him. His side should be against your midsection. Hold him until he calms down, walk around with him, sit with him all the while keeping a firm grip on him. When you can take one hand off of him, stroke his head and back and quietly talk to him. You must do this each and every time he comes at you, usually only takes a couple of times, before he views you as higher up in the rooster pecking order. You can hand feed him a nice treat like meal worms, tomatoes or corn on the cob. My aggressive roosters are now docile and never attack me or come at me aggressively.

 

[speckledhen]

Aggressive Roosters CAN BE TAMED. I've had several aggressive roosters and have tamed them all. What you need to do is to teach them who the Alpha Rooster is - and that is you. Do not run or back down from them. Wear gloves & long sleeves to avoid getting scratched. When the aggressive rooster approaches or attacks you - you MUST catch him. Easier said than done, but you must catch him whatever it takes. Have a net or blanket nearby, so if you need to throw a blanket or net over him to catch him. I always go for a leg, if you can get ahold of a leg you are good. He will struggle and try to get away, but hang onto him. Then pull him up and hold him tightly against yourself. With arms firmly around him. His side should be against your midsection. Hold him until he calms down, walk around with him, sit with him all the while keeping a firm grip on him. When you can take one hand off of him, stroke his head and back and quietly talk to him. You must do this each and every time he comes at you, usually only takes a couple of times, before he views you as higher up in the rooster pecking order. You can hand feed him a nice treat like meal worms, tomatoes or corn on the cob. My aggressive roosters are now docile and never attack me or come at me aggressively.

Though you say you've had some success and I'm happy for you, in my opinion, they were not 100% into their aggression, not genetically programmed to that temperament. There are so many folks on BYC who've done exactly what you said with no success; the truly aggressive males never change, not permanently. And if you breed from them, you usually get more of the same, unfortunately. I did that with one, tried quite a few things to change him, but when he flew off the roost at someone's head, he was stew the next day. His genes did not need to continue.

We had a situation where one changed late in life due to a situation that necessitated us removing him from his hens nightly for a couple of weeks. He was a year and a half old, never even bitten anyone before this time. He became aggressive only to me, not my husband, no idea why since we both removed him equally. He became impossible to handle around me. I cannot deal with a rooster knocking me off my feet on this rock-and-root-ridden property since I'm prone to fracture, so a friend gave him a second chance, hoping a change of location would get him back to his normal self. He did flog her a few times but at least he was able to keep his head and live awhile longer. I tried everything with that rooster because I was attached to him, but nothing worked after something in his brain clicked.

Another situation that can change a formerly friendly rooster's temperament is a predator attack. I know of one that was very calm and easy to handle, came out of my line of Barred Rocks, but after a raccoon attack that killed several birds in the pen next to him (he was owned by my best friend), he turned into a psychotic nutcase. He would attack doors if you were coming in, fly into walls, etc. He had to be put down because he became too dangerous.

There are other reasons for aggressive males that are not genetic, those situations that happen and make them different, but usually, if they are flogging by maturity, they just continue and no amount of babying or bullying or anything else can fix them.

The main thing I want folks to understand is that if whatever you do to "fix" an aggressive male does not work, DO NOT blame yourself! It is not your fault. You cannot re-vamp bad genetic programming and you don't need to feel guilty if your methods are unsuccessful.

 

[Folly's place]

Speckledhen, I hope your new cockrel works out, but I think he will be a problem child and need to go. Let us know how things develop with him. My current group of cockrels are all being very good so far. Two to four months old, so early times yet. Mary

 

[speckledhen]

Speckledhen, I hope your new cockrel works out, but I think he will be a problem child and need to go. Let us know how things develop with him. My current group of cockrels are all being very good so far. Two to four months old, so early times yet. Mary

I hope so, too, Mary. And you may be right. He's still pre-hormone stage so we shall see. I do try everything possible before I throw in the towel, all the usual conditioning things recommended but once they are flogging, they just don't change. With Hector, my eyes are open. No flogging yet, just biting and wing-dropping so far. He beat up a 21 week old cockerel the other day, that's how dominant/confident he is at this young age. This young male is not from my own line, so unproven, at least here at our place. My guys have always been trustworthy and this one is from great lines, just not related to mine, to bring in new blood, however, he has big spurs to live up to. The bar is set high and it isn't coming down. Follow the Evolution of Atlas thread if you're interested in how Hector turns out. He's not related to Atlas's line, but for the time being, his progress reports and photos are on that thread. He won't get his own thread unless and until he proves he can be trusted.

 

[Folly's place]

I try to add new 'blood' by adding a couple of pullets, rather than cockrels. I've read that adding a female and raising chicks from her to evaluate is the best plan, but I've never been that organized. I add pullets, and they go into the flock and add to their genetics without starting new family lines. It's a stew; pure breeds but flock mating rather than pairs. Definitely not SQ! Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Sorry, off topic. Mary

 

[Corrales Chick]

Though you say you've had some success and I'm happy for you, in my opinion, they were not 100% into their aggression, not genetically programmed to that temperament. There are so many folks on BYC who've done exactly what you said with no success; the truly aggressive males never change, not permanently. And if you breed from them, you usually get more of the same, unfortunately. I did that with one, tried quite a few things to change him, but when he flew off the roost at someone's head, he was stew the next day. His genes did not need to continue.

We had a situation where one changed late in life due to a situation that necessitated us removing him from his hens nightly for a couple of weeks. He was a year and a half old, never even bitten anyone before this time. He became aggressive only to me, not my husband, no idea why since we both removed him equally. He became impossible to handle around me. I cannot deal with a rooster knocking me off my feet on this rock-and-root-ridden property since I'm prone to fracture, so a friend gave him a second chance, hoping a change of location would get him back to his normal self. He did flog her a few times but at least he was able to keep his head and live awhile longer. I tried everything with that rooster because I was attached to him, but nothing worked after something in his brain clicked.

Another situation that can change a formerly friendly rooster's temperament is a predator attack. I know of one that was very calm and easy to handle, came out of my line of Barred Rocks, but after a raccoon attack that killed several birds in the pen next to him (he was owned by my best friend), he turned into a psychotic nutcase. He would attack doors if you were coming in, fly into walls, etc. He had to be put down because he became too dangerous. 

There are other reasons for aggressive males that are not genetic, those situations that happen and make them different, but usually, if they are flogging by maturity, they just continue and no amount of babying or bullying or anything else can fix them.

The main thing I want folks to understand is that if whatever you do to "fix" an aggressive male does not work, DO NOT blame yourself! It is not your fault. You cannot re-vamp bad genetic programming and you don't need to feel guilty if your methods are unsuccessful.

 

[Corrales Chick]

The catch and hold them teaching them that you are the main Alpha rooster has always worked for me and everybody I know. If you do it right it works.