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

[Lisa Wood]

Sure. You can ask. He was sent to me by mistake. I ordered all female AutoSexed, and he was a mistake. An "Accidental Rooster." May I ask why you ask?

 

[robbiebobbie]

The way that worked for us in dealing with aggressive roosters is this: We had several RIR roosters that were very aggressive. They would run after you and act like they were going to fly up at you. I would start clapping my hands in a wide way, putting my arms out and clapping while running after him for a while. I didn't just charge after him and then quit. I made him run for his life. If that didn't work my husband showed me another way. Grab that rooster and hold him down in front of all of the hens. Keep him down until he submits and then keep him down a little longer. Then let him go and shush him away. If you are really afraid to grab him; wear a pair of long work gloves and then just be brave and grab him. It does make a difference in your attitude to how these roosters respond to you. I use to be afraid and then decided to bring on my dominate attitude and found that this works. Now, when there is an aggressive rooster, I get irritated and make my moves on him. lol This has worked for us and hope this helps others as well. Let me know if it does. Would love to hear all about your stories.

 

[bobbi-j]

Sure. You can ask. He was sent to me by mistake. I ordered all female AutoSexed, and he was a mistake. An "Accidental Rooster." May I ask why you ask?

I didn't ask why you "have" a rooster. I asked why you are "keeping" the rooster. You ordered all pullets, so you clearly didn't want a rooster in the first place. I was just wondering why you don't look into replacing him with another pullet. Your flock would likely be much more peaceful.

 

[itsamyo]

"Roostus" treats my son very well. Lets him hold him and all. Actually, I think he's protecting my son from me! There's something about autistic people that many animals seem to take to. These birds are my son's friends; he holds them, sings & talks to them; he studies them & observes their subtle behaviors. It's fascinating.
He is very capable of handling himself if the rooster decides to misbehave. My son has befriend several wild creatures and feral cats in the past.

 

[Lisa Wood]

As you said, you're not hurting them either, when you pick them up and they scream bloody murder. As Aart said in the thread you started, it's normal chicken behavior. Chickens do not "rape". They are mating, and it is instinctual behavior. "Rape" is a human thing, meant to be violent and degrading. Larger animals - you mentioned horses - in your other thread will allow breeding/mating to happen because they are in season, (or in heat, if you prefer that term). Their hormones are telling them it needs to happen NOW. (Have you ever observed a mare in heat?) The males usually do not try to breed a female that is not in heat. They don't get the signal from her (someone help me out here - is is pheremones?) that tell them it's go time. The thing with chickens is, cockerels mature sexually earlier than pullets. They are suddenly hit with an onslaught of hormones that are screaming at him, "Breed! Breed NOW!" But the pullets aren't ready yet, so they're wondering what in the heck is going on. That's why they make a ruckus - just like when you pick them up. I'm going to leave that to Centrarchid. He can do a better job of explaining it than I can. He's quite knowledgeable. It can. Just as with humans, or any other animal - once the hormones level off, they tend to settle down. It depends on what you call "bad behaviors". If they're acting out toward you, I would suggest immediate correction. Walk through them, keep them wondering where you are. Let them know that you are the boss. If they are being aggressive toward your pullets you may want to separate him until he's a bit older. Can I ask why you are keeping your cockerel? You don't really NEED one if you're not planning on breeding and hatching out from your flock. (Which would result in more cockerels for you to deal with). Aart explained it in very good detail in your thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1128834/is-it-me-or-the-rooster#post_17430645. In case you missed it, here you go:
Point of lay is when pullets start laying eggs, meaning they are sexually mature and will usually submit to mating soon before beginning to lay.
A 'good', mature cockbird will not mount a pullet that is not sexually mature....a young cockerel will try to mount anything it can.
Some cockerels are more discerning than others, some are so rambunctious that folks will separate them until they and the pullets are more mature.

CR is correct, male chickens do not have a penis...the male and female touch their vents together, often called the 'cloacal kiss', the male releases sperm which the female draws into her vent and is moved 'upstream' to where it can fertilize a yolk......that little shake a bird give s after being mated helps it along the way.

My apologies. Art HAD answered when I again asked same question here. My bad. I must admit, I have researched here and other places, and this is the first time I have an answer. That doesn't mean the answer is not here somewhere, it may be and I didnt see it. I just recently learned, last week I think, perhaps from Art, that when the Roo stands on her back that was mating. I only saw before pictures of hens with featherless backs, bloody. I don't KNOW for sure if they hurt, but it looks like it to me. I know they make saddles to prevent these injuries, but I would not use one even if I were a chicken breeder, because of the heat and discomfort. I just learned TODAY a roo has no penis!? Who would guess? I have owned two male parrots, they have all the equipment. Since I have managed in my younger days horse farms, one a breeding farm, I do know what is a mare in heat. However, you are incorrect. I managed five stallions. Same as male dogs with hormones raging, they will mount anything. Other horses, male or female, inanimate objects like trucks, one even came at me once. Hard to believe, Aye? The reason they do not mate is because the mare says NO, as forcefully as is required, to the point she can damage the stallion. The diffetence between a stallion and rooster, as far as I can tell, is the stallion listens to NO. Same with dogs. Even in heat, there are just a few days she will accept him. I have never seen a horse or dog bred against their will. Hence, the many questions. Because I was co-chair of Belgian Malinois Rescue for about two years, I have euthanized or been responsible for the decision to euthanize, more times than I can remember due to bad temperament, or the dog was just ruined from previous owners.. I have also done my fair share of dominance training with washed out police dogs. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. I got chicks for fun and therapy for myself, and "culling" or rehoming was not my idea of how the program would go. Hence, because I am inexperienced with chickens, I thought this was the place to get answers. I am more than aware, however, sometimes life causes us to do that which we do not want to do, but I prefer to get educated before making any decisions. I did, after all, raise him from a chick as a pet, even though he was an accident. I think I need to know what normal breeding behavior is, before we can really talk about aggression. But Art has opinion there too. My Roo did get a walk about tonight. All over property, in the house, met about five dogs, and showed him dog crate he canbovernight in for next infraction. Again, I dont know for sure, but he LOOKED really mad. Here is the definition of rape I have: unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person incapable of valid consent ( relating to age.) So, I see how the use of "rape" relating to chicks can be considered an anthropomorphism. But, I am also aware military working dogs get PTSD. So, I guess thats another list. So, from Arts coaching, chickens dont come in heat, but they have a "point of lay", at which time she is mature enough to be bred and consent. If there is a way around it, I will not allow my chicks to be bred against their will If it turns out I have to remove, rehome, sell the Roo, I will have to. But I am hoping not. I might suggest, since I bet there are alot more new chicken owners out there like me, that someone writes an article about all this under the learning tab. I think people who do have experience with other animals, like me, might find it more confusing because in the case of chickens, if he can overpower her, it is his decision, not hers. Hopefully I have sh8ned a light on how confusing it can be for a newbie. At least this newbie.

 

[leafhopperfarm]

I find that even when the rooster is nice to his flock and older hens had pecked him into line, he can still be a terror to you. It's about having confidence in the coop and also not letting the big boy push you around. As I said in an earlier comment, I pick up my rooster and carry him around, talking to him and handling him so he starts understanding that I am not going to hurt him or the hens.

On another note, what are thoughts on removing spurs? In an experiment one day, I began filing down my older roosters spurs, and they popped off. There was just a little blood, and the cockerel was fine. I'd started filing down his spurs because I had introduced another younger rooster and did not want them to hurt one another. All was fine in the end, but I had no idea you could just pop off the spurs. It made me rest easier when young people would go collect eggs, not that there was ever an issue, my roosters are handled often and respect people.

 

[CluckerCottage]

I am a fan of keeping rooster spurs manageable.
The hot potato/pliers method is great for when the spurs are very overgrown and need to be greatly reduced.

 

[newhamplover]

My apologies. Art HAD answered when I again asked same question here. My bad. I must admit, I have researched here and other places, and this is the first time I have an answer. That doesn't mean the answer is not here somewhere, it may be and I didnt see it. I just recently learned, last week I think, perhaps from Art, that when the Roo stands on her back that was mating. I only saw before pictures of hens with featherless backs, bloody. I don't KNOW for sure if they hurt, but it looks like it to me. I know they make saddles to prevent these injuries, but I would not use one even if I were a chicken breeder, because of the heat and discomfort.
I just learned TODAY a roo has no penis!? Who would guess? I have owned two male parrots, they have all the equipment.
Since I have managed in my younger days horse farms, one a breeding farm, I do know what is a mare in heat. However, you are incorrect. I managed five stallions. Same as male dogs with hormones raging, they will mount anything. Other horses, male or female, inanimate objects like trucks, one even came at me once. Hard to believe, Aye? The reason they do not mate is because the mare says NO, as forcefully as is required, to the point she can damage the stallion. The diffetence between a stallion and rooster, as far as I can tell, is the stallion listens to NO. Same with dogs. Even in heat, there are just a few days she will accept him. I have never seen a horse or dog bred against their will. Hence, the many questions.
Because I was co-chair of Belgian Malinois Rescue for about two years, I have euthanized or been responsible for the decision to euthanize, more times than I can remember due to bad temperament, or the dog was just ruined from previous owners.. I have also done my fair share of dominance training with washed out police dogs. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not.
I got chicks for fun and therapy for myself, and "culling" or rehoming was not my idea of how the program would go. Hence, because I am inexperienced with chickens, I thought this was the place to get answers. I am more than aware, however, sometimes life causes us to do that which we do not want to do, but I prefer to get educated before making any decisions. I did, after all, raise him from a chick as a pet, even though he was an accident. I think I need to know what normal breeding behavior is, before we can really talk about aggression. But Art has opinion there too. My Roo did get a walk about tonight. All over property, in the house, met about five dogs, and showed him dog crate he canbovernight in for next infraction. Again, I dont know for sure, but he LOOKED really mad.
Quote:

I might suggest, since I bet there are alot more new chicken owners out there like me, that someone writes an article about all this under the learning tab. I think people who do have experience with other animals, like me, might find it more confusing because in the case of chickens, if he can overpower her, it is his decision, not hers. Hopefully I have sh8ned a light on how confusing it can be for a newbie. At least this newbie.

You cannot equate the mating behavior of different species to humans.

 

[centrarchid]

You cannot equate the mating behavior of different species to humans.

With chickens you can because you similar costs and benefits.

 

[centrarchid]

So, from Arts coaching, chickens dont come in heat, but they have a "point of lay", at which time she is mature enough to be bred and consent. If there is a way around it, I will not allow my chicks to be bred against their will
If it turns out I have to remove, rehome, sell the Roo, I will have to. But I am hoping not.
I might suggest, since I bet there are alot more new chicken owners out there like me, that someone writes an article about all this under the learning tab. I think people who do have experience with other animals, like me, might find it more confusing because in the case of chickens, if he can overpower her, it is his decision, not hers. Hopefully I have sh8ned a light on how confusing it can be for a newbie. At least this newbie.

Chickens do exhibit a heat although olfaction may not play a role.