Undesirable Rooster Behavior

[BlossomSilkies]

Help me understand this. We got a pair of BCMs when they were about 3 months old. I am very gentle with my chickens and handle them often. My male BCM is now, at 6 months, such an alarmest. Where I used to be able to approach the coop and they would all run to me, instead he freaks out like I'm danger and they all run under the coop. My sweet little Silkie who NEVER ran from me, does now when I attempt to pick her up.

I'm a little ticked off. And if he is heading down the wrong path, I won't shed a tear to re-home him. What have I done wrong to make him this way? Is it his age? Will he get better as he leaves his adolescence?

 

[Minniechickmama]

You have a teenager in the hen house.

Your rooster has hit his teens and he isn't quite the man he will be one day (I hope, for your sake). At this age they tend to act very stupidly, and that may be what has your flock not acting as normal. I would say to hang in there and keep trying. As for him, catch him and carry him around a bit. He may settle down with some added attention. And use treats to bribe them with.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:

The only thing worse than a teenage roo is three of em, which I have at the moment.

 

[BlossomSilkies]

I was hoping it was age. I will give him some more time to mellow out.

 

[Maximus]

They are Just a little crazy at that age

 

[YYZ]

3 teenage roosters...Are they crowing yet?

 

[azygous]

Without some training, your teen-roo will just be reinforced to this behavior. He's acting the way he is partly because he's overwhelmed by his hormones, but also because he doesn't know if he should trust you or not.

You need to take control of him as well as the rest of the flock and establish yourself as the "head rooster". There are plenty of good rooster training tutorials and it would be well worth your time to start training your young rooster. Once he knows you're in charge, he'll calm down and trust you, and this will be conveyed to the hens.

If you just "wait for him to outgrow it", it will just get ingrained and worsen. This will get you started. http://olychickenguy.blogspot.com/2011/03/006-how-to-deal-with-skittish-chickens.html

Rooster training really does work. Good luck!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Nope, because I have two adult roosters. The youngin's know to crow means to invite a butt whoopin from one of the daddys, so they are keeping mum, as well as trying to make themselves look like pullets as much as possible. This includes keeping their tailfeathers low to the ground and walking like pullets, not cocks. Really interesting to watch, these young guys.

You can bet if I were to do away with the two adult roos tomorrow the boys would mature overnight.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:

The only thing worse than a teenage roo is three of em, which I have at the moment.

You don't even want to know how many roos I have at this point.

You have the broody curse.....I have he roo curse.

To the OP: Try interacting with your boy as much as possible. Find a treat that he can not resist and hand feed him, the rest of your flock will follow.

A lot of his behavior is just due to hormones.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Pick him up and carry him around, and if he will take them feed him treats while you do this.
Gritsar, isn't that one of YOUR advice bits with roos?
I had so many cockerels out here last summer and will again this year until they get big enough to sell or butcher. They get brutal, which is why they will be separated from all my girls once I choose the Golden Boys. I hate when they get the yard in an uproar and abuse the girls. I only had a handful of roos this spring, but I had to put one down a couple weeks back just because he was not nice to his flockmates.