Upholding Task Of Taming A Rooster.

[aart]

Magnum started out trying to fight Agnes. He'd go up to her and put up sickle feathers by his neck. He hated her.

He didn't 'hate' her, he was suggesting dominance/mounting, then backed off because she declined and he's smart. It's good sign.

I presently have a new cockerel(22wks). The other cockerels were removed a month ago, old cock was removed 2 weeks ago. He's slowly winning over the older hens, but they, along with the old cock, had been schooling him since 4 weeks old. Am real happy with him so far, but still a bit leery, we are still feeling each other out. I frequently(2x/day) walk thru the run, making sure he gets out of my way.
But I never handled him much and never cuddled him, handled him off the roost a couple times just so he knew my voice and that 'he wouldn't die' if touched/handled, and touch him often during after dark lock up and head count...always with the soothing voice and calm demeanor. Also pick up pullets during day in front of him; quickly, calmly, confidently, and that voice again telling him it's ok....that is most important IMO, he needs to know that I am not a threat to his flock.

 

[chickens really]

Great advise already given .....I have a Rooster and he is Huge...Brahma cross....I trust him as he is Docile but only 90%....It's that 10% that keeps me Leary ...He is a Rooster who is totally committed to his Hens and protects them always....I always lock him out if I need to handle Hens...Yesterday I got rid of Cockerels and one would not come in and followed Lester my Rooster back into the Run...I had no choice but to catch the Cockerel with Lester in the run too ....When I picked him up the Rooster charged as the Cockerel was screaming and the Hens were Clucking...I never turned my back but got out of the run rather quickly...Lester did not attack me but he sure let me know that he was not impressed that his flock was upset....
I have never handled Lester....He keeps a respectable distance from me.....
Best of luck with your Rooster......

 

[JedJackson]

From my perspective, cockerels are bound to eventually fight with hens and if the cockerel wins then the hens will allow him to mate with them. It's just the natural process of chicken life as far as I'm concerned. Unfortunately, hens often don't give in so easily to cockerels that have grown up with them-- it takes a while for them to accept a new order and there can be many battles before order is restored. Whereas if you introduce a mature rooster to a flock of hens there either aren't battles or if there are they are over quickly and everyone gets on with it.

Things to be really concerned about are if the cockerel or rooster is aggressive toward humans or if he is unnecessarily rough with hens and causes damage. There are occasionally cases where a roo simply can't abide a certain hen or hens and attacks her or them mercilessly. A rooster like that is best culled. There are also occasions where the cockerel never manages to be dominant over certain hens, and for me that is another reason to cull because it usually means infertile eggs and a miserable existience for the roo.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The only boy that EVER attacked me was the friendly one that sat on my lap.

I learned before it started (thank you @Mrs. K) that I shouldn't let him hang out on me, and started changing my behavior. But before I knew it he was trying to grab hens off my lap and it was too late. I commenced to all the dominance things people talk about but to NO avail. After months on end of him crowing specifically when he saw me, and charging me at the fence or anytime my back was turned. And he followed me and watched, but when I looked at him he PRETENDED to do busy work. Also, a SFH. In the end, he headed to freezer camp and should have done it sooner!

Every bird will be different. I hope your result is better than mine!

I haven't befriended cockerels since then and also haven't been attacked. Here though to keep learning!

In dogs and birds... people often mistake confidence for friendliness.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Hello everybody. Thank you all for the helpful responses... I personally don't "cuddle" him... But honestly right now he is amazing with humans. I know how to handle him is he got outta hand... :/ But I prefer not to cull him. Thank you.

Yes, I'll pick up one of the pullets that is around his age and I'll hold her and show him she's okay in my hands. I'll also have Agnes perch on my arm to show them both that the other is a good flock mate.

He is even protecting his sister if she is chase by another hen. He'll stand there and not fight the hen... But guard his sister. I tend to think that's a good sign?

I will take the advice you all have given. Thanks.

Regards,
-Angry Hen

 

[Chickassan]

Angry Hen, that little faverolles cockrel of mine is very sweet and human tolerant you've seen that but...he absolutely acted like a jerk towards that dominique and she happily returned the favor they power struggled like crazy! In all seriousness she started the whole thing,he wanted to tidbit and dance she wanted to fight lol! Eventually he had enough and asserted himself the way any healthy boy would and fought back a little,never hurt her just let her know he was in charge. This went on for a couple of weeks until she stopped picking fights and started acting like a proper flock member. I didn't like it but i rarely enjoy chicken drama and honestly i was surprised since they were both nice docile birds. I had to accept even docile birds have to go through the same song and dance as every other bird. Just hang in there,they will work it out. The hard part is not letting them drive you crazy while they do.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Thank you so much @Chickassan! Reading your post surprisingly made my day! Lol. I agree, even my sweetest rooster I ever had went through a rough faze. Just a little lesson taught and he did his job, protected the hens and became the family rooster. He always sat on my Dad's lap and he turned out fine. We shall wait and see what happens with Magnum! The best I can possibly do now is help steer him in the right direction but let him and the hens drive. Thank you again! Have a very nice evening.

Regards,
-Angry Hen

 

[Chickassan]

You're welcome.

Thank you so much @Chickassan! Reading your post surprisingly made my day! Lol. I agree, even my sweetest rooster I ever had went through a rough faze. Just a little lesson taught and he did his job, protected the hens and became the family rooster. He always sat on my Dad's lap and he turned out fine. We shall wait and see what happens with Magnum! The best I can possibly do now is help steer him in the right direction but let him and the hens drive. Thank you again! Have a very nice evening.

Regards,
-Angry Hen

 

[aart]

The best I can possibly do now is help steer him in the right direction but let him and the hens drive.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Our rooster is six months old. He's a total delight, and I adore him.

But others would have culled him in a heartbeat. When he started sexually maturing, he became very possessive of his house and the objects he felt were his, such as the dog carriers I would use to transport the little fluff balls for an outdoor adventure. Anytime I would move a carrier to clean it, he would charge at me at a full run and peck it. The carrier was simply part of his domain, and I was threatening his ownership.

He also would sometimes bite my ankles when I'd step toward his food or water. He doesn't do this anymore, but for a while I was a bit afraid of him.

And he used to have no problems with the dogs. They'd even sit side by side on the deck (supervised, of course). Then one day he attacked a dog, and the dog did nothing in return. It happened again and again, until I learned how to work with Henry, not against him.

The dogs no longer free roam. They stay in their fenced yard whenever they're outside. This isn't a big deal, since we never really wanted them wandering around unleashed. I also walk two of the dogs to the yard with a spiderweb remover tool. It's one of those long handled things with a fluffy blue thing on the end. We use it to round up the chickens, and Henry doesn't come near the dogs when I have it with me.

We think his behavior toward the dogs will settle down over time, but we're never going to fully trust the dogs or Henry near each other. The dogs have attacked back.

The thing with roosters, I'm learning, is you really have to love them for how they were designed to be. Learn their behavior, identify their triggers, and kind of flow along with it so you don't aggravate them and create even more triggers.

They are excellent security and earn their keep. So some of these behaviors are necessary for that purpose. Others are for mating purposes and dominance. It bothers me when someone calls a rooster a jerk or some other such name we usually reserve for people. Unlike people, roosters don't choose their behavior, and they can't un-choose it either.

When I learned to Spanish dance in response to Henry's dominance steps, he stopped biting my ankles. I read here in the forums to hold my ground, and I did. No more side stepping to get out of his way. Now he can Spanish dance right up against me and nothing comes of it.

Right now he's recovering from a coyote attack. He saved our five hens. I'll never keep hens without a rooster, and I'm willing to learn how to work with the challenges.

Just some thoughts. I hope you find a solution. Your situation sounds different from what I've had to learn how to work with here on our homestead.