what should I do with my stupid rooster?

[SilkieSanctuary]

In the past I have had terrible luck with roosters. I got sexed chicks so I would not have to deal with them. But of course one turned out to be a rooster. He is actually one of the nicest roosters I have had but that is not saying much. He is terrible at mating, he grabs them by the neck feathers out of the blue. The hen freaks out because she thinks he is trying to attack her. I have never seen him be successful, he just manages to stress out the hen. He also has pecked me a few times very aggressively. The only thing holding me back from getting rid of him is that I would really love to be able to have fertile eggs. The hens have just started laying eggs so he is young. In time will he get better at mating? Is it worth it to even keep him?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

A cockerel, which this bird is, is very different than a mature rooster -- so, yes, he will likely mature and improve in his ways with the ladies and his abilities in the mating game. At the moment he is little more than a sex crazed teenager. That being said, the fact that he is showing some early signs of potentially aggressive behavior towards you is another concern entirely. Have you taken a hard look at the incidences in which he pecked you aggressively to determine what has triggered those incidents? You mentioned having had terrible luck with roosters in the past --was that due to aggression, loss of birds or? If it was aggression then it may be time to evaluate your approach to keeping a rooster to better equip yourself to move forward with this bird in a way that will avoid repeating past experience. *I* would never maintain a rooster I felt was irredeemably aggressive just to have fertilized eggs as I believe in breeding for what you want and that is not a characteristic I would want to continue in my flock.

 

[bobbi-j]

What are your plans for your fertilized eggs? Do you want to hatch them out? What will you do with all the extra cockerels you get? You will get some.

 

[donrae]

What are your plans for your fertilized eggs? Do you want to hatch them out? What will you do with all the extra cockerels you get? You will get some.

this.

I'd get rid of him. Stay with hens for a year or so. If you get a broody, or really want to incubate eggs, fertile eggs are pretty easy to come by, either locally or shipped. Not worth dealing with and feeding a freeloading rooster on the off chance you'll want to incubate half a dozen eggs once sometime six months from now.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

eat him

 

[SilkieSanctuary]

I have noticed his aggression is triggered when I do not have my gloves on. I usually have my gloves on but the few times I have not he has been aggressive. I treat all of my animals with respect and care. I do nothing to tease any of our past roosters, yet we have had to get rid of everyone of them due to aggression. I was just hoping to finally have a good rooster. He is not at a place where I feel I need to get rid of him due to aggression. I will not use his fertile eggs if he gets more aggressive, and will have to get rid of him if he does not treat my hens nicer. Do you think if I wait it out he will figure out how to mate while not completely stressing them out?

 

[bobbi-j]

I have noticed his aggression is triggered when I do not have my gloves on. I usually have my gloves on but the few times I have not he has been aggressive. I treat all of my animals with respect and care. I do nothing to tease any of our past roosters, yet we have had to get rid of everyone of them due to aggression. I was just hoping to finally have a good rooster. He is not at a place where I feel I need to get rid of him due to aggression. I will not use his fertile eggs if he gets more aggressive, and will have to get rid of him if he does not treat my hens nicer. Do you think if I wait it out he will figure out how to mate while not completely stressing them out?

Yes, he will eventually figure it out. Think of a mature, adult male vs. a hormone-ridden teenager. But you do need to figure out why ALL of your roosters have been aggressive. How many have you had? How do you handle them and act around them? Do you act confidently around them? Walk through them? Walk toward them until they move away? @Beekissed has some good suggestions as to how to train an aggressive rooster to back off:

"Now that we've established he is small, you are large, he only has toenails and a beak, you have the advantage of height, the ability to use tools and you have higher thought processes...meaning you have all the advantages on your side, you just don't stop to think about them when you are being attacked. Why not think about them BEFORE you are attacked? This works...it really works if you work it.

Go on the offensive instead of defensive...use his own tactics against him. Get yourself a long and limber cane/switch and prepare where you will teach him his first lesson in what it means to be a woman on this Earth. We don't get back, we get even.

Take away the feed and feed by meals for a few days so that all chickens have to come to the feeding area at feeding time. Then take your cane and not let him in to the feed by tapping his head, his back, his tail....get him on the run away from you...in fact, use your body and the cane to get him running and keep him running. Don't worry about the hens...at first they'll freak out but soon they realize they are not the target and will go back to eating.

Then...let him to the feeder, let him relax for a few seconds. Then take your cane and give him a swift smack to the fluffy butt, hard enough to startle him and make him jump, then keep tapping him on the back and head as he runs away.

Take your time, enjoy the process. Trust me...this will be fun! This won't take much of your time, but it will be time well spent. Drive him completely out of the coop or away from the flock and don't let him back in.....face him at all times and advance, never back up. If he advances towards you, give him a thwack with your cane and keep walking towards him, make him RUN.

The object of the lesson is to teach him you are the predator in this situation, you have the power to control his movements because he is most obviously the prey and smaller..and weaker. The final goal is to have him looking over his shoulder at all times to see where you are and him moving away from you as you get near.

The next day...do it again! I'm betting you'll see quicker response times on his part, more alertness to when you walk into the coop or run...only he won't be moving towards you, but away.

After that, keep your cane leaning near the coop and tune him up a little every now and again, just for funsies. More important....don't be timid when you walk into that flock. You won't make them mad at you or fear you too much if you walk with confident, wide strides, walking through them and not around them. Walk towards him intentionally every day to make sure he retreats when you do so...that's the desired response. He should walk a wide berth around any humans because we rule the roost, not him. He's food.

If you follow this and follow through on your own behavior, I'm betting you'll have yourself a good bird there. He already recognizes authority, which is why he doesn't bother your menfolk...you just need to let him know you have your own authority and it's called woman."

​

.

 

[Furryposm]

My rooster was only pecking at me so he could try and breed my arm! He was very amorous towards me.

Otherwise he was a very nice bird. I didn't want to use him for breeding so I found him a new home.

But just wanted to mention, this guy could just be finding you attractive!

I found if I had long sleeves on he wouldn't try and mount me. Sounds like yours doesn't find the gloves attractive.

My arm was pretty bruised up before I found him a new home. I let them know what he did, and we both figured he would stop that once he had " the real thing "!

Good luck!

 

[SilkieSanctuary]

Yes, he will eventually figure it out. Think of a mature, adult male vs. a hormone-ridden teenager. But you do need to figure out why ALL of your roosters have been aggressive. How many have you had? How do you handle them and act around them? Do you act confidently around them? Walk through them? Walk toward them until they move away? @Beekissed has some good suggestions as to how to train an aggressive rooster to back off:

"Now that we've established he is small, you are large, he only has toenails and a beak, you have the advantage of height, the ability to use tools and you have higher thought processes...meaning you have all the advantages on your side, you just don't stop to think about them when you are being attacked. Why not think about them BEFORE you are attacked? This works...it really works if you work it.

Go on the offensive instead of defensive...use his own tactics against him. Get yourself a long and limber cane/switch and prepare where you will teach him his first lesson in what it means to be a woman on this Earth. We don't get back, we get even.

Take away the feed and feed by meals for a few days so that all chickens have to come to the feeding area at feeding time. Then take your cane and not let him in to the feed by tapping his head, his back, his tail....get him on the run away from you...in fact, use your body and the cane to get him running and keep him running. Don't worry about the hens...at first they'll freak out but soon they realize they are not the target and will go back to eating.

Then...let him to the feeder, let him relax for a few seconds. Then take your cane and give him a swift smack to the fluffy butt, hard enough to startle him and make him jump, then keep tapping him on the back and head as he runs away.

Take your time, enjoy the process. Trust me...this will be fun! This won't take much of your time, but it will be time well spent. Drive him completely out of the coop or away from the flock and don't let him back in.....face him at all times and advance, never back up. If he advances towards you, give him a thwack with your cane and keep walking towards him, make him RUN.

The object of the lesson is to teach him you are the predator in this situation, you have the power to control his movements because he is most obviously the prey and smaller..and weaker. The final goal is to have him looking over his shoulder at all times to see where you are and him moving away from you as you get near.

The next day...do it again! I'm betting you'll see quicker response times on his part, more alertness to when you walk into the coop or run...only he won't be moving towards you, but away.

After that, keep your cane leaning near the coop and tune him up a little every now and again, just for funsies. More important....don't be timid when you walk into that flock. You won't make them mad at you or fear you too much if you walk with confident, wide strides, walking through them and not around them. Walk towards him intentionally every day to make sure he retreats when you do so...that's the desired response. He should walk a wide berth around any humans because we rule the roost, not him. He's food.

If you follow this and follow through on your own behavior, I'm betting you'll have yourself a good bird there. He already recognizes authority, which is why he doesn't bother your menfolk...you just need to let him know you have your own authority and it's called woman."

​

.
thank you! To be honest I have been a little bit stand off-ish tward any roosters because when I had chickens as a kid they would attack me. But now I will take the lead and and try out these things!

 

[SilkieSanctuary]

My rooster was only pecking at me so he could try and breed my arm! He was very amorous towards me.

Otherwise he was a very nice bird. I didn't want to use him for breeding so I found him a new home.

But just wanted to mention, this guy could just be finding you attractive!

I found if I had long sleeves on he wouldn't try and mount me. Sounds like yours doesn't find the gloves attractive.

My arm was pretty bruised up before I found him a new home. I let them know what he did, and we both figured he would stop that once he had " the real thing "!

Good luck!

That really could be what he is doing! I don't think he has quite figured the real thing out yet so he seems very frustrated. I guess hes trying everything out to see what works.