Especially when they are older than one year.
I have 6 cockerels right now in the bachelor pen that are around 4-6 months old and each one is a handful. Two are barnyard mixes crossed with an Egyptian Fayoumi. The barnyard mixes have Game Bird in them. 4 are Egyptian Fayoumi crossed with OEGBs (I have no idea how they managed that one but obviously, they did)
My Fayoumi Rooster is a doll. He respects me. Doesn't want bothered, doesn't bother me but he will eat out of my hand and allow me to handle him when I need to (and can manage to run the little devil down and catch him).
5 of the young males are testing me right now. A peck I can tolerate. They are young and trying to figure out their place in the world. More than one peck and they get dangled by their heels for awhile. Bite and all bets are off. I had one break the skin twice on my hand when I reached out to pet him. I don't advocate violence towards animals or believe in abuse but when they do that, they get chastised greatly. Usually I cuff them hard on a presenting wing/side which they hate, especially when it dislodges them from their roost. If I reach for them again, and they bite again, a harder cuff. Usually after two cuffs they get the idea and allow me to handle them.
You have to be able to trust them to handle them in case they get hurt or sick. If you can't time for the freezer camp and slow cooker. Life is too short to deal with a dangerous rooster that you can't trust.
One of the afore mentioned buff O roosters sunk an spur into my leg that took all summer to heal up. Those spur wounds hurt. That rooster and his equally cantankerous brother went to the neighbors for Sunday Dinner.
I love roosters. Currently I have about 15 or 16 in my bachelor pen and more in with the girls than I need but they all behave themselves and don't abuse the girls as they have worked out their pecking order.
My best advice is don't let them get away with misbehaving and never let them see fear in you. Once they do, all is lost.
I'm reminded of the story about the woman who had a mean rooster who would attack everyone who came on the property. The bird was good with the hens and protected them so his transgressions were allowed....until one day the woman's son came to visit and the rooster attacked him as usual. Years later he and his mom were talking and the mother asked him if he remembered that mean rooster she used to have. He nodded. Well it was the strangest thing, not long after you visited me once I found him dead in the yard. Son chuckled, not so strange, mom, I got out of the car, he came at me and attacked me and I kicked him in the head. Didn't mean to kill him but I was tired of getting spurred every time I came to visit.
Trick is, I've learned with my experience with roosters, is to never let things get that far with them. If you can't make the problem go away in a reasonable length of time and effort. Make the rooster go away before he becomes dangerous.
You can always find a nice rooster looking to be rehomed here on BYC.
I have 6 cockerels right now in the bachelor pen that are around 4-6 months old and each one is a handful. Two are barnyard mixes crossed with an Egyptian Fayoumi. The barnyard mixes have Game Bird in them. 4 are Egyptian Fayoumi crossed with OEGBs (I have no idea how they managed that one but obviously, they did)
My Fayoumi Rooster is a doll. He respects me. Doesn't want bothered, doesn't bother me but he will eat out of my hand and allow me to handle him when I need to (and can manage to run the little devil down and catch him).
5 of the young males are testing me right now. A peck I can tolerate. They are young and trying to figure out their place in the world. More than one peck and they get dangled by their heels for awhile. Bite and all bets are off. I had one break the skin twice on my hand when I reached out to pet him. I don't advocate violence towards animals or believe in abuse but when they do that, they get chastised greatly. Usually I cuff them hard on a presenting wing/side which they hate, especially when it dislodges them from their roost. If I reach for them again, and they bite again, a harder cuff. Usually after two cuffs they get the idea and allow me to handle them.
You have to be able to trust them to handle them in case they get hurt or sick. If you can't time for the freezer camp and slow cooker. Life is too short to deal with a dangerous rooster that you can't trust.
One of the afore mentioned buff O roosters sunk an spur into my leg that took all summer to heal up. Those spur wounds hurt. That rooster and his equally cantankerous brother went to the neighbors for Sunday Dinner.
I love roosters. Currently I have about 15 or 16 in my bachelor pen and more in with the girls than I need but they all behave themselves and don't abuse the girls as they have worked out their pecking order.
My best advice is don't let them get away with misbehaving and never let them see fear in you. Once they do, all is lost.
I'm reminded of the story about the woman who had a mean rooster who would attack everyone who came on the property. The bird was good with the hens and protected them so his transgressions were allowed....until one day the woman's son came to visit and the rooster attacked him as usual. Years later he and his mom were talking and the mother asked him if he remembered that mean rooster she used to have. He nodded. Well it was the strangest thing, not long after you visited me once I found him dead in the yard. Son chuckled, not so strange, mom, I got out of the car, he came at me and attacked me and I kicked him in the head. Didn't mean to kill him but I was tired of getting spurred every time I came to visit.
Trick is, I've learned with my experience with roosters, is to never let things get that far with them. If you can't make the problem go away in a reasonable length of time and effort. Make the rooster go away before he becomes dangerous.
You can always find a nice rooster looking to be rehomed here on BYC.
