Why and what do you do when a cockerel turns agressive?

[gimmie birdies]

This is my main rooster, he is a Black Copper maran mix named Bruce (formerly Bunny) His mom was a Pure BCM, his dad was Blue cochin/LO, very mellow, I used to pick him up all the time. when he turned teenager he didn't want to be picked up anymore, and has avoided me, but if he is cornered, he just squats like a hen and lets me pick him up.

the pic below is my beta rooster, he doesn't give me any trouble, and he just avoids me also. He is an EE. His name is Earl.

 

[IamRainey]

You have some beautiful birds there, gimme birdies!

 

[getaclue]

I just happen to have a rooster, or two, or three, or four....They are a large breed, and weigh 9.5 lbs. full grown. Not the biggest breed out there, but certainly big enough I wouldn't want one with more attitude than I have.

Yes, I handle the hens in front of the roosters. It's MY coop. They're MY hens. I'm the alpha, and they KNOW it. It's not a constant battle, or I would not enjoy keeping chickens.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Just from my personal experience it will not get better. If anything he’ll get bigger stronger and even more aggressive. I’d did all the behavioral redirects suggested. I was not afraid. I’d pick him up I’d push his breast to the ground for submission. I went through 3 roosters.
Truth I was to blame for their behaviors. I didn’t know anything thing about roosters who when young are very loveable and cuddly much more than hens at that age. I feel like my behaviors and not knowing caused the problem or... they just were nasty-mean birds. I rehomed one very young he’s still doing well the other two were culled. I knew going into chickens I could never cull one myself because they are pets. I arranged to have my friend do it for me. In chicken keeping culling is part of the process. Not just for behaviors but at times Humanely needed. I’m sorry your in this situation. I can relate. Either rehome him or euthanize him.

 

[getaclue]

I got this from Beekissed. I started using this method years with a bit of variation for my situation, years ago. Usually, the only time I have any trouble now, is when the cockerels hit that "teenage" stage, where they have more raging male hormones than good sense. By catching it immediately, and dealing with it, I don't have continued problems. In fact, I've had a couple of them that after a couple sessions, they've learned their lesson, and have never challenged me again. Another, I went several weeks doing this, then he finally came around to seeing things my way. I knew that once his hormones got settled a bit, he would be fine, and he has been. Enjoy!
__________________________________________________________________
I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

 

[EggWalrus]

I got this from Beekissed. I started using this method years with a bit of variation for my situation, years ago. Usually, the only time I have any trouble now, is when the cockerels hit that "teenage" stage, where they have more raging male hormones than good sense. By catching it immediately, and dealing with it, I don't have continued problems. In fact, I've had a couple of them that after a couple sessions, they've learned their lesson, and have never challenged me again. Another, I went several weeks doing this, then he finally came around to seeing things my way. I knew that once his hormones got settled a bit, he would be fine, and he has been. Enjoy!
__________________________________________________________________
I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

It's an 8 wk old baby, NOT a full grown rooster.
People should at least read the entire first page of a thread before they start giving advise that doesn't really pertain to the situation at hand.

 

[getaclue]

Even as young chicks, there is a bit of a pecking order semi-established. The breed I raise tend to go through stages of calmness, and flightiness. At about 6 weeks old, I tend to put them in a huge dog crate on the screened in back porch. It's about this age that the little cockerels begin to take on their "rooster" characteristics more noticeably. They knew I was going to come out every afternoon, move all of them out of the cage, and clean it. When the little cockerels would see the big bad lady, they would make sounds, and chase the little pullets to the back of the crate, away from the door. The little pullets would come between me, and the little pullets. During this time, they're practicing their stink-eye on each other, on the little pullets, and on me. Of course, I reach in, and grab the closest one, and keep going until they are all in the totes, then clean the cage, put in fresh water, and feed, then the fun would begin.

I take them out of the tote, and put a little feed, or a little grit, or twice a week I put out a few mealworms. They all come rushing to see what I've put out for them, but the little cockerels seem to want to protect the little pullets, and herd them behind them. Phoey on that, the little pullets are having no part of being told what to do, because big scary lady might have treats. By 8 weeks, the cockerels are a bit more dominant, and do have the little pullets trained stay back more, and let them defend them. Of course, little cockerels don't know a dang thing about calling the females for a treat, or dipping their wings or anything like that yet, so they just try to get all of whatever I put down for them. The little girls can hold their own with the little cockerels if it involves treats. It helps when I shoo the cockerels away, and don't let them have treats until the little pullets come forward too. I never considered it to be "rooster training", but in a sense, I'm already teaching them at a young age that I am the boss, and the females belong to me.

 

[Ribh]

A flexible fishing rod works wonders when herding chooks.

 

[BuffOrpington567]

that is not expressing the birds age but a length of time owned @Shadrach

Hes 2 months old

 

[BuffOrpington567]

The culling was done last night, even though I hated doing it. Thanks for all your help