Young rooster aggression/cannot hold him

[dempseya]

Hi y'all! Newer rooster mama here & searching for some advice! He is 4 months old and the hormones are definitely kicking in. Since he was little I have held him frequently as well as the girls to get them used to me. He eats out of my hand as well. The past few weeks, he has not let me hold him and when I would go near and put my hands out, he would run and get very startled but not aggressive. Eventually, I gave up trying to hold him because I didn't want to make him anxious and he appeared scared so I backed off.

Fast forward to the past few days: He started showing signs of aggression. Angry sounds, staring at me like he wants to kill me, and a couple of times had jumped/tried attacking me. I did flap my arms and tried not to show fear and eventually he backed down. Even last night while giving him grapes, he took the grape but got puffed up and stared me down prior like he was waiting on attacking.

I had seen recommendations on "holding him down" and showing dominance, so tonight I tried to be brave and hold him which turned out to be a traumatic event for him and me…I had to chase him around for 4-5 minutes to keep trying to get him and he was PETRIFIED at one point. Eventually he made his way into a narrow area and got himself stuck. I was so afraid he was going to get hurt. My husband and I got him out but he looked completely traumatized. No apparent injury but definitely scared. I feel like I made everything worse but I was just trying to hold him like the recommendations said. The good news was that he didn’t try to attack but I feel like he definitely thinks I’m a threat now please let me know your thoughts of how to handle this- I am willing to learn but want to do this the right/safe way!

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

With my previous cocks, the best thing to do was plain ignore them until they got older. If they don't have any fear of you, there's not much you can do about that. But when they are skitish, that is what you want, then work it out of them in their adult years.

Keep in mind, your cockerel may just be tid bitting for you at times! I had a silkie who would drop a wing and circle me all the way back to the house!

My advise would be to leave him be, and if he ever tries to attack you, smack him to kingdom come (nr!) and show him who's boss. He'll forget about it tomorrow, don't worry, you didn't just crush your relationship, but he needs to know who is in charge.

When a COCKEREL, not a rooster, is being aggressive like that, it is normally just hormones and he will grow out of it. It is also a good sign that he will be a good rooster to the flock and care for them.

Good luck, I sure hope this helps!

 

[Mrs. K]

I am never quite sure why anyone should be attacked, anyone that has only brought food, provided shelter and care. You didn't ruin the rooster, you raised him up in flock mates so that quickly he has become the biggest, toughest thing out there. He is aggressive and he could be dangerous to children, you and eventually even your husband.

If you have children please let him go. They will tend to take it in the face. No. rooster is worth that.

But really a lot of roosters are not good back yard roosters. Some of them can never be trusted. I think you have one of those. A great rooster is that, but a lot of them are not.

You can keep trying, but I doubt if anything will work, it is not your fault, they are just like that sometimes. I have had them for 20 years, and more and more I am beginning to think a good rooster is the luck of the draw. This is not a good rooster.

Mrs K

 

[bobbi-j]

Honestly, I would prefer a cockerel/rooster who won’t let me get close enough to hold him down, cuddle him or hand feed him. I’d rather he give me my space. If that means that he leads the hens away from me as well, so be it. I have a cat and a dog for companion pets. I will not tolerate a cockerel that tries to attack me. I have grandkids that like to help pick eggs and feed the chickens when they come visit. I can’t have a bird that may attack them.

 

[Sussex19]

I had seen recommendations on "holding him down" and showing dominance, so tonight I tried to be brave and hold him which turned out to be a traumatic event for him and me…I had to chase him around for 4-5 minutes to keep trying to get him and he was PETRIFIED at one point. Eventually he made his way into a narrow area and got himself stuck. I was so afraid he was going to get hurt. My husband and I got him out but he looked completely traumatized. No apparent injury but definitely scared. I feel like I made everything worse but I was just trying to hold him like the recommendations said. The good news was that he didn’t try to attack but I feel like he definitely thinks I’m a threat now please let me know your thoughts of how to handle this- I am willing to learn but want to do this the right/safe way!

To me this sounds that was what he needed( apart from the getting stuck, but as long as he didn't get hurt, I wouldn't worry about it) to stop him getting more aggressive.
I usually discipline my cockerels by chasing them and it don't do them any harm.
Also seeing you as a threat isn't a bad thing, until he's fully grown up, and then you can get his trust back.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

What did you do with him?

 

[Folly's place]

Updates do help, how is he doing?