Any tips on raising a friendly rooster?

[The Welch Chickens]

Does anyone have experience with training a cockerel to be friendly towards humans? Ours is almost 9 weeks old and hasn't started crowing yet. He is not super friendly (he keeps a respectful distance) but he's fine with being picked up. Is this how he'll be for life, or could he become mean? Could we try to raise him to be friendly somehow? (Holding him often, giving treats, etc.)

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens are not like kittens and puppies, whereas you handle them a lot, and they love it and are life long friends. There are many theories on how to raise a rooster, but the longer I am in this game, the more I am confident that it is the luck of the draw. Some are wonderful, some are awful, some go from the darling to the nightmare in an instant.

I do know that todays behavior is no indicator of next weeks, next month or next year. They are largely controlled by hormones and genetics. Handling them often often makes them appear friendly, but what really happens is they loose respect for you. Respect and fear are closely related in the chicken society. IMO you want a bird to naturally move away from you, not in a panic, just giving you the space equating with respect.

What you really need is a plan, not a wish or a hope that they will just be nice. Maybe you won't have to use the plan, but you need one. Make a decision how you will cull the bird if needed. Have a dog crate at hand, to put the bird in if needed. A long handle fish net can catch an aggressive bird, or you can pull him off the roost at night.

Most inexperienced people do not recognize the signs a bird is getting aggressive, until it attacks out of no where. People often times vastly underestimate the violence of an attack. They tend to attack children first, then women, then adults. You need to be very aware when around him. Children under 6, can take an attack in the face or head.

Your rooster is in the darling stage, enjoy that. He may stay that way, but there is a very good chance, at least 50% chance that he will not. Be aware and have a plan set up ready to go if he is not.

Mrs K

 

[The Welch Chickens]

@Mrs. K, thank you for taking the time to write such an in-depth, helpful reply to my questions. I really appreciate that!

 

[Brent4224]

Chickens are not like kittens and puppies, whereas you handle them a lot, and they love it and are life long friends. There are many theories on how to raise a rooster, but the longer I am in this game, the more I am confident that it is the luck of the draw. Some are wonderful, some are awful, some go from the darling to the nightmare in an instant.

I do know that todays behavior is no indicator of next weeks, next month or next year. They are largely controlled by hormones and genetics. Handling them often often makes them appear friendly, but what really happens is they loose respect for you. Respect and fear are closely related in the chicken society. IMO you want a bird to naturally move away from you, not in a panic, just giving you the space equating with respect.

What you really need is a plan, not a wish or a hope that they will just be nice. Maybe you won't have to use the plan, but you need one. Make a decision how you will cull the bird if needed. Have a dog crate at hand, to put the bird in if needed. A long handle fish net can catch an aggressive bird, or you can pull him off the roost at night.

Most inexperienced people do not recognize the signs a bird is getting aggressive, until it attacks out of no where. People often times vastly underestimate the violence of an attack. They tend to attack children first, then women, then adults. You need to be very aware when around him. Children under 6, can take an attack in the face or head.

Your rooster is in the darling stage, enjoy that. He may stay that way, but there is a very good chance, at least 50% chance that he will not. Be aware and have a plan set up ready to go if he is not.

Mrs K

When does the darling stage end? I have a rooster that is 6 months. He is the sweetest thing and will actively guard me should anything he seems a threat comes near me. Or if a hen is appearing aggressive near me. I'm wondering when he's going to start turning to where he will stop being sweet and protective.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

When does the darling stage end? I have a rooster that is 6 months. He is the sweetest thing and will actively guard me should anything he seems a threat comes near me. Or if a hen is appearing aggressive near me. I'm wondering when he's going to start turning to where he will stop being sweet and protective.

I don't think there is a "darling stage," I think it just depends on the rooster; I am not experienced though, can someone else help here?

Ours was fine to us, but mean to the hens; in our house, the hens come first, so we ended up giving him to a farm with lots of land that takes roosters and finds new homes for them.
We miss our sweet boy, but the hens are so much happier.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

will actively guard me should anything he seems a threat comes near me. Or if a hen is appearing aggressive near me.

How adorable

Enjoy him, I hope his behavior will last!

 

[chickenlover8969]

spend time with him as much as possible but dont overdue it. Each day if you have time just sit in there hand out treats. If you have a call for treats or just a call for your girls the rooster will probably come up and take some to if he see's other hens going up to you. If you dont. Hand out treats and say here chicka! chicka! chicka! or any call you want. After a week or a few days they will all run up to you. probably the rooster to. I am only going off my own experience. So if anything doesn't work please dont get mad at me. make sure you have a good number of hens or your rooster might over mate the ones that you do have and cause them harm. Six is a good number for one but I would try to have 8-12 that is what I have and haven't experienced problems with over mating. how many hens do you have. if you wanted to just eat the eggs keep them in the fridge when you collect them. The chick wont start to develop. causing it no pain because it is not alive yet. thats what I do. With the over mating if you only have a few hens it all depends on the rooster. Make sure your run is a good size I dont know what breeds you have so I could not tell you a good size. I hope any of this information helps.

 

[fluffycrow]

All roosters that have attacked me were once wary cockerels that kept their distance, without being frightened. So far, all my friendly cockerels turned out either friendly adults or adults that didn't care about me. It comes down to breeding, and luck