Your advice on my Ayam Cemani Roo

[CrazyChickLady64]

Hello, I am new to owning chickens. I have had my flock for a year now and added two boys which I hatched they are 5 and 6 months old. One of them is a back yard mix, Elliot, and just the most lovable boy. The other is an Ayam Cemani, Preston, he is 4 months old and has allowed me to pick him up and hold him. He has been challenging me lately and is being more aggressive. Today when I picked him up he tried to peck me and I got on to him and he stopped. Tonight I went into the run and he pecked me on my leg of course I pushed him pretty hard back and he seemed done. He has also been showing some pretty nasty behavior towards his girls I picked up a hand full of feathers he plucked out of one of his girls. I don't want him to be a mean roo and I feel like he is still young enough to change his behavior. You should know I have separate coops and runs for the boys and there girls and they both get free range time 4-5 hours a day at separate times. Preston's girls are not laying yet so he is not mating yet. Please any and all advice tips and tricks to make this happen is welcome. I added a picture of both my boys and there flocks. TIA

 

[16 and me]

Hello, I am new to owning chickens. I have had my flock for a year now and added two boys which I hatched they are 5 and 6 months old. One of them is a back yard mix, Elliot, and just the most lovable boy. The other is an Ayam Cemani, Preston, he is 4 months old and has allowed me to pick him up and hold him. He has been challenging me lately and is being more aggressive. Today when I picked him up he tried to peck me and I got on to him and he stopped. Tonight I went into the run and he pecked me on my leg of course I pushed him pretty hard back and he seemed done. He has also been showing some pretty nasty behavior towards his girls I picked up a hand full of feathers he plucked out of one of his girls. I don't want him to be a mean roo and I feel like he is still young enough to change his behavior. Please any and all advice tips and tricks to make this happen is welcome. I added a picture of both my boys. TIA

Beautiful boys! It sounds like Preston's hormones are in full swing. Unfortunately I haven't had much success with agressive young males. The behaviour increases as they try to establish dominance over the flock, and is likely increased with another male to compete with. How many hens do you have? Can you keep just Elliot?
My last cockerel started out like Preston, but never agressive to me. By the time he was 7 months old he charged the hens like they were prey, and every hen was terrified of him.
If you want to keep both,
the only advice I know that may help is to build a bachelor pad for the boys away from the hens until they are past puberty (about 14 months old). Even then, there is no guarantee they'll work out.

 

[Rock17]

Next time he goes for you grab him and hold him to the ground with one hand using just enough force to keep him from escaping and with the other hand flick him. Keep this up for about two minutes. You can do this if he tries mating aggressively in your presence. Become a bigger, meaner, stronger rooster than him. Ps roosters get pretty strong, only do this if safe for you and don’t ever look him in the eye. If he looks you in the eye prepare for an attack.

 

[Rock17]

My first advice is to rehome him or form a bachelor flock

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

Next time he goes for you grab him and hold him to the ground with one hand using just enough force to keep him from escaping and with the other hand flick him. Keep this up for about two minutes. You can do this if he tries mating aggressively in your presence. Become a bigger, meaner, stronger rooster than him. Ps roosters get pretty strong, only do this if safe for you and don’t ever look him in the eye. If he looks you in the eye prepare for an attack.

I have two separate coops and runs that have plenty of space. Preston has 11 hens in his flock. And Elliot has 11 hens in his flock. Although they can see each other they are never together. Preston's girls are not laying yet. Do you think separating him from his flock for a while would help?

 

[Rock17]

I have two separate coops and runs that have plenty of space. Preston has 11 hens in his flock. And Elliot has 11 hens in his flock. Although they can see each other they are never together. Preston's girls are not laying yet. Do you think separating him from his flock for a while would help?

Might do if you formed a bachelor pad but I recommend rehoming

 

[wrathsfarm]

I ignored my boys when they were that age. I walk thru them, not around and if they push me, I push back. I don't let them on my lap, cuddles or pet them.
At first sign of harassing the girls I isolate as boys mature faster than girls. You could try free ranging at non peak mating times, if that don't work lock him up til after the last girl is laying as he is just going to stress them out.

Are you free ranging both flocks together or separate? I keep my boys from interacting as much as possible by adding sight blockers and secondary fencing.

Additional tip...Lose that chicken wire or your gonna lose birds.

 

[16 and me]

Here is a great article "Understanding your Rooster" which may give you some insight:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

Separating him may or may not help... In my case it did not, but in my case he did not have his own flock, but was under the alpha rooster which he was in competition with.

 

[Rock17]

I ignored my boys when they were that age. I walk thru them, not around and if they push me, I push back. I don't let them on my lap, cuddles or pet them.
At first sign of harassing the girls I isolate as boys mature faster than girls. You could try free ranging at non peak mating times, if that don't work lock him up til after the last girl is laying as he is just going to stress them out.

Are you free ranging both flocks together or separate? I keep my boys from interacting as much as possible by adding sight blockers and secondary fencing.

Additional tip...Lose that chicken wire or your gonna lose birds.

 

[wrathsfarm]

@CrazyChickLady64 Preston is a gorgeous boy, I've been wanting a Svart Hona flock for a long time but too many now. If you want to keep him, try a few things and see if he responds for a couple months. Like was posted earlier by others blocking his line of site/competition with your other roo might help by not adding to his aggression.... But first and foremost you gotta do what's best for you, your family and them ladies of his to keep everyone safe and happy.