Emerging signs of aggressiveness in cockerel - can I control it?

[kathyd]

Hi. First time cockerel keeper, more by accident than design, and feeling a bit out of my depth! I hatched 6 eggs, got 5 boys and one girl. Found homes for 3 boys, the other one fell through so I kept 2. I now have 7 adult hens, one POL (sister) and 2 cocks. The larger cockerel has become the dominant one, the other seems happy to play second fiddle so far. However, as spring approaches the dominant one is becoming increasingly aggressive towards his brother, who's now getting a bit pushed out. More significantly, he looks as though he's going to start on me next - and I'm not having it!

I initially noticed him coming at me from behind, side-stepping and fluffing up, and I felt threatened, so one day I threw the (empty!) poo bucket at him. He didn't speak to me for a week, but made friends afterwards. I decided he'd been treating me like one of his hens - also not appropriate, but possibly not deserving of the poo bucket! - but this latest behaviour is different. He took a peck at my leg this morning when I went to let them out, so I waved a cane at him and whacked him (fairly gently) on his side with it when he wouldn't back off. He crowed at me, so I crowed back. Then I started a Monty Python type of dance, waving my arms like big wings and growling. Oh god, I'm so pleased we don't have close neighbours...

Now clearly this can't go on, for either of our sakes - so what's the answer? Is he a lost cause, or can he be salvaged at this stage? He's somewhere around his early 20s I think, though I've lost track a bit. Some of the girls have been laying for a while, some started and stopped, some not started yet, so not sure if this is affecting him in any way? Or maybe he just doesn't like my red dressing gown covered with an ancient rust-covered anorak.. can't say I blame him, this is France after all, and it's hardly haute couture, but even so...

Any advice please? I'm game to try coaxing and hand feeding a bit longer, but also not averse to weapons if necessary. I'm even resigned to giving him away to someone who'll eat him if I have to, although a) it would go against all my principles and b) I suspect his bro would become just the same once the competition's removed. Help!!

[Guest]

Hi Kathy, I can't really advise but just give my experience. I have found that if the are aggressive in the first year that is their nature. I had an evil cockeral that actually broke my skin and drew blood from the leg pecking and biting. Thankfully I have never had any flighty cockerels so it is a case of leg protection. However, it is the time of year when they are all hormonal and protective of their girls. I think ideally you could do with getting rid of one cockeral as the ratio of cockerals to hens is 1 to upto 10 girls.

[mothhawk]

I had an aggressive bantie cockerel once, we named him Cato (think Pink Panther) as he leaped out at us from all sorts of unexpected places. It didn't really bother me as he couldn't hurt my wellies, but it was a nuisance to others so I educated him to not do it.

Don't let him for one moment imagine you are another rooster, so - no more crowing at him. You need to retrain him so he learns that.

Try to keep a few handfuls of feed with you and whenever you see him doing that little side-stepping dance, toss him a bit of feed, so he begins to see you as a food source, not a rival. Don't avoid him, but don't walk directly at him or stare at him - as in most animals, this is seen as threat or aggression or rivalry - and you are NOT a rooster!

When you let them out in the morning, open the door and when he sees you, scatter a bit of feed on the ground, and back slowly away to allow him space to come out and eat.

If he will let you pick him up, doing that and carrying him around tucked under an arm while you do other stuff will help him learn you are not poultry.

He's probably being extra protective of his girls at this time of year too, so it might calm him a bit just by removing the other cockerel.

[Lisasbolt]

You really need to stand your ground, like you are doing so. I have never had cockerels but my queen chicken started to get nasty last year. So annoying when you go to feed them, want to shout you won't get breakfast you little ......
One time when she ran up to me i pushed her over with my foot, hard to say without it sounding like you need to call PETA, but trust me i would not have hurt her. Also put them in time out. We made a little cage just for this so she could see everything that was happening. (actually it is not so little (4mx1.5m)) but she was separated and hated it.
My queenie is fine now, it only lasted a couple of weeks but i stood my ground.

Do you really mean 20 years, have you had him all this time? if so, you know what his normal character is like.

[Scarlet]

Sorry Kathy, I think you already know what I'm going to say too.. I'm with Norfolk Grey.
I've had a few nasty ones, the earlier they start the worse it gets. Get rid of him now, they can be really horrible.

[Guest]

Do you really mean 20 years, have you had him all this time? if so, you know what his normal character is like.

I think that is chickens years. So just over 1 human year

https://www.easycalculation.com/othe...man-years.html

[Scarlet]

You really need to stand your ground, like you are doing so. I have never had cockerels but my queen chicken started to get nasty last year.

Sorry Lisa, a cockerel is a 100 times worse. They draw blood and they will keep coming back, flying into your face if possible.

[Nannysally99]

I don't keep chickens, but my sister used to. She had two goes with a cockerel and both times the aggression won out. Funnily enough, they were always ok until I had visited lol. I was the catalyst for both the boys to start protecting their girlies, but it soon transferred to anyone and everyone. Such a shame, but the girls were quite happy without them

[Guest]

You really need to stand your ground, like you are doing so. I have never had cockerels but my queen chicken started to get nasty last year. So annoying when you go to feed them, want to shout you won't get breakfast you little ......

Meet 'Evil Ernie'



He is only a little boy here before he could crow, had spurs and his full evilness had been shown. Already you can see his dominence/ aggressiveness by the up right, drawn stance and the unrelenting glare. It might seem worse to me as I knew him, but I think at the same time once you have had this issue you start to notice the behaviour and signs.

[Scarlet]

NG, I've had a few nasty ones, the worse ones I've found have been hand reared - one of mine use to repeatedly try to fly in my face.
I used a dustbin lid as protection. I nearly lost my nerve with the chickens(!) as he was so aggressive I couldn't bend down anywhere, to clean out etc...he would go for my head. It's not worth the risk.

[Guest]

NG, I've had a few nasty ones, the worse ones I've found have been hand reared - one of mine use to repeatedly try to fly in my face.
I used a dustbin lid as protection. I nearly lost my nerve with the chickens(!) as he was so aggressive I couldn't bend down anywhere, to clean out etc...he would go for my head. It's not worth the risk.

Oh good god yes, get rid of them. Ernie only lasted as long as he did as he was my first cockeral from my first time at hatching eggs and I was a softie back then. Nowadays mine only have to do it once and they are in the kitchen the next day but I know a lot of people can't bring themselves to do it, but it isn't worth anyone feeling threatened to go near their birds. It really does depend on the type of person you are, as to how far you let it go.

[kathyd]

Well what a lot of interesting reading, thank you . Hmmm... Scarlet - you're quite right, I did know what you were going to say before I even posted . Mothawk - I agree with most of what you say, but I already do most of it so don't think I can 'retrain' him like that - I don't pick him up any more, not since he's got big, initially because he hated being picked up and now because I don't trust him and he'd be too close to my face. And I don't normally crow at him, but I'm afraid I will NOT be bullied in my own garden, chased away from the chickens, or made afraid to go outside - he's got to learn that 'he's not the boss of me', it's the other way around, or he's a gonner, much as it will break my heart if it comes to that. Lisa - not 20 years no, 20 something weeks . He was hatched 22nd July last year. He doesn't have his spurs yet, but they're on the way. If he flies at me, uses his claws or draws blood, that's the day he's off. I have plenty of friends who'd happily find space for him in their freezers if necessary, although I'd try to rehome him first.

I'm going to give him every opportunity to settle down and behave, but I do realise it might not happen. I'll leave a warning, a bin lid and a stick for the pet sitter. And yes NannySally, you're right - I don't 'need' a cockerel at all.

The thing I find really strange and a bit sad to be honest, is how fast I'm learning to 'unlike' this bird - he was such a little loner and scaredy-cat, and so sweet when he was little, I couldn't imagine ever not liking him, but it won't take much more pushing before I click the 'Unlike' button, so he'd better watch out.

[Scarlet]

You're too soft Kathy - just like I was, one more chance, he is beautiful to look at, was gorgeous and loved being picked up! Have him for tea.

[skeggijon]

I have a bantie cockerel who has been getting a bit aggressive over the last couple of weeks, although mainly with my OH and stepdaughter - who is always wanting to pick up his girls. It could be the time of year, although 2 cockerels is 1 too many I'm afraid, so probably best to keep the least dominant 1.

[mothhawk]

You're probably right Kathyd. There's an awful lot of difference between a bantie and a full size bird. If you don't need a cockerel, why put up with the hassle, I wouldn't be sentimental, I'd eat him. I kept my bantie because he kept the farm cats away from my bantie girls, but the fox finally did for him one day.