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

[kathyd]

Watch this space .

[noviceveggrower]

My mom and dad use to have chickens when we lived in Scotland. Don't know which ones they were but they were big and white. The cockerel was massive.
It was my wonderful Saturday job to clean them out.But one day he came at me with spurs up and beak ready for me. I managed to side step him and get out of his way. So I went back up to the house and said what had happened. My mom was a winner as she stormed down to the chicken pen muttering under her breath about me wanting to get out of cleaning the chickens. She was back in within 10 minutes complaining about the cockerel.
So my dad went down and sorted him out. He was very tasty for Sunday lunch.
Think its a case of when does he become dangerous and goes for your face or does sneak attacks. You don't want to be on your guard all the time and not enjoy the rest of your chickens.

[Scarlet]

Nowadays mine only have to do it once and they are in the kitchen the next day

Same here - But I learnt the hard way. I'm a sucker for a good looking bird and it always seems to be the best looking one that has to go

[Zelenina]

An aggressive cockerel is bad news, kathyd. But they're not all aggressive. I had one lovely gentle bantam boy who took over as mum to a batch of chicks when their real mum got sick. He did everything that a mother hen would do. Found food for them, and crooned to them, and huddled down to let them all nestle underneath him.

So I think you're best to get rid of this bad guy and give the other one a chance. He might be fine, but if he turns bad too then he'll have to go as well. Maybe he'd be better with a bigger flock and more work to do. Perhaps someone with a quieter older cock would like to swap for one of your unrelated young ones. Otherwise, being eaten is probably the best use for him.

Anyway, two males in such a small flock is too many as Norfolkgrey said, and could make the hens stressed and interfere with their laying.

[kathyd]

Well this morning he completely ignored me when I went to let them out. Let's see how the rest of the day shapes up... The clock is ticking!

[kathyd]

Misbehaved again while I was cleaning out... now taken photos, and drafted an advert ready for the classified online site... I'm still hanging on in there, but I'm sure it won't be long

[Nicos]

If you accidentally have chicks by him- the chicks may inherit his aggression.
Not what you want if you want them as chums as well as egg layers.

I have 2 calm banties...brothers...but even they started sparring until no.2 got an eye pecked out...now he's firmly no. 2 .

Personally, I'd get rid of your lad too- doesn't sound a nice chap!

Of course your no 2 might end up just as aggressive- but by the fact he's no 2 now shows he has a submissive streak and may well be fine if you do keep that one.

[Scarlet]

Don't pass a nasty bird onto someone else Kathy. Just do the deed.

[Guest]

Misbehaved again while I was cleaning out... now taken photos

Where are the pics then? (just so we can all turn into softies after everything that's been said )

[Nicos]

Don't pass a nasty bird onto someone else Kathy. Just do the deed.

They'll probably eat a free bird anyway...you'd pay €15 for a dressed meat bird like that!...just a thought

[Scarlet]

He'll taste lovely too ..all those mealworms he's getting!
Go on Kathy - give it a go

[wildinthecountry]

Cuddle him!

The best way to break a cockerel's aggression is to confuse him by picking him up (easiest to start off in dim light when he's not so active) and cuddling him. Stroke him and be nice to him. Do this every day and after a while you may find he's settled down a lot - and you've got a cuddly friend! I've done this successfully (My Large Buff Rock cockerel used to put his head on my shoulder and go to sleep!) That's the aggression towards you. It won't work with his brother, especially in the breeding season. If it's possible to keep him with a few of the hens in one pen or part of the garden and his brother with the others in another some distance away you should find they settle down. I kept two cockerels with their hens in separate parts of the garden for years. They do need a fair bit of space. Some breeds are more prone to aggression than others. The one thing you don't want to do is retaliate with anger which will just make them worse. Good luck, I hope you don't have to end up with chicken pie.
PS you may think of learning to cut and file the spurs (why did that come out first with a capital S!!) with nail clippers you'd use for a dog. Keep them well filed so he can't do too much harm. Or get an experienced chicken keeper, or vet to do it at some expense!

[kathyd]

Update

OK, well Breeze has just gone off to a new home - a smallholding with 6 chickens and no other cockerel, so he should be a happy bunny . I've asked them to let me know how they get on. Meanwhile cockerel no 2 hasn't stopped gurgling and flirting, making up for lost time I guess. Girls all suitably unimpressed so far . Wonder how long it'll be before I decide I need to re-home him too!?