Have you ever hesitated to get chickens because you are worried about a rooster being aggressive? Or, maybe you already have a rooster that is mean. Well, it doesn't have to be this way. I have had multiple roosters and all of them have not been aggressive. Let me show you how to tame a rooster.
Are all roosters mean
Roosters usually have a stigma of being aggressive birds. Most people are scared of roosters for that reason, but not all roosters are mean like this.
For some roosters it could be because of their breed or the way they are raised. Although some breeds can be more aggressive, I believe that most roosters can be tamed.
Understanding pecking order
Pecking order is what you could call the chickens social system. Chickens will usually show dominance if they are at the top and will cower if they are lower.
When there is one rooster in the flock, he is at the top of the pecking order. He will show this dominance and fight anything trying to reach above his station.
What makes a rooster aggressive
Roosters act as the protector of their flocks and take this role very seriously. When they grow older and are placed into their flocks outdoors, they will feel the need to protect the flock.
Therefore, when he sees you approaching his flock he sees you as a threat and will come after you. This is their natural protective instinct.
So even though your rooster is chasing you around and you may think he is just being annoying for no good reason, it is not the case. The rooster is simply trying to protect his flock from what he perceives as a threat.
How can I make my rooster tame
Since your rooster thinks he is the head of the flock you need to show him who is really in charge. Show him that you are not afraid of him and that you are much bigger than him. (If you think about it, running away and being scared of a ten pound bird is rather comical.)
Here are some of the things I do to show the rooster that I am the owner and they are the chicken.
Holding them as chicks
When the chicks are young make sure to hold them sometimes even when they want to wiggle away. This shows them that you are stronger. (Remember to be gentle though.)
I once had an all black feathered chicken that everyone loved to hold when it was a chick. When that hen grew up it would just let you pick it up. It got so used to and comfortable around people because of the frequent engagement.
The same thing goes for roosters too; always make sure that they are familiar and comfortable around people. You never want your chickens to feel scared of you.
Never run away
When he starts to run after you DO NOT RUN AWAY; rather run towards him with your arms outstretched to make you look bigger. (Their bark is bigger than their bite.) Never let him run after you or he will think he has won.
Hold them when they are older
Occasionally pick him up and hold him. Maybe even walk around while you hold him. This will again show him that you are much bigger and stronger than him. It will in a way humiliate him in front of the hens.
Never be mean to him
Do not be aggressive back. You want to show your dominance, but you do not want to be mean or hurt your rooster. If you throw him around he will just become more aggressive and dangerous.
Even though these things may not sound like they will work, they do and I can prove it. I have had four roosters in my flock (not on purpose that is). My neighbors do not enjoy the crowing, so I got rid of each one.
Everyone of those roosters was tame when they left my flock. Now they definitely were still animals and I could not get them to do tricks, but they were not aggressive to humans.
My first experience
When I first got chickens we ordered all pullets, but of course there is no guarantee you will get all pullets. We wound up with three roosters out of the eight chickens.
After a little time being in the coop the roosters started to show dominance. Then one day as I was walking up to the coop one of the roosters came running out of the coop after me.
Of course my instinct was to run. He chased me all the way to the house. That is when I knew I had to do something to tame my rooster.
After some good research I understood that I need to run towards him and hold my ground. The next time he started coming after me I did just that.
It worked! He went running away. Roosters are actually scared of humans. Do not run away, but always show him that you are in control.
Is their a certain breed I can get that will be calmer
Even though these tactics work they will not tame every rooster. You can get certain breeds that are said to be tamer and better around children. Here is a list of 10 roosters that are good around children.
Roosters do have spurs and can be aggressive around small children, so getting roosters that are known to be tame and using these tactics will help you have a rooster that you do not have to be scared around.
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