Showing questions

[mustangsaguaro]

I have 2 shows I am going to in Jan. One of my birds I plan on showing is a cockerel. However I have one big issue w/ him. Is he likes to bite. I am sure judges don't appreciate this. So my question is how can between now and the first show can I break him of this bad habit. I have a lot of birds and don't have time every day to spend w/ them. What I have found is the females seem to be a bit more friendly and less suspective than male birds. The males tend to be a little more standoffish and not as friendly as the females. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as to how to break this one male of his biting.

Thanks
Kim

[Sharon Yorks]

Hi, Kim. I was really hoping someone else would jump on this because I seem to have a little biter right now, myself. Mine was hatched on October 2nd. I personally think it's just in some of their personalities. I have had some males that are extremely friendly and some not so friendly. I get rid of the ones that show any aggression at all. I don't care if they don't want messed with or don't come to me, but I won't breed to them if they are ill-mannered. The little biter I have now is probably not going to stay, but I am experimenting with him (because of who he's out of) to see if I can break him of it. I moved him into a smaller pen a few days ago and am handling him everyday to see if that helps. It is my guess that it WILL help somewhat, and maybe he won't be so quick to strike out, but I still think it is just part of the personality he was born with. I'm not sure what to tell you as far as showing yours. I guess that would depend on how often and how hard he bites. Maybe someone with more showing experience will jump on here with a better answer. I will let you know how it goes with mine. Maybe handling him a lot will help. 

[Jean]

The only cocks/cockerels that I have ever had problems with are the ones that are handled too much.  They lose their fear and then they treat you as another cock bird in their harem and try to make sure you know they are the dominant male.

Even with my show birds, I try not to handle them very much - only when necessary.  Judges are used to getting a good peck every now and again and generally know how to get ahold of an aggressive bird.

[dak]

I haven't had a problem with my Ameraucanas, but some of my bantam Brahma cockerels are stinkers about biting.  I have had the opposite experiance from Jean.  If I handle them and get them used to accepting treats from my hand/cage training them they turn right around.  The sweetest bird I own now is one of these nasty cockerels who is now a cock.  He has retained the name "stinkpot" though. 

[mustangsaguaro]

The only cocks/cockerels that I have ever had problems with are the ones that are handled too much.  They lose their fear and then they treat you as another cock bird in their harem and try to make sure you know they are the dominant male.

Even with my show birds, I try not to handle them very much - only when necessary.  Judges are used to getting a good peck every now and again and generally know how to get ahold of an aggressive bird.

Interesting you have had problems w/ the one that are handled too much.

This guy of mine that is the biter was never handled. Up until about 2 mos ago he was free ranging w/ everyone else. So he never was handled. I have since had him locked up for the last 2 months to make sure his feathers stay nice for the shows I plan on going too. I really didn't handle him at all while he's been locked up and decided to start handling him the other day and got a bunch of good bites from him.

THanks for the input. It's appreciated.

[KalJen Farm]

Well, in what I have seen and raised. I believe the really bad aggression is genetic. Some could be possibly from a confrontation of a predator at a young age. I am a firm believer that aggression in most cases is just fear of you. I honestly think there is no way to get the aggression out of an overconfident male that has been handled a lot. There might though be a chance to calm down the fearful male that hasn’t been handled. I think it just depends on the bird. I have a few guys at my place that are so mean to the point they charge up against the cage door when I try to open it. I just use a metal trash can lid.......works for me and it is easy to keep them back. I experimented the other day with a cock bird that was in a 3x3 cage. He went to charge at me and I just shoved the lid at him. He tried that a few more times but he eventually figured out the LID wasn’t afraid of him, or he could have just been dizzy from getting thrown against the wall. He has yet to attack me with it. All else fails.....I have really thick deer skin gloves..   Oh and as to the showing issues. As long as he isn’t overly aggressive I would show them. Judges know how to handle them, if I have another choice though I don’t take them.

[bantamhill]

Have you tried to cage train him? The meal worms or the soft dog food that comes in the little packets work really well as training food and might change his behavior. I have a mean cock currently. As soon as I have what I need from him he will be a family dinner.

I agree that meaness is genetic. All of his daughters are sassy!

Michael

[Beth C]

I agree on aggression being genetic. While none of my buffs are aggressive to people, all of the males are pretty laid back (as was my original male), always near the bottom of the pecking order in a bachelor pen, but the females are terrors (as was the original hen). Even the youngest pullet will quickly establish herself in a mixed group. Strangely, they seem to get along reasonably well amongst themselves, but show other varieties no mercy.

As far as human aggression, I've had 2 males that would attack and try to spur you, and in both cases they were caged alone for an extended period trying to keep them in good feather for shows. They became very territorial about the cages and the aggression continued after they were turned loose. They were sold for meat. One was beautiful and went RB at his only show, but pretty is as pretty does.

I haven't had much experience with chickens biting. When the parrots forget their manners a tap on the beak and a firm"NO!" works pretty well but not sure a chicken would get the point.

[jerryse]

On roosters try nice long strokes down the back all the wat to the tail when handling them during cage training them.It is a move used when trying to collect semen for AI.Gives him a bit of a thrill.A weakness for most males.He soon likes to be handled.   

[mustangsaguaro]

Have you tried to cage train him? The meal worms or the soft dog food that comes in the little packets work really well as training food and might change his behavior. I have a mean cock currently. As soon as I have what I need from him he will be a family dinner.

I agree that meaness is genetic. All of his daughters are sassy!

Michael

I have not tried cage training him as the only type of cage I have is a somewhat medium sized metal parrot cage (was left on the property I live on by a previous tennant). Other options I have an might be a bit small are the animal carriers you would carry your cat in if going to the vet. Might be a bit to small. Other than the biting thing this bird I would not consider aggressive at all. I don't tolerate aggressive birds. THere are too many nice ones out there. What I consider aggressive is if a bird were to attack me and I do nothing to make the bird feel threatened. Used to have a bird like that and he was gone pretty quickly.

[Beth C]

Kim: Check thrift stores for used dog crates. The wire ones are often missing the bottom pans, which must break easily, and go cheap w/o them. You can also build a cage pretty easy but, unless someone knows a source for wire that I don't, you won't save any money by building your own, cage wire is pricey. I'm not sure hand feeding treats will help with a biter though, since reaching for your hand/arm with his beak is the behavior you are trying to stop. Now if you can find something unpleasant for him to grab when he goes for your hand, so that he punishes himself when he does it, that might discourage him. I'm not sure exactly what - I can't think of too many things that chickens find nasty - but I do remember Jeanine saying once that she broke an egg-eater with an egg filled with Dawn dish detergent (a visual that I can't lose and still cracks me up)!