The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Housing, Health & Hatching
Rooster Trouble
Janet:
I'm new to chickens, getting my first birds a year ago. My Ameraucanas came from Paul Smith.
I'm having aggressive issues with the one Ameraucana rooster I have left. He's a lovely looking bird, a wonderful guardian of the free range flock but he is a bit too aggressive with people. The other cockerel I grew out (and processed) was also aggressive. Both the aggressive birds were in the bbs variety and might even have come from the same breeding pen. The variety might have nothing to do with it.
I have a new group of 12 two-month old bbs chicks from Paul Smith and when they are old enough to watch for danger, the aggressive bird will be culled. At what age are the young birds likely able to take over the duties of the rooster I have?
So far, I have had no success with raising sensible Ameraucana roosters. Either I am doing something terribly wrong or these birds were destined to be bad birds no matter what I did with them. I have two hatchery bantam roosters in my back yard--a Silkie and a Cochin--and they are not at all problematic. The Ameraucana rooster is going to be dangerous soon.
How do I raise a rooster that is not going to attack people? My LF flock free ranges on my almost 2-acre front yard. I'm getting sick and tired of always watching my back and having to carry a bamboo pole to keep him at bay. He's now starting to stand his ground when he rushes me and I turn to face him. If I have a light stick in my hand, he won't bother me. The other day he was so in my face, I managed to grab him by the hackles with both hands and he almost ended up with a dislocated neck right then and there. It was so tempting.
I don't mess with the hens.
Yesterday he again wouldn't back down so I caught him up, carried him around for the longest time, noticed his spurs now had a sharp point which I cut down. Some time ago another breeder suggested I chase him around with a light stick and just sort of poke him. That didn't improve his demeanor, and I think any aggression on my part only makes him worse.
Neither (nasty) rooster caused any problems with other cockerels.
Are Ameraucanas a bit on the nasty side? How do I go about raising a nice-tempered rooster that isn't going to be people aggressive?
Thanks for any advice.
Janet
Jean:
Generally speaking large fowl ameraucana cockerels and cock birds are not aggressive. The only time I see people with issues with them is when they are handled too much.
Do you pet your chicks and carry them around when they are young?
Russ:
Generally speaking my LF have never had aggression issues towards people, other cocks or cockerels is another thing. Now my little Bantams is a different story, I think they suffer from Napoleon syndrome ;D. Even they seem to behave themselves until I put them into the breeding pens. IN MY FLOCK it seems to be the silver bantam variety that tend to be the most aggressive. I think most of the aggression is caused by there new found role in my breeding program. I think it all boils down to natures survival of the fittest. I will say this, temperament is a big deciding factor in my breeding program. I will keep good tempered birds with some minor flaws over an aggressive bird that may be a little better overall.
I did have a Rhode Island Red cock at one time that was aggressive towards my children. He never attacked me but when they would turn there back to him while doing the chores he would charge them. I told them to show him who the boss was and after a few minor battles the kids won. After that he never gave them any problems and actually became a pretty cool bird 8). Until a hawk got him, even then he was just protecting his girls and doing his job.
Mike Gilbert:
--- Quote from: Jean on April 13, 2014, 11:41:44 AM ---Generally speaking large fowl ameraucana cockerels and cock birds are not aggressive. The only time I see people with issues with them is when they are handled too much.
Do you pet your chicks and carry them around when they are young?
--- End quote ---
Good observation Jean. When the roosters lose all fear of people, and then the hormones kick in, you can be in for trouble. It doesn't happen every time, but often enough that I know better than to make pets out of them. It also happened with my "pet" red deer stag in December. If he hadn't been de-antlered last fall, I would now be pushing up daisies - well, as soon as it warms up that is. Still have a bum leg as it is.
John:
--- Quote ---"pet"
--- End quote ---
That term has always bothered me when used to describe livestock. Chickens are livestock.
I'm irked by the name of the "My Pet Chicken" site that sells chicks and wants people to think chickens are pets. ???
At least one on-line classified site lists "Livestock" as a subcategory of "Pets". :o
I've seen people put chicks up to their cheeks (facial area) as if they (the chicks) were human. They are animals. I know my grandkids like to hold and "pet" the chicks and I understand the oohs and aahs, but I also remind them to wash their hands after touching the animals. :o
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