We couldn't agree more! It's a game changer once you get into their heads and are able to see what they are trying to achieve, or where that anxiety is stemming from. They have hearts of gold, but their lives depend on big and fast responses so some misunderstandings are to be expected. We are just so thrilled to hear that you were able to figure out what was causing the issue with your boy, and thank you so much for sharing your experience and the positive outcome. Examples like this do so much to help others who might be going through something similar. It's easy to feel like there is no hope, but stories like yours show others that there really are solutions, and they aren't even hard to implement once you know what needs to be done. 🥰

Omg hearing roosters get sad breaks my heart, I really liked hoe toy resolved it 😊

I learned the same lessons that you described in your reply. And I am thankful for the education that I viewed on this channel. ROOVOLUTION helped me to correct my behavior of issuing treats only to my roo and to only wear my boots because he would attack my crocs . My Roo is very loving and gentle to my hens and he loves being the one who issues out the treats to them

Thank you so much, that really means a lot. ☺ We owe so much to the boys for always being eager to provide a great example and show off such wonderful behavior. They are such excellent ambassadors for all the other roos out there, because they truly all have this potential. 🥰

Oh our presence and reassurance definitely means a ton to them, it just can't replace the real head roo full time. 😉 We have noticed the same thing about them being more at ease inside and away from the others. There is a definite sense of them having a "job" to do when out in the run, but once they come in they're "off the clock" and can just relax and enjoy themselves. You know Mae Mae tends to be very reactive to movement out in the run. Well he has been coming into the house daily recently and he is so eager to just relax and visit. That nervous energy just vaporizes. I always say when someone is dealing with a high strung or anxious rooster, try visiting them in a different area. Something about that change of scenery (and lack of territorial claim) makes such a huge difference and can be just the foot in the door needed to do some bonding. ☺

They have such immense potential for love, friendship, and cooperation when treated well. I think lots of new keepers panic because they have heard all the bad press, and it sort of becomes a self fulfilling prophecy when they react defensively themselves. We hope our sweeties can show others that you don't have to be nasty to have a nice rooster. They're quite eager to bond, but need us to open that door. It's so great to hear that you have that special bond with your boy. There's truly nothing like it. 🥰

We were so thrilled to see this comment, not just because you're seeing such a positive change in the dynamic but also because this is exactly what we hope everyone who listens will do, take that information and apply it more broadly. Following the examples given in an identical situation will always help in that situation, but where the rubber really meets the road is in learning to implement them creatively and recognizing similarities in those more unique challenges. It's astonishing how often jealously is playing a role in behavior, and we couldn't help but chuckle reading about your girl wanting to call the shots (we have a lady like this ourselves). We marvel every day at how emotionally aware they are, and how easily hurt or offended they can be. Many wouldn't even consider emotional causes for these kinds of challenges, but in our experience they're far more common than the environmental ones. You are doing a fantastic job and we have no doubt that you'll continue to be rewarded with remarkable success with your flock. 🥰

It was so lovely meeting with you Gaella. 🥰 Please don't hesitate to send us updates, we'd love to hear how things are going and offer additional help should you encounter any obstacles moving forward. ☺

Matt! It's so good to hear from you! I remember shortly before we decided to make the channel you had mentioned you were transferring soon. I was hoping we might get to chat again before you changed departments, but never got the chance. You said so many times that we should start the birds a channel or something, so once we finally did you were the first person I thought of to tell. I was so grateful to the individual who offered to pass it along to you. What fun that you're finally able to see the gents (and ladies) you heard so much about. 😆 I hope you're enjoying the new position, and that all is well with you and yours. 😊

@@roovolution Wow thank you Sara . Sorry it took me so long to post but yes my friend who passed along the info you probably still talk to she is still in that dept but i think she told me awhile back on the channel i love your videos. I think you both are so amazing with these animals it is fun to watch i never would have thought roosters or hens being social and its just great you are literally helping so many get knowledge and understanding. Who knew there is a whole community here i am impressed with it all. Glad for your channel great name too 😂Keep up the great work its really cool!

Thanks so much Matt, and so sorry to just be seeing this! KZfaq never gives us notifications for replies to replies, so they vanish really easily. I just sat down with my coffee to check for anything that might have gone into the reply black hole and found this. It really is crazy how sweet and smart they are. Had I known, I would have had chickens ages ago! Would you believe this video was all one take? Those boys sat patiently with us (albeit a bit confused lol) for over an hour, just happily resting or preening nearby. So many assume roos are just ill-tempered animals that dislike people, and it's heartbreaking to think of the awesome relationships that are being forfeited because of that assumption. Hopefully we can at least spread the word far enough to start a domino effect. We are also co-admins for a Facebook group with the same mission, which is over 3k members strong now. Teamwork makes the dream work, and we have been blessed to connect up with lots of other amazing keepers who are just as eager spread good information and advocate for these little gents. 🥰 (Funny story on the channel name. Back when I was first trying to explain some of the behavior stuff in the groups, I was constantly found typing away, trying to bust myths. When another member of the family paused to see what I was doing, I would jokingly turn to them and say "Roo-volution!!". It was originally said as playful exaggeration, sort of an acknowledgment that even though I couldn't help but try, I realized it was a drop in the bucket and likely wouldn't do much good. When we started seeing that people were actually listening and helped by it, we of course decided to pool efforts and really set out to make as much impact as we can. It was the natural go-to for a name, but with less sarcasm these days than early on. 😊)

We're so glad it has been helpful. 🥰 Thank you for being willing (and taking the time) to learn to understand your boy. It's a level of respect and love too few are shown. ❤

You are so welcome! We really believe that one of the best things a person can do is go into it with the right perspective, accurate expectations, and confidence that all the difficult stuff really can be worked through. Most times when roos wind up re-homed (or worse) it's because the keeper was blindsided by the difficult periods (didn't understand what was happening), or unprepared to work through them correctly. Having confidence that the tough periods are temporary makes it so much easier to remain patient and caring through it all, that that really is the single most important thing we can do to ensure they come through it sweet and trustworthy. 🥰 If you wind up with a flock and find yourself with any question (hen or roo related) you can always feel free to reach out to our email and we will be happy to give any pointers you might need.

We're so glad you found us and that you are looking to give chicken keeping a second chance! Having the right strategy, and making trust and friendship priority, will get you started out on a great track. Once you decide to take that plunge, or even if you find yourself with questions during the planning phase, please know that you aren't alone in navigating things. We would love for you to reach out to us any time with questions or to get help with any issues you might run into. You can reach us directly at jointheroovolution@gmail.com. If you need anything at all, please let us know. 🥰

That's a very common thing to see, not only the lower rooster distancing himself and seeming directionless, but also withdrawing from human interaction once he's leading the flock. We've even seen this from our boys, as soon as one takes over the top position, they become much less comfortable settling in and cuddling, but once they're no longer leading they go right back to close. Since the head roo is responsible for keeping the flock safe, they seem to feel like letting their guard down by accepting nice things like pets is too great a risk. The misunderstanding of what we're doing when we secure the girls for treatment is common as well, often the roo only recognizes that the hen is upset and just jumps into action to try to help her. How is she doing now? If she is still running when you approach, we can offer some tips for helping calm her down and get back to trusting interaction. 😉

Thank you so much for recognizing how those factors impact behavior, and finding him somewhere safe he could have all he needs. There is such a stigma about roosters that they are just ill-tempered and mean, but it always comes down to something amiss in their lives or environments that they are responding to. It's heartbreaking to see how many are punished when they really just need help, but inspiring to hear stories like yours where a loving guardian understood the cause and did right by them. ☺

Thank you so much! It has become our passion to decode everything we can about their behavior and perception. Roosters are so misunderstood, but we hope we can at least make it a bit easier to get into their head and create a lasting friendship by sharing the things we have learned in our time with our boys so far. 🥰

No offense at all! It's critical that one be able to safely and effective manage the animals in their care, and there are absolutely circumstances where it simply isn't a good fit. We make it our full time focus to help keepers who both want a solution and are able to safely work with their rooster, but we have encountered situations where the keeper simply will not be able to safely manage that. In those cases, we jump in and help them connect with trusted rehoming options. Our biggest concern is how often keepers who would be eager to work with their rooster are misled into thinking there's no solution and no hope for a better relationship. Many who love their rooster wind up feeling forced to let them go because others scare them into thinking there's nothing they can do. Many also make the mistake of thinking their rooster is going out of his way to be hurtful just out of spite. We so often encounter keepers who feel that their bird "hates" them, but invariably what's really happening is that he's afraid he isn't safe. It's heartbreaking to see so many culled or given up on simply because they were frightened or their keeper was misled into thinking there was nothing they could do to improve things. Our aim is simply to provide better support to those who desire to work through these issues, but simply aren't sure what to do and our biggest goal is to see to it that these problems are solved in a way that protects both the animal and their human guardian. ❤

If you'd be willing to share your experience, we'd love to get some more information on this. We're committed to ensuring that the group is a welcoming and educational safe haven for all keepers who are looking to develop a better relationship with their rooster. Striking a good balance between keeping tight reins on group activities (for the safety of the roos and their keepers) and ensuring everyone feels accepted and free to discuss openly is always a challenge, but the more feedback we get the better equipped we are to strike that balance. You can reach us by email at jointheroovolution@gmail.com. We'd be very grateful for the opportunity to ensure that gets addressed and corrected. ❤

Thank you so much Tammy, and we are so glad you found us! So much of the advice that goes around assumes that roosters are ill-tempered by nature and will just turn on their keeper more or less at random. That couldn't be farther from the truth and it breaks our hearts to see so many throw in the towel on their boys simply due to miscommunication and bad training methods. We don't have a ton of informational videos on the channel (at least not yet) but I would definitely encourage you to join the Facebook group mentioned in the video if you use that platform. If not, please feel free to reach out to us directly at jointheroovolution@gmail.com if you are ever in need of help or advice. We would always be more than happy to chat and help make sure you and your boy form a wonderful bond. 🥰

So sorry for the delayed reply! So the store was partially correct, at least in recommending the Layena for your girls. The hens do need a calcium source once they are ready to lay, but for the roosters that extra calcium can damage their kidneys and shorten their lifespan. What we (and many other keepers) do is keep everyone on a starter feed (no added calcium) or an all-flock feed, then just provide oyster shell in a dish on the side for the girls. The hens know when they need it, and will eat as much as they require, but the roosters will leave it alone. That really is the best way to ensure everyone stays healthy and correctly nourished. Even though our boys and girls are separate, they are all fed the same starter feed. It's just easier than buying two different types. The important thing is to make sure everyone has access to whatever they might need, and nobody is forced into consuming anything they don't. The brand we use for their main feed is Naturewise start grow formula. Our flocks also get treats of scratch, dried black soldier fly larvae, and Manna Pro Garden Delight or Harvest Delight. Daily treats should make up no more than 10% of their daily food intake. This would likely be around 1 tbsp per bird. You don't want them filling up on snacks and missing out on necessary vitamins and minerals from their formulated feed. This wouldn't apply yet since you are relying on table scraps (just avoid excess salt, sugar, etc), but if and when you switch to a formulated food you want them eating mostly that for health purposes. One trick that might be helpful is to create a mash out of the normal feed. Just take some dry feed and add enough water to make it into a soft dough-like consistency. This works best with crumbles, but should work with pellets too. We just put a few handfuls of feed into a zip-loc bag, add water, seal, and mash up. Just be sure to only make and give as much as they will eat right then, as mold becomes a danger once the feed is wet. They go absolutely nuts for this and really seem to have no idea it is the same stuff they have in their feeder all day. 😉

@@roovolution Thanks so much for your reply! As mentioned, we do not have a hen....turns out "She" was a "He" 🤭 so only 2 Roosters, no others, and they live indoors with us 😊 Thanks again for the food recommendations and advice. I appreciate it so very much ❤

We're so glad you found us, and so sorry that you had to wade through the bad guidance that abounds elsewhere first. Unfortunately, a great many of the most commonly recommended methods are incredibly damaging, but they persist simply because "it's always been done that way." Most assume that their persistence is evidence that they work and are uncomfortable breaking away and trying something different, so the cycle continues. If you aren't a member already, we'd love for you to join us over at Facebook in the group we help operate (Rooster Allies). You're also more than welcome to reach out to us directly at jointheroovolution@gmail.com if you ever find yourself needing input. No question is too small, and we'd love to help support you however we can. ❤

When we brought home our first chicks we could never have dreamed that this would soon become our mission in life, but these boys have absolutely stolen our hearts. They're truly our mentors, and we would be remiss to keep all they've taught us to ourselves. We're just blessed to have such amazing ambassadors who provide us new insight every day and enable us to give a much needed voice to so many others just like them. ❤

You are so welcome, and thank you for the push to do it! ☺

Thank you so much for that positive feedback! 🥰We've been so blown away by our boys. How much they want to be good, how deeply they bond, how responsible and caring they are. Roosters are so often misunderstood, but have such immense potential when managed with understanding and compassion. We hope our boys can serve as a good example of what a relationship with a rooster can be like.

We are so glad you found the video helpful and are seeing improvement with your boys! Keep at it and we're sure you'll continue to see progress.😊If you ever find yourself needing help with specific issues, please don't hesitate to reach out! We're always happy to assist however we can.👍

@@roovolution I love my boys so I want to try anything to help them feel happy and safe.

All excellent advice. 👍 We've also found that when vision of their target is blocked by something like a lid just held still as a barrier, they will often completely give up on attacking. Gentle voices and positive interactions like offering treats absolutely go a long way toward inspiring acceptance of having their human present in their space. While roosters can achieve a level of trust that makes it safe to turn your back on them (we often have a couple behind us as we sit on the ground with them) it's something that should never be done with a rooster who is not yet bonded. As long as he's at all unpredictable or anxious, it's a critical safety measure to keep him in sight when working around the flock. ❤

So sorry for the delayed reply! You are spot on about towering over him being potentially frightening, and crouching being a good way to help him feel at ease. By two years old, he should be fairly settled into his environment and adjusted to the demands of life. When they are going through puberty (and during their first spring) their behavior can become less predictable, since they are coping with such new and overwhelming drives. Those are periods where I would advise being a bit more cautious, since they can be more reactive. By two though, I imagine you would know if he was going to be prone to doing things like kicking. Something can always spook them, so watch body language and be ready to intercept if he were to get spooked, but you likely won't have any issues. I sit on the ground with all four of our big boys, and they are very relaxed and gentle. One of them is prone to getting spooked, so if he comes close I watch and move more carefully to avoid issues. It's important to know what makes them uneasy, their individual triggers, and how they signal when they are on edge. Some days they are too wound up and a bit more distance is safest, but it is really just a day by day evaluation. ☺

You are so welcome! Thank you very much for watching and for your kind words. 🥰

I'm so sorry we're just seeing this. We'd love to help with Siegfried. Sometimes the aggression really can seem random, and it often takes some brainstorming and analysis to trace the cause. There always is one, but we'll need to get some more information to help identify what's driving his behavior and set up a game plan for correcting it. If you wouldn't mind, please send us an email at jointheroovolution@gmail.com so we can discuss without any danger of replies getting missed or buried. We look forward to chatting with you soon.

Thank you so much! So much of the credit goes to them. They really do just want to be close and loved, we just learned how to let them be. 🥰🤗

You are so welcome! We hope the information was helpful. ☺️

You are so welcome! With some patience and repetition we are sure you can bring him around. They can sometimes take a bit to convince that things are safe, but in our experience once they do, they quickly get on board. There are a few differences between a bachelor flock and a mixed flock, for instance a rooster in a mixed flock might be feeling extra protective from time to time if he has a broody hen on a nest, but in a bachelor flock this would never come up. At the same time, there is still a pecking order in a bachelor flock, and the head roo is in charge of protecting his brothers from danger. They still have the same drive to defend, the same way of responding to perceived threats, and the same physical behaviors and vocalizations. In fact, our boys in our bachelor flock still prepare nesting spots, it's just us they show them off to instead. 😉 So it's less a difference in behavior, and more that some different/additional situations might come up. In a mixed flock there are just a few extra considerations to account for. A head roo will often feel less free to spend a ton of time hanging out and snuggling simply because he feels "on the clock". That doesn't mean they can't be friendly and bonded to their keeper, just that they may not show it by snuggling down in a lap all the time. Even in our bachelor flock, whoever is the current leader spends far less time on a lap than the others do. The lower roos are more free to slack off, because all the watching and guarding isn't their job. The biggest difference honestly might be that hens tend to be more outspoken and dramatic if they need to be caught for treatment or something, and that can easily be misunderstood by the rooster as an attack on them. The bachelor flock boys tend to take things more in stride, so it seems like it takes more to make them worry that someone is being victimized. This is solved just by seeing your interaction with the hens through the rooster's eyes. If you have to do something he won't understand, and it is likely to look bad to him in the moment, it's best to do it where he cannot see (e.g. take off the roost at night to treat). As long as the extra opportunities for misunderstanding are accounted for, it isn't that much of a hurdle. Some just forget that the rooster is going to trust the hens if they act upset, and is going to snap into defense mode. Even if what we are doing is to help, he isn't always going to understand that. The hens seem to be viewed as more vulnerable than brothers do, so just a bit more planning and walking on eggshells to avoid misunderstandings. ❤

Excellent question, it is indeed very dependent on the situation but thankfully there are some giveaways in their body language that can help determine the underlying meaning. The biggest one is the sideways stomping motion, and whether that's pronounced or virtually absent. The shuffle itself actually isn't ever an aggressive behavior, but many see it as one because it can sometimes precede an attack. The two main uses of this maneuver are to greet/express excitement and to herd/direct. When a rooster wants another flock member (or guardian) to stop an activity or move out of an area, the herding dance will be used. When done to a hen, it's a forceful attempt to direct as well, in that case trying to pressure her into squatting. This type of dance is just an emphatic request, but they may decide to attack if ignored. This escalation is simply an attempt to get their point across since the "polite" option failed. A rooster who is already set on fighting won't waste time on dancing, they'll simply attack right from the start. There's a sense of frustration behind the herding dance, and it's typically very easily recognized by the way they stamp their foot at an angle against the ground, often kicking up dirt or grass in the process. The greeting dance, on the other hand, involves a much more upright stance and their foot motions resemble a uniform tap dance, or jogging on tip-toes. They seem excited, but not frustrated or annoyed. This is similar to a child jumping up and down, it's just a way to express excitement physically. If you are able to get a video and would like to send that to jointheroovolution@gmail.com we'd be happy to review it and confirm which it is that you're seeing. From your description, it sounds very much like a happy greeting. In the meantime, here's a video compilation of some greeting dances we've recorded in our flock and what's being communicated with each. 😉 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aq1hmbJ_2ZmoZpc.html

Those are both great questions! As for why keep a bachelor flock, in our case we wound up with four roos out of our clutch of only six chicks. We don't have nearly the space for a large enough mixed flock for four boys, and couldn't bring ourselves to re-home them. Apart from the difficulty of finding placement for extra boys, the story so often ends badly for them even if they do get taken in. We decided to give the bachelor flock a try, in hopes it would allow us to keep them somewhere they would be loved and permitted to live out their lives in safety. Having researched since, we have found that we aren't alone in the success we have had with this arrangement, and many find that bachelor flocks are a lifesaving solution for their extra roos. One of the most interesting, and reassuring, things we learned is that roosters have been observed to form all male flocks in the wild completely by choice. Our boys are great to each other, and have their own special friendships within their flock as well. Having no hens does alter the dynamic some. For instance, we don't have to worry about egg collection being misunderstood as a threatening act. In other words, we just have a few less things that might trigger misunderstandings. Many expect that a rooster without hens wouldn't have that protective drive that's responsible for so many issues. In our flock, we still have a head roo who protects the others, breaks up disputes, and enforces flock rules. They still have that drive to defend their flock, even if it's all boys, and still establish a pecking order. We can say, roosters in an all male flock are known to bond more easily with their keepers. They just seem to feel more free to form that bond. There's just a bit more of a hurdle to overcome with hens present, but it can absolutely be done. We held off on sharing much about them for some time, out of worry that our experience may not be applicable to a mixed flock situation. Eventually we were able to make contact with enough other keepers who use these same strategies and have had the same result to feel comfortable sharing. We always strive to confirm that what we share is not bachelor flock specific, and can be applied by anyone regardless of their situation. ☺

So a few things stand out immediately, the first would be that four hens is very likely to be too few for your four boys. It's possible for roos to do fine with fewer hens than would typically be recommended (it depends on space, temperament, and individual mating drives) but 1:1 is almost certain to result in conflict, over-mating, or both. One option would, of course, be to increase the number of hens if you have space and a desire to go that route. The other would be to separate the roos to their own housing where they cannot see the girls (hearing them is fine) and let them have their own bachelor flock. You could keep one with the girls, but I would advise increasing the number of hens by 3-4 minimum if you choose to do that. Roosters will often mate around 30 times a day, and they pick favorites. So even if that could be divided among a few different hens, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be. Putting all but one boy in their own flock would solve the conflict issue, but would still leave the girls in danger of being overwhelmed. That said, I don't think that the ratio is what's driving the current issues. At 18 weeks old, your boys are in the early stages of puberty. That flood of hormones they get hit with brings out all sorts of rambunctious behavior and they get blindsided by quite a few new concerns and urges they haven't had to deal with before. They often don't handle this very gracefully at first, and that goes double when the flock is all the same age and there are no adult birds to correct or show them the ropes. Think of a kindergarten class with no teacher in the room, it can get pretty chaotic. What happens is that a switch sort of flips on and they suddenly become aware that they should have mates, lead the flock, protect against threats, etc but they have no experience and aren't really sure how to do that. They know their (and their flock's) lives depend on it, but they're out of their element and that results in a sort of desperation and a lot of guessing. This is why you are seeing such unpredictable behavior (attacking, then mating, then snuggling). He's not really in control right now, those impulses have him at their mercy. All this to say, it's not anything to panic about, but just to gently guide through by providing praise and encouragement when he gets it right, and gentle correction/redirection when he gets it wrong. Jealousy could definitely be adding fuel to the fire. He also could absolutely be reacting to the shoes, even though he's familiar with them. He was seeing them through "chick eyes" previously and likely never even stopped to question whether they were a threat. Now with his more mature perspective, he's going back and re-evaluating things with that new awareness. They tend to respond best to things that are of neutral color, don't move excessively, and are "low profile". Things like skirts and baggy pants are best avoided, since there's quite a danger of that fabric moving unexpectedly and spooking them (they are very hair trigger during this time). Try to stick to jeans if possible, and if he seems wary of the galoshes now you might try a different pair of shoes to see if he responds better to them. With the attack the other day, I imagine it was probably a juvenile attempt to sort out pecking order that got out of hand. Without a description of exactly what the attackers were doing (were they cornering him for instance) it's hard to say if that was within the spectrum of "normal". Roosters start resetting pecking order very fast, often in as little as 48 hours. It seems that anyone who leaves for more than a very short time gets in trouble with the others. That might be all you were seeing reintroducing him, a scolding for bailing on the flock. Again though, it would definitely require more detail to say for sure. If or how to reintegrate will depend on what exactly they were trying to do with the first conflict, and how exactly they reacted to his return. If you can send an email to jointheroovolution@gmail.com with any additional detail you can provide on that, I can definitely help devise a safe game-plan. We don't want to commit him to giving up his flock unnecessarily, but we don't want to subject him to risk of harm either. It's touchy navigating that social stuff, but with that extra info I think we can pin-point what's going on and work through it. ❤

@@roovolution Thank you so much for this thoughtful reply. It's very helpful and encouraging. Today, the same rooster that was acting so strange yesterday, Asher, became the new victim. So we have them both separated from the flock and also separated from each other for the moment. Not sure how we're going to set up a new run for our bachelors where they can't see the hens, but we're trying to sort this out. I'd love to send some follow questions via email. So appreciate your advocacy for roosters.

@@zg2803 Definitely do send an email, we can do some additional analysis on what's driving that conflict between the boys, and help advise on ways to get that bachelor flock set up if that winds up looking like the best route to go. ❤

@@roovolution Sent something last night! :)

So sorry for the delayed response! We do actually have a method we've had success with that can help ease more timid birds into being comfortable with handling. The biggest obstacle when it comes to handling is that roosters are prey animals and being picked up and held feels very similar to capture to them. It can be too much "entrapment" all at once and instinct can kick in and create that strong fear response. The key is to gradually condition comfort with each step of the process. If you do a search for fear extinction training, the approach is very similar. We'd be happy to give a detailed breakdown of that method, but I'm afraid it might be longer than the comments here will allow. If you send us an email at jointheroovolution@gmail.com, we can pass all that along for you. We do have future plans to put together a video guide on in, but would hate to make you wait for that to be completed and uploaded. If you'd rather, I can certainly try to share those steps here, it just might be less easily readable and/or take more than one reply. Just let me know and I'll keep an eye on our inbox as well. 😉

I wish we had more posted of our boy Maelstrom, or of the bruises I had all over my shins at one point, or of the amazing snuggles he gives these days. If you search "nice roosters kick too" on our channel you will see a short clip of him getting freaked out. He still has a tendency to get spooked and attack my shoes if I move in a hurry through the run, and anyone seeing him do it would absolutely assume he was aggressive. They would be shocked to see him turn around and beg to just be held and cuddled moments later. Heck, even we were shocked by it at first because he really played it off like he didn't want to be close for quite a while there. So often, with the problem children, they are struggling with something and just have no idea how to express it. In Mae Mae's case, he seems to be high on the anxiety scale in general (one of his sisters is the exact same way). It isn't that he wants to be mean, he is just very easily unsettled and when that happens he panics and over-reacts, but he has a heart of gold and really just wants love. I would definitely encourage you to give it a shot with him. We thank our lucky stars every single day that we didn't give up on getting close to our kicky boy. We could never have let him go, but it would have been so easy to just start distancing. Had we not stuck it out we would never have seen what a sweet and affectionate bird he really is, or figured out what it was he was struggling to cope with. Of course, roosters are all individuals and the driving factors are going to differ slightly from bird to bird. All the stuff in the video is a great starting point, but you may find you need guidance from there to fine tune things. If you ever want to reach out and chat about him one on one, please reach out to us at jointheroovolution@gmail.com any time. We are always happy to help others develop amazing relationships with their roos and get through the rough patches.

I'm so sorry to just be seeing this! How is the flock doing now? Given their age and what you described it sounds very likely that what's happening is clumsy mating attempts that the girls are not appreciative of. Roosters at that age tend to over-do things, and rather than courting the girls and only making a move if they invite it, they tend to just ambush and take those opportunities more by force. The hens will scream just in protest, even if they are not really being hurt, though it's certainly possible for injuries to occur when they struggle to get away. Combs can get grabbed, neck feathers pulled, etc. so although it's normal it can require some intervention if things get too rough. Something as simple as keeping the genders separated for the first couple hours of the day and the last couple hours of the day until they mature a bit more can help a great deal (their hormone levels are highest during those times). Often being allowed together only during the middle portion of the day when they are more in control will make things much more manageable. That interaction should naturally shift to a more peaceful and civilized dynamic once the girls mature a bit and start squatting, and the boys learn that polite behavior gets them farther than force. This is also the age for them to get ideas about leadership and pecking order, so the conflict you saw between the two roos is likely down to them attempting to sort out who's where on that ladder. If you're still having any difficulties with behavior and would appreciate more detailed help on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to toss us an email at jointheroovolution@gmail.com. We're happy to provide any support we can in helping navigate things. It's a challenging age, but with the right support it will improve and settle into a much better dynamic. ❤

@@roovolution that’s ok! It ended up getting worse, and he attacked my toddler twice, completely unprovoked. So he now lives with a new flock of ladies (no other rooster), and they’ve reported he’s doing well overall, much less aggressive. I know the home he went to and can see and check on him anytime. Thank you!

@@dking2541So sorry we're just seeing this reply. It really can be challenging having a rooster when young children are present, we're glad you were able to find a safe haven for him where that won't be a concern. ❤

It definitely can be, though that's not the case for all of them. It's a known trigger, which honestly just means that enough roosters dislike it that it's often safest to just avoid it. In our flock we have one who hates red (pink and orange are close enough to upset him as well) but the other three aren't bothered at all. Even for the boy who dislikes it, it's limited to certain things. He will attack red shirts and a certain red container we use, but his feeder and waterer with red bases are just fine. I doubt a red coop would be an issue, but would worry more about red tools or clothing items (things that aren't stationary). Many animals dislike red, likely because it is often used in nature to communicate danger. Even for humans, red is the color that we find most psychologically stressful (with green being the most soothing). 😉

The more time we spend with our boys, the more convinced we become that the same sorts of methods one might use with a large parrot are the most appropriate with roosters as well. Nobody would dream of using any aggressive techniques with a cockatoo (not just because they would likely lose a finger). It's a shame those methods are so common with roos, especially since they so often make matters far worse. The thing with roosters is that they are always going to have that hair trigger capacity, just by nature of being prey animals tasked with defending their flock. Even our boys have their moments of misunderstanding or panic, but they are extremely rare because they feel so secure and close to us. When it comes to roos around young children, we always recommend making sure an adult is present if the two can access each other. This is not only because all animals can make a bad call or over-react when caught off guard by something, but also because young children are at a greater risk of being misunderstood. Fast or unpredictable motion, high energy, and the like are common triggers that make them worry that person might be after them. Basically, until children have the level of self control to be calm, move deliberately, and keep faces out of reach of pecks or kicks, it's safest to not allow unsupervised interaction. That said there are always solutions to make sure everyone at the home is protected and still able to get their time in the yard, feathered and non-feathered alike. If you ever need any tips or suggestions on that topic, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at jointheroovolution@gmail.com. We would always be happy to help brainstorm. ☺

I'm so sorry we're just now seeing this! I hope things have been going well, and will weigh in on the taming questions in case that would still be helpful. So as you have observed, the bantam boys do have a tendency to be more reactive and high strung than full size breeds. They understand that their size puts them at a disadvantage and that makes them prone to responding to things more intensely (classic Napoleon complex). Thankfully, the same strategies for inspiring security and trust work for them as any boy, and will help reduce those moments where they feel anxious or in danger. They can still be caught off-guard and panic in unusual situations, so it will always be important to do things like trimming and dulling the tips of their spurs (if you need information on doing that painlessly and safely let us know). It sounds like your other little guys were raised with humans close and understand they are safe, but these boys likely never knew anything but an arm's length relationship with humans prior to coming to you. They need that positive dataset built up, so it will be critical to react calmly to them and offer them reassurance as they adjust to having a closer relationship. Letting them see that you give no response when they attack is definitely a good strategy to start, it will be the fastest way to communicate that you have no desire to harm them or compete with them. As for cuddling, that really depends on their response to being picked up or handled. Roosters depend on their ability to respond quickly to danger in order to keep themselves and their flock safe. They understand that they are helpless when being held, so there's a fairly high level of trust required in order for them to respond positively to that. For most boys who aren't already very tame, the simple act of capturing them to hold them runs a high risk of being seen as predatory or threatening. I would start by focusing on being around, bringing good things like treats, and letting them see you won't engage negatively with them. Next steps really depend on your specific situation and your boys' cues, so it would be good to have a bit more information on them to confirm the best path forward. If you'd like to toss us an email at jointheroovolution@gmail.com with a bit more information on their flock configuration, housing (is their coop large enough for a human to enter), whether they have a run, etc. we would be happy to hep construct a tailored plan to help them settle into a closer relationship. Thank you so much for showing such dedication to them, and looking to understand how to support them. They are incredibly lucky to have you in their lives.

We find with our boys that many noisy stimuli like the noise of cars driving by are no big deal. Maybe the first time they hear it they raise the alarm simply because they aren't sure what it is. But after a few times encountering it they seem to lump it into the "safe/normal" category and are no longer bothered by it. On the other hand, certain things like birds flying over or cats fighting nearby upset them no matter how many times they hear it. I would say the things that are just alien (human/machine sounds) they adjust to very well, but those things that could be danger in the wild that are just so ingrained that they never really dismiss them. I would honestly think you might encounter fewer upsetting noises in a more city environment than you would in the country. They're far less bothered by engine noise than the call of a raven nearby. As for the glass roof, unless you had a very solid protection plan for the plants, they would almost certainly destroy them if allowed access. It might be best to do half glass with the herbs, and have the flock contained to the other half with a solid roof and maybe just a skylight or two. Windows in the walls are fine, but having too much wide open space above would make them feel exposed and vulnerable unless there was a great deal of cover available (which would likely take up valuable floor space). Many predators come from above, so they appreciate feeling hidden and shielded from that possible danger. They're really built for jungle living, where they would have a canopy of trees and ground cover providing that safe shelter. Something that can work well is to grow foraging boxes in a separate area and rotate them in as the plants get tall enough for the flock to eat. If you try to grow anything from start to finish in the chicken area it will never stand a chance. With the forage boxes, you just pull for replanting once they've eaten it, and swap a back up into the enclosure in it's place. This method allows you to have new ones growing and readying at all times, safe from eager feet and beaks. 😉

@@roovolution I have to tweak my glass roof idea then, I might just use a lot of big windows, this place gets a lot of snow as well so it building up on top of rounded glass is a bit spooky. I keep wanting to give the chickens views because their eyesight is so good, and lots of light obviously. With the plants I thought of using ones that are known to survive well in a chickenized environment, such as rosemary. I guess it surviving is up to the chickens' culinary palette though. 🐔 I recently discovered the trick where you install a crate situation on top of the herbs, the chickens can walk on it and pluck bits but won't reach the whole plant. I'll come up with something based on that.

That sounds like a great plan. 😊 I agree, the snow weight would be scary. I wonder if they manufacture any sort of glass with heating ability, sort of like the defrost feature on rear car windows. If that exists for the consumer market, it might be a perfect solution for installing safe skylights that could be warmed during winter to prevent build up. Of course, that might be a very expensive option, but is just the first possible solution that comes to mind.

@@roovolution Hmm, I have to look into it. It might be easier to just have them at an angle, they'd be easier to clean too. I'll decide based on the shape of the original roof. ✨

So true, we were shocked to learn how little time it takes for that social order to be upset. If the alpha is away for even a day in some cases the contest is on again. I imagine it took a ton of commitment and a very regular schedule on your part to keep that from deteriorating. ☺

Are you able to safely pick him up and carry him? I might try removing him from the area before doing trims and checks if so. It's really likely that he's misunderstanding your intentions when you pick them up. That leaning down the hens do sounds like a description of the submissive squat, which is something they do to make themselves "available" for the rooster. He could very well think that you are competing for his mates. If they act distressed when you pick them up to check them, he is likely trying to defend them. That would just be a different sort of confusion about what's happening. Either way, it seems that the issue is that he's becoming distressed at witnessing it because he isn't correctly understanding what's happening. Having to separate him isn't ideal, it just might be the easiest short term option to keep everyone stress free without forgoing or delaying care and monitoring. You may be able to try to condition him to not become upset about you picking them up. Go through the motions of picking them up to check them over, but stop at the point where he usually becomes upset. This might mean just reaching towards them, reaching down and putting your hands in position to pick them up, or actually picking them up and just immediately setting them back down. You want to try to go up to the point where he's preparing to step in, but has not yet, then stop right then and give him some treats for the girls. If he attacks, he doesn't get the treats. You could even do this a few times in a row, with the aim being to go to the point that he's feeling uneasy, but turn things around by making the outcome positive before he gets a chance to do anything defensive. From there, you would just push it a bit farther as he overcomes each anxiety point along the way. Once he has no bad response to you reaching for them, start working on teaching calm in response to you touching them, after that start training calm when they are lifted from the ground, etc. Once he is fine with them being picked up, work on duration by just holding/carrying them for a bit longer each time. He's seeing something in that interaction that he's expecting will go an upsetting direction, so it's all about reinforcing to him that isn't what's going to happen. Even once that's in place, if you have to do anything you know the girls will react badly to, I would definitely move him to a different area first (or take them off the roost just after dark) so he doesn't associate you with their upset. If any of those options won't work for any reason and you need a different strategy, you can always reach us at jointheroovolution@gmail.com. Just toss us an email detailing any restrictions you're working with and we can definitely brainstorm further from there. ❤

You must have a good grasp on how to interact positively with them, and a solid intuition about their needs and triggers. I think they sense confidence, and when keepers have worked with roosters for years, that gets projected in a way they do naturally respect. What we hate to see is when very young roosters are given up on because new keepers didn't even realize that stuff like fear of red or the crazy puberty phase were a thing. We've seen numerous keepers unknowingly set the rooster up to fail, sometimes in really extreme ways. It's just heartbreaking on all sides when that happens. With our boys, our primary goal was really just to let them be them. I mean, we spent all sorts of time with them and certainly hoped they would continue to be bonded to us, but we were at peace with the possibility that they might grow out of that cuddly phase and not want that relationship with us anymore. We've been amazed by how eager they have remained to be close, and are convinced that a big part of it is that we have allowed them to "rooster" and never tried to compete or put ourselves into the flock dynamic. So many believe the only way to have your rooster respect you is to intimidate them into submission, but we've definitely found that proving ourselves to be safe and trustworthy protectors works so much better. These boys literally run to us when we call, not because they feel obligated, but because they have complete trust that we will only be good to them. It just comes down to having reasonable expectations (knowing how that animal is geared) and being careful to send the right messages as they learn and develop. 👍

That isn't necessarily surprising, and two factors come to mind that might explain it. One would be the mama hen's influence in teaching appropriate behavior. With no actual mother hen present, it can be hard for them to learn "good manners" on their own. Humans can train good behavior, but it definitely takes a fair bit of time and commitment (or at least patience to power through the mistakes they will make). The other factor is that hand raised roos tend to be very bold and secure. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on how the relationship develops from there. If the keeper is committed to showing compassion when they mess up, it can result in a wonderfully bonded bird, but if things are allowed to deteriorate they can wind up resentful and totally comfortable showing their displeasure. I wonder if the roos that make their way to your sanctuary might often be those ones that were raised to be very self assured, but were responded to badly during puberty. From what we have seen, that period is the biggest hurdle, and many keepers wind up making mistakes during that time that spark aggressive tendencies.

We're so sorry your mom had to experience that. It sounds like he had entered puberty and was coping badly with that shift in hormone levels. Unfortunately, some young roosters struggle much more with this than others. While it's important to recognize that those behaviors can be overcome, it's also true that it takes some time and training and not all keepers are in a position to do this. Thank you for rehoming him rather than culling. Many are afraid to pass on a rooster who's experiencing behavioral challenges, but very often another keeper will be in a better position to work with them, and sometimes even just the change in environment will resolve those issues. They can seem mean, but we've found that most often it just comes down to some being more naturally fearful. As prey animals, they're geared to assume danger until they confirm otherwise (even when nothing bad has been done to them). Those more reactive boys can take longer to understand they're safe and don't need to defend against their guardian, they understand that we're capable of hurting them and will often assume the worst until trust has been actively developed. In some cases there can be variations in brain chemistry that leave them more anxious as well. Again, possible to work through, but understandably not something everyone is in a position to do. ❤

While it's possible that they might be a bit alarmed when they first hear it, it is unlikely that it would cause any lasting distress. We find that any regular disruptive noises (cars driving down the street, mowers in neighboring yards, etc) are quickly adjusted to and then just ignored and treated as "normal". If the chickens will be able to see the dogs through the fence, that might cause them more anxiety. But as long as they don't see them close by and it's just the noise of the barking you should be just fine. You can always put up visual barriers along that property line if seeing motion over there is upsetting them. Our dog often walks by the flocks' runs, or stops to look at them from just outside their area. Since it has happened so regularly they don't seem to worry at all about it. These days, they come right up to say hello through the wire. ☺

How has your neighbor's dog handled the chickens? Our neighbor's dog digs at the fence line and we have to constantly check the fence for breaches. It's ridiculous.

Given your boy's age, it's quite likely that this is not any sort of real aggression, but more juvenile confusion driven by that hormone rush (amplified further by his first spring breeding season). When you said he will turn and try to bite whatever he can reach, it sounds very much like what our boys used to do around that age. After some trial and error, we were able to determine that they were making rather misguided mating attempts. Any time skin was at their chest level or lower, or even near their wing or back (basically just low and within reach) they would turn, bite, and clamp hard. Now it should be mentioned that the hormones can put them on edge and make them more irritable than normal, and they do a similar thing to express annoyance. The thing is, when they are irritated it's more of a sharp fast peck. This is different from the mating grab. So if he is biting and holding, it's much more likely he's just seeking an outlet for those urges. What we did to short circuit that behavior is just wear gloves until puberty wrapped up and they calmed down some. For whatever reason, they seem to only respond this way to bare skin. That's the first thing I would recommend trying. If covering your hands/arms with gloves and long sleeves stops the biting, you can safely assume that's what was going on. If he happens to get your skin, remember that the faster you pull away the more damage will be done in the process, do definitely do not jerk away if you can help it. We find the best way to get out of a mating bite is to steadily and slowly lift whatever their latched to up to a level that forces them to raise their neck and head high. They only want to engage this way when the object is low. Once it gets to about their eye level it seems to derail and prompt them to release on their own. If they are latched to something you can't lift, you can take your other hand and just gently remove their beak. While doing this, it could help to use a key word like "ouch" or "gentle". Over time he may well learn to avoid that all on his own, as he realizes that it's connecting to grabbing you that way. One of our boys knows gentle so well that I can reach for something on the ground directly in front of him and he won't make a grab as long as I say that word first. He still perks up in a way that makes clear that he has the idea to, he just knows he's being asked not to. Let's give the gloves a try and see how that modifies the behavior. If that guess is correct, that will solve that part and we can focus on getting him back to calm while on the ground too. Toss an email to jointheroovolution@gmail.com with any updates/additional details and we can go from there. When you do, please include some additional info on what it looks like when he goes after you. Sometimes they are just overly excited and not upset, but before advising further we'll need to be sure what his aims are with that response. KZfaq doesn't notify for replies to replies, so that will be the most sure fire way to make sure we see it.

How has the rooster behaved since you posted this comment 2 months ago? My cockerel going through puberty did that to me and then started attacking me and my mom when we were feeding them... It got so bad he tore chunks out of her arms and hands. It was awful. We immediately found him a new home with 100 hens. They needed roosters and we told him that is is a mean rooster and he was fine with it. Good. I'm glad he's got more hens than he can handle. LOL

Hi Shelley, right out of the gate I'll say it absolutely isn't too late. That said though, it will be important to remember that he might be more defensive for a little bit (anticipating that there might be additional conflict.) With roos, we always want to avoid doing anything to make them feel attacked, since it can send them further into defense mode, but that doesn't mean that a single bad interaction will burn the bridge. Just keep that interaction in mind if he seems irrationally protective or on guard. He may be questioning whether he should view you as a threat and worrying that what happened last time might happen again. He isn't going to connect that it was his actions that brought it about, and will take a bit to feel like he can relax and trust that it won't happen again. It will be important to not do anything like hit or kick him again, and instead rely on "defenses" that are non-threatening like carrying a storage container lid that you can just hold still between you as a barrier to absorb any attacks he might make. You don't want to create a pattern of aggressive interactions between you, rather you want his aggression to fall flat so he sees it isn't "working" and gives up on it. You husband will probably want to be firmer with him. Just like your rooster feels an urge to protect his gals, your husband has the same urge to protect you. Just remember that there needs to be a cooler head prevailing, or things will deteriorate into greater conflict. You want this to stop being a fight, not to make it into a bigger one. I will go over some safety tips towards the end of this reply to make sure you can stay safe as well. I am going to guess that your boy is under a year, since he wasn't clearly identified as a rooster when you got them. It sounds like he must be fairly young. If this is his first spring, he is not only dealing with the hormones that come with puberty, but also the rush from spring breeding season. They handle this better every subsequent year, but that first one can derail them a bit, as you are seeing now. That's just to provide a framework, and reassure that he isn't doing this out of dislike for you. Brain chemistry is taking him over, but it's temporary. It can help to understand that, in a very real way, they are a victim of it too. They are just sort of in panic/overdrive mode and get carried away, but maturity will cure all ills on that front. All that said, it's critical that safety measures be in place because roosters can, of course, do some damage if you go in unprepared. I would advise planning coop chores for mid-day as much as possible. This is the time when hormones are lowest each day and he will be most in control. For letting them out in the morning, bring that barrier with you and just use it as a shield, holding it still in between you and him at all times. He will likely run up and want to engage at first, but quickly lose interest once he realizes he can't access anything but the lid. Be careful when leaving, sometimes they will attack once you turn to retreat. I often recommend backing away to a safe distance, keeping eyes on them while doing so. Just be very careful, move slowly, and be aware of fall hazards in your path. You do not want to find yourself on the ground with him wound up and nearby right now, so only do this if you are confident you can do it safely. Having them cooped one more day isn't the end of the world, so if you need your husband there to assist don't stress about it. You will want to make sure you are in jeans, sturdy shoes, and even thick long socks under your pants when you go out. I have a great wool pair that cushions any kicks very well. Even our sweet boys have the occasional fright or misunderstanding. It's also really important to make sure his spurs are trimmed and dulled if they are at all sharp. If you aren't able to handle him confidently enough to do this, ask around to try to enlist some help. Do be aware that things like twisting off spurs get recommended often and the claim is made that it doesn't hurt them. This is not true, it is definitely painful, so clipping the end much like trimming dog nails, then filing with a dremel on low speed is the safest and most compassionate method. Some keepers will put their young and hormonal boys in their own pen until the worst of this phase passes, but I always recommend trying other options first, just due to the stress and upset to flock dynamic that separation causes. It's something to keep in mind as a last resort, but I would definitely try other solutions first. 😉 If you have follow up questions, need tips on spur trimming, or even day by day help in working with him, please don't hesitate to toss us an email at jointheroovolution@gmail.com. We would be more than happy to help any way we can. We also help admin a Facebook group called Rooster Allies which we would highly recommend joining if you have an account. It's a great resource. Best wishes to you and your boy, and don't despair, patience and love work wonders. 🥰

It's not uncommon for roosters to attack when someone turns away, they feel safer to engage by surprise. That said, the reason for the attack itself can vary quite a bit. I've seen our boys charge and peck as a means of scolding us, to tell us they don't want us to leave, but this can easily be a reaction to anxiety about a certain person being in their space or even a response to something like a certain pair of shoes that makes them uneasy. All attacks are a response to some sort of fear or upset, and will stop once that source of anxiety is addressed. Sometimes it's just a one-off interaction and never comes up again, but if it's a pattern of behavior it should be possible to identify and remedy the trigger. If you ever want help sorting out what's driving that sort of thing, don't hesitate to reach out via email to jointheroovolution@gmail.com. With a bit more info, I'm confident we could help you get to the bottom of it and identify a good strategy to correct it.

So for the boys who are distant, there's a good chance they are keeping a bit away because they are anxious about interaction. The solution to that is to become a very familiar and positive part of each day. You don't want to force interactions, as that can easily be misunderstood as a predatory move. The fight or flight response will take over and they'll wind up feeling attacked or captured, which will prevent them from getting anything positive out of it. There are two good options to start with. The preferred one would be, if you have a smaller enclosed area, set aside some time each day to sit out there, talk to him, and give him treats to pass on to the girls. The more regular a thing your presence is the better, but even just 15 minutes a day, or 10 minutes a couple times a day, would be a great start. Pick a time you can commit to, and make sure to stick to it if at all possible. Routine is a big deal for them, and knowing what to expect helps them feel safe. If you don't have a run, but you do have a coop that's large enough to enter, you can start going in for 15 minutes or so once they are all settled and the sun has just set. Chickens are much less reactive and more accepting of interaction once they are in "night mode" so this could give an opportunity to get some good interactions in with him. Gently stroke his neck feathers, or pet his earlobes, and just talk calmly to him. If he pecks at all, or acts bothered, try petting a different area (you should be able to quickly figure out which ones he enjoys). If he seems not to like any contact still, just be present and talk with him, tell him how pretty he is, what a good boy he was that day, etc. They may not understand our words, but they pick up on our tone and the sentiment (they know if we are pleased or displeased with them). So that would be step one, trying to get him used to close being pleasant, and step two would really be based on how all that goes and what options for time and space to interact you have. I would say start there, but toss us an email at jointheroovolution@gmail.com to update on how that's going and we can help identify good next steps in more detail from there. ☺

We joke sometimes that roosters require food, water, shelter, and cuddles. 😉

What fantastic news! 😁 A big congratulations to both you and Finn! 🥰

We sure did! To be honest, we could totally make a full length video just talking about all the ways in which they are stunning handsome fellas. 😉😂

They can definitely be a bit scary to deal with, especially as a small child. They have such a different way of communicating, and such different things that frighten them, it's easy to have misunderstandings. It's all about finding out what has them upset and helping them feel safe. After that they make some of the greatest friends. We hope you get a chance to bond with one some day, to help undo the bad memories from when you were young. 🥰

He is a barnyard mix (as are all his brothers). They have the same dad who we think was an Easter Egger and looked just like Daisy. If we had to guess at Mae's mom's breed, we would think likely Barred Rock or Dominique. He sure did come out pretty though. 🥰

This is discussed in more detail at 06:11 , but I’ll briefly summarize here as well. The hierarchy is absolutely a big factor in flock social dynamics, much like it is with a pack of wild dogs. In fact, dominance training was once the recommended practice with dogs as well, but a quick search will reveal that this is now widely regarded as an outdated (and detrimental) method and is no longer advised. Positive reinforcement training is now the recommended strategy, and has been found to be far more effective and avoids the serious drawbacks of those older methods. We now recognize that the best way to raise a friendly companion dog is not to behave as the alpha dog in the family, but instead to encourage obedience and cooperation through trust building, bonding, and positive experiences with caregivers. Although that hierarchal tendency is present in dogs, it’s clear that they are capable of understanding a different sort of relationship and achieve it on a regular basis. We recognize their intelligence (and their ability to learn unnatural behaviors and interactions), but the majority still regard chickens as unintelligent, and therefore limited to that dominant vs submissive mindset. This seems to be the primary reason the dominance training is favored, it’s simply the “lesser of two evils”. Keepers are making what seems like an obvious choice between being dominant or submissive, but failing to recognize that those aren’t actually the only options available. Many assume that chickens are too simple-minded to step outside the “instinct” box, but studies have found them to be more intelligent than both cats and dogs. It isn’t that dominance training can’t work to prevent conflict, at least for a time, but rather that there’s a third option that’s far superior to it with a much better success rate. Many would prefer to befriend animals in their care rather than achieving peace through intimidation, but have been led to believe this isn’t possible with roosters. We hate to see keepers missing out on a much more rewarding relationship simply because they don’t realize it’s available. Even those keeping them strictly as livestock would benefit in a practical sense from establishing a trusting relationship with their rooster. Things like treating illness or injury, spur trimming, coop/run maintenance, and health inspections become effortless - there is no longer any conflict or struggle. Just as with dogs, the simple fact that they are hierarchal in nature does not make that approach ideal, or support that we should model it in a domestic setting. A far more fulfilling experience is available to all keepers. It’s the limiting methods that are still recommended, not anything inherent in the rooster’s ability, that’s preventing that for so many.

So sorry we're just seeing your comment. Spraying is a method that gets recommended a lot, but which we would recommend avoiding, not because it's violent, but because it still trains the rooster to see interaction with us as negative and unpleasant. Some will just become avoidant, others will feel threatened and become more aggressive, but it will always wind up making them less comfortable around us. Even if just for making things like health checks smoother, methods that train trust are always preferred. If you want any input on alternative methods for managing his behavior that can help him understand you are not a threat and he doesn't need to attack, let us know. We're always happy to chat and offer input. ☺

Thank you so much! And thanks for reaching out on FB and email as well! We will continue chatting there👍

Feral cats do indeed form colonies, but they are a rather odd case, as they descend from domesticated breeds and have since returned to wild living. The vast majority of wild cats (those whose lineage has not been subjected to human intervention) are solitary in nature. This would be as opposed to wild canines like wolves who naturally form packs and operate as a hierarchy. Though these behaviors can be altered by efforts like selective breeding, we're looking here at the natural and unmodified predisposition of the genus.

They really do go all out figuring out who will lead. Our experience has been that they really aren't trying to harm each other, it's just a very big deal that they determine a conclusive winner. Of course, there are those rare cases where they really aren't willing to let it go, so it's always important to know when to intervene (for anyone else reading this 😉) but we've definitely also seen that crazy conflict just vaporize as soon as they sort out what they needed to.

Thank you so much for your input! We've actually been thinking of redoing it. Do you mind me asking, is it the crowing that is off-putting?

@@roovolution yes. I tried watching the video with my wife and she shut the video off because she couldn’t stand the loud sounds. I was recommended this video by a family member after their rooster started going thru puberty. The video was helpful I just wasn’t able to watch the full thing with the loud crowing