Cockerels biting humans

[CashewVulture]

We have raised many many cockerels before and we’ve never seen hand/leg biting…until now. Our 3 month old cockerels are biting us whenever we get in the run. No flogging. Just biting. My theory is that we handled them less than our previous batches. Is there a way to “train” them to stop? Is this biting going to escalate into more aggressive behaviors? Will it be possible to rehome them?

 

[Debbie292d]

I'd see if this would be outgrown in a week or two. There is no way to know if this is going to get worse or better. There are several tricks people do to keep attacking roosters off them such as carry a water hose with them, or a broom. Some force them to sit on the ground and hold them there for a minute or two. That shows them you're the boss, not them. Another idea is to separate that one into its own pen for a few weeks to see if isolation helps break them or allows them to mature a little.

I would never rehome a mean rooster unless it was to someone for eating.

 

[LaFleche]

We have raised many many cockerels before and we’ve never seen hand/leg biting…until now. Our 3 month old cockerels are biting us whenever we get in the run. No flogging. Just biting. My theory is that we handled them less than our previous batches. Is there a way to “train” them to stop? Is this biting going to escalate into more aggressive behaviors? Will it be possible to rehome them?

You may have unwillingly conditioned them to link your appearance to getting treats so that they are expecting treats now every time and start to bite to make you hurry up dispensing the desired stuff.

Teach them to respect your space by just ignoring them and not allowing them to come into your space. Just walk right up and through them when walking inside the run doing chores.

They have to learn to move out of your way.

 

[con1c66]

We have raised many many cockerels before and we’ve never seen hand/leg biting…until now. Our 3 month old cockerels are biting us whenever we get in the run. No flogging. Just biting. My theory is that we handled them less than our previous batches. Is there a way to “train” them to stop? Is this biting going to escalate into more aggressive behaviors? Will it be possible to rehome them?

Mine are biting too, they are now 6 months old and have been biting us for 2 months. The behavior hasn't escalated, or changed. We handled them often, so the biting was a surprise. Typically, they bite the feet, legs, and hands, depending on what bare skin they can reach.

 

[Debbie292d]

Mine are biting too, they are now 6 months old and have been biting us for 2 months. The behavior hasn't escalated, or changed. We handled them often, so the biting was a surprise. Typically, they bite the feet, legs, and hands, depending on what bare skin they can reach.

It's most likely protection of their hens going overboard. Mine I've kept outgrow it; however, for the first time today I went to grab a hen from the breeding pen and when she screamed, Buddy the cuckoo silkie roo attacked my legs. I had pants on so no biggy, but I calmly set her back down and he was fine.

It seems to take close to a year for these roosters to settle down.