How to raise Backyard Chickens: [CHICKENS-101] Mean Little Chickie [4 Attachments]

[Attachment(s) from Deb and Randy Buckler included below]

Alex is not our first house rooster. We actually had another one a few years ago that our daughter raised form a tiny chick. Vladi, yes, named after Vladimir the Impaler, was a Golden Seabrite rooster. He was Melissa's special pet, but everyone enjoyed him. We made alot of mistakes with him. and he taught us alot about roosters. Roosters don't "play" per-se. All they do is breed, protect, and fight. As a tiny chick, we thought it was hysterical that he would attack a sock dangled in front of him. The kids got hours of enjoyment "playing" with him letting him 'fight with a small stuffed toy they were holding. Nobody was hurting anyone, all just in "fun". Vladi was VERY aggressive even as a chick, so it really WAS funny to have this little chick beating the stuffing out of a sock. Of course, that was the WORST kind of interaction we could ever have had with him. Naturally, he got older and grew HUGE spurs and boy did he ever know how to use them. No one was safe outside without a broom. Then the kids would think it was funny to have 'foot fights' with him. He was absolutely blood thirsty though..."Vladi" was a good name for him. He'd just keep attacking and attacking...fight to the death if he could. Yes, of course we'd hold him and snuggle him and catch him when he jumped up at us and kiss on him, but the minute you set him back down, he'd "take you out'! And he was sneaky, too. He'd act like he wasn't interested in you at all and he'd peck around and edge closer until you were within strike range. We were onto him though...everytime he had us on his radar, he'd tilt his tail on us. You can see it in this one picture.

Vladi died of a respiratory problem that we didn't understand back them. My poor daughter never got over him, mean as he was. Now, with Alex, we never "play" with him. No pushing, no energized interaction. He is held and snuggled at least 60% of his existence...the rest of the time he's eating, sleeping, or outside in his protected atrium with no physical contact with other chickens. So far, so good. No aggression! Now, he HAS pecked Taz, the Minpin puppy when she rushes past him and about knocks him over, but that seemed more of a response then actual aggression. We keep wondering if there's an Estrogen type supplement that could be fed to roosters that might tame down that Testosterone. Has anyone tried this?

Deb

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Attachment(s) from Deb and Randy Buckler

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