Hrefna (DHC)
New rooster (Schnitzel) in the bachelor flock learned _very_ quickly that I do not tolerate fighting around me.
As a general rule with animals your goal is to prevent them from fighting around you or doing things that create a safety risk when you are there, but also not preventing them from Working Their Nonsense Out™
Humans preventing flocks or herds (or packs) from Working Their Nonsense Out™ often make it worse, not better. But you _can_ say "okay you can do your nonsense, but not near me"
Hrefna (DHC)
You can get a horse to not fight when you are present, and in fact for safety it is vitally necessary that they understand that this cannot happen when you are there, but short of adversive conditioning (or solving whatever is underlying their aggression, sometimes it's something like ulcers) you aren't going to get them to not go after each other if that's what they want to do
So your best bet is to let them sort it out and not interject yourself unnecessarily, but also emphasize: You Are Safe
Hrefna (DHC)
(side note: I know very little about dogs, do not ask me about dogs, apply to dogs at your own risk; ask me about horses, chickens, parrots, cats… really most birds, some other reptiles, some other livestock, etc but I don't know dog dynamics all that well or know the ins and outs of their training or what is required for them).
Hrefna (DHC)
So the new rooster has learned not that he can't fight around me, but rather that I won't allow the others to fight around me, so when I walk into the coop I create a safe area round me from the others.
He doesn't want me to grab him and isn't terribly fond of being held, but he will come over and hang out when I am out there and just amicably eat or do his dust bathing.
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