BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Managing Your Flock › attack rooster! help!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

attack rooster! help! - Page 5

post #41 of 47
7/16/10 at 2:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cherwill 

We took Pip to his new home this afternoon, then I cried all the way back to town. I'm certain that flock is destined for butchering. Too many roos and no nesting boxes in sight. I have no philosophical objection to that BUT, I'm a wee bit attached to this particular chicken. He was the first, and the friendliest, and beautiful. I just couldn't take the risk of keeping him here in town. I'm trying to convince myself there's something to this idea of culling the aggressive ones, but right now I'm just mourning.


The right thing isn't necessarily the easiest. YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.

Chickens off and on for 25+ years and still learning.

Reply

Chickens off and on for 25+ years and still learning.

Reply
post #42 of 47
7/16/10 at 2:56pm

Thank you. Thanks to everyone for the comments. I'd likely have deluded myself and made things even harder. This board has been the find of the year for me.

1 friendly Weimaraner, 1 neurotic Vizsla, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orps, 1 Speckled Sussex, and 4 EEs

Reply

1 friendly Weimaraner, 1 neurotic Vizsla, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orps, 1 Speckled Sussex, and 4 EEs

Reply
post #43 of 47
7/16/10 at 3:04pm

cherwill, I'm sorry for your loss!  sad

I'm doing my best attempt at bravado, but I am dreading having to get rid of my roo.  (I've stopped calling him by his name to make things easier on myself).

Reply
Reply
post #44 of 47
7/16/10 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cherwill 

Pip was basically raised as a pet, much more so than the hens, because of the boy who lived here and his girlfriend. I'm new to chickens, so I don't know if that kind of thing makes a difference or not. He takes such good care of his harem; I'm going to miss watching that.

NYRIR, we won't seek out a rooster but wouldn't automatically get rid of one, either. We live in town but our neighbors all said a crowing rooster wasn't a problem for them. From other threads here at BYC, I know how lucky we are with that! I don't know enough about chickens to know if there are some breeds more prone to meanness than others. We got our chickens based on what thrives in Kansas since our weather ranges from hot and steamy to cold and icy. Since we fell into this more or less by accident, we didn't get to do the research and things we would normally do and the first two chickens weren't chosen by us. They were Pip and a barred rock that our Weim got to before we had a permanent pen and coop built.

Kittymomma, how would I tell the difference between a rooster trying to assert his dominance and one who's just plain mean?


In my experience it amounts to the same thing. Roos (and hens too) establish the pecking order by asserting themselves over those in the flock that they think they can dominate and they often do this violently. It seems that many of the "Help, my roo is attacking me" threads that come up are from people who have hand raised their roos. I know it's done with the best of intentions and sometimes it works out just fine, but more often then not that sweet little cockeral (why are they usually so much friendlier then the pullets when young?) doesn't grow up with any respect for his humans and challenges them for the "head roo" job when he starts to reach maturity. It's completely natural, but doesn't bode well for the little roos lont-term outlook. As I said before, I'm not rough with my boys, but I'm not lovey to them either. By enforcing when they get treats and limiting their ability to mate while I'm in the area I'm able to keep myself (and other "two legged chickens" including my kids) in the top of the flock spot. So far it's worked well for me, my two oldest roos are about 18 months old now and have shown no signs of human aggression even when I pick then hens up. I also have a zero tolerence policy and if they ever do go after me or one of the kids they'll be in the crockpot ASAP.

Reply
Reply
post #45 of 47
7/17/10 at 7:04am

Info here has been very good, I really liked the posting on how to make the roos submit to you.  Is that somewhere in the archieves or something for future reference?

Living the good life with husband of 33 years, three grown, married children, 4 grandchildren.  And about 550 hostas.
Raising LF black javas,  LF RC RIR's,  a couple of Marans and a few olive and easter eggers for a pretty egg basket.

Member of the APA
See why worming is so important:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=7474233

Reply

Living the good life with husband of 33 years, three grown, married children, 4 grandchildren.  And about 550 hostas.
Raising LF black javas,  LF RC RIR's,  a couple of Marans and a few olive and easter eggers for a pretty egg basket.

Member of the APA
See why worming is so important:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=7474233

Reply
post #46 of 47
3/29/12 at 1:53pm

u luckybarnie.gif

Reply
Reply
post #47 of 47
3/29/12 at 5:57pm

Sigh, the experienced chicken keepers are right. I held them upside down in front of the hens, pinned the to the ground until they were still and every other thing recommended,  no use. I could not leave my house with out a stick, and the straw that broke the camels back, was an unprovoked attack on my daughter in law who was sitting at a table outside. She was afraid to leave the house with my grandaughter. NO more. The roosters were beautiful but not worth it. They were processed on Monday and yes, I cried, but no more. The remaining roo is a sweet heart. I will never again tolerate a mean animal on my property, for me. it is not worth it. My Dad would not tolerate a mean animal on his property, and I should have known better. It was hard, but the right thing to do.

1 DH of 28 years, 2 DS(1 US army active duty - proud moma), 1 DD, 1 beautiful grandaughter and one in the oven, 14 EE, 1 SH, 6 cinnamon queens, various meaties, my turkeys are 4 BR, 3 MW, also 1 doberman, and 1 very spoiled rotten cat.

Reply

1 DH of 28 years, 2 DS(1 US army active duty - proud moma), 1 DD, 1 beautiful grandaughter and one in the oven, 14 EE, 1 SH, 6 cinnamon queens, various meaties, my turkeys are 4 BR, 3 MW, also 1 doberman, and 1 very spoiled rotten cat.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Managing Your Flock
BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Managing Your Flock › attack rooster! help!