Aggressive Rooster

This is EXACTLY what happened with both of my sussex roosters.  At 1-1/2 years they became increasingly agressive and I gave them away.  I was sad to give them away because they were beautiful.  The roosters did not go thru this at the same time. 

As the attitude changed I became  afraid of him and he knew it, he also attached the people who feed the flock when we were gone for a week.  He would see me from a distance and come running for me, I could hear him running up behind me.  I carried a net when ever I way outside...at a certain point I though, this is rediculous I am not enjoying being with my chickens because of him.  I would like to know if there is just something that happens when a rooster gets to be about 1-1/2 years that causes this.  I have a nice rooster (not a sussex) who is 14 months old, is he going to change also?

The first rooster I gave to a woman who rescued roosters.  The second rooster I gave to a lady who wanted him even though she knew what to expect.  He stayed at her place about three days.  That lady gave him to a man whose dog beat up the rooster without killing him.  The rooster gets along with everyone at his third house, including the dog that beat him up.  I'm glad he is alive and not hurting people anymore:D

There are too many gentle roosters out there to waste your time on one that inflicts injury on anyone, especially children! When my big Cuckoo Maran suddenly became very aggressive and went after me, my granddaughters and finally my DH, my DH took him way out back on the property and showed him the long end of the shotgun.

I read on a post where you need to be the dominant "rooster". So they have to respect you. Apparently you follow them around, chasing them and don't permit them to breed hens while you are present. Try looking back in the behavior category, there was a long post on how to do it. I had one rooster I named Two Kicks because that was what it took to get him to leave you alone. I don't advocate kicking animals, it was a case of self defense . I agree, there are too many nice roosters to keep a nasty one. Two kicks went to auction and probably a stew pot.

Good summary! There is more detail on my Handling Rooster Aggression page.

Thank you for the great posts on this.  I'm a newbie on here, but I LOVE THE SITE!!  Y'all are very helpful, and I really appreciate it. 

I two have a 3-4 year old White Rock Roosters - along with 9 hens.  One of the roosters is pretty indifferent, and just stays away from you, or ignores you.  The other one is a different story.  He attacks everyone but my husband, but will go after him if he has his back turned.  About a month ago, a friend brought his 4 year old daughter over.  The agressive rooster attacked her.  She wasn't seriously injured, PTL, but just had a little scratch.  He has become increasingly agressive.  He attacked me about a week ago.  I made a sumo wrestler grunt, and kicked him and thunked him with the rake (not hard, but enough for him to know I am in charge) until he left the chicken coop.  Now, everytime I go in there, I go armed with a rake, howl at him, shake the rake and my foot at him, and make him leave the coop.  My kids are afraid of him (the kids are 12 and 10), and unfortunately for us, we have to go in there to gather the eggs and to get to the other door where the new hatches are. 

I have the same dilema.  I hand-raised him from a chick.  He's a great rooster to his hens.. he calls to them when he scratches up bugs or worms, he lets them peck grain right off his beak, and he doesn't even rip out feathers when he's mating with them AND he protects them.  My dog ran towards them a few days ago, and he got in between the dog and the hens and fluffed up his feathers and made his "big boy" crow.  The dog left him alone, and the hens.  He also has a name because he is our pet.

I do NOT like his agression towards humans.  I'm sick of "always watching my back", having to go out with my kids "in case the rooster tries to get them", and of always having to be "armed".

Is it time for chicken and dumplings?  If I get rid of him, do I need to worry about the other rooster becoming agressive to take his place?  Should I just keep on trying to show him that humans are the "alpha" and maybe my patience will pay off? 

  Thanks for any/all opinions.  I do know that they are all opinions and the ultimate decision is mine- so no hard feelings towards any posts.

We also have had a couple of aggresive Roo's. One I could  get out of it, and one that went into my freezer. The one I got out of it is as sweet as honey now. Everytime he attacked I gave him a shove with a broom and then caught him and carried him/ loved on him until he was calm and responsive. Now mind you I tried the same thing with the other one, and it made him worse. So I think it is just the bird. Blackbart was always a bit mean. When he was a young Rooster he would fluff his feathers whenever someone held him or got around him. Jr was always a sweet tempered gentleman, until he figured out he was THE MAN and had WOMANS! Now Jr is a sweet guy again, he has figured out we do not want to hurt his women or take them. He will come right up to you and chatter to you.

mick&cori :

I have the same dilema.  I hand-raised him from a chick.  He's a great rooster to his hens.. he calls to them when he scratches up bugs or worms, he lets them peck grain right off his beak, and he doesn't even rip out feathers when he's mating with them AND he protects them.  My dog ran towards them a few days ago, and he got in between the dog and the hens and fluffed up his feathers and made his "big boy" crow.  The dog left him alone, and the hens.  He also has a name because he is our pet.

I do NOT like his agression towards humans.  I'm sick of "always watching my back", having to go out with my kids "in case the rooster tries to get them", and of always having to be "armed".

Is it time for chicken and dumplings?  If I get rid of him, do I need to worry about the other rooster becoming agressive to take his place?  Should I just keep on trying to show him that humans are the "alpha" and maybe my patience will pay off? 

  Thanks for any/all opinions.  I do know that they are all opinions and the ultimate decision is mine- so no hard feelings towards any posts.

I recommend hazing all roosters all the time.  Every time I go into the run, I take several vigorous steps toward Mr. Big. He turns tail and runs every time. I can now handle an angry broody hen without him doing more than raising an eyebrow.

Consistency is important. All humans must be established as superior in the pecking order. Weakness will be challenged. And a good rooster will check you out if you are upsetting a hen.