Fox killed my chicken, rooster did nothing?

[khind]

Quoting RodNTN: "I agree with most members, a good rooster is hard to come by.
I have a rooster that will attack any cat or dog that bothers his girls. He screams at hawks and won't take cover until he has herded each chicken to safety.
I am very thankful for him."

My rooster is like that too, thankfully. But what he won't do is break up spats that occasionally occur between my hens, which I'd been told a good rooster would. I'm beginning to think that's also a myth. It just seems there are too many factors - including the pecking order and different relationships among the flock - to be able to expect him to do that for all his hens.

 

[BlueChai]

If you want to try to settle them down, please read this article by member Beekissed. I don't know how old your kids are, but if they're old enough, they should try it, too. One person taming a rooster will often just make that rooster respect them, but not necessarily other people. Here's the article:
Here's a post written by Beekissed regarding dealing with problem birds of any gender.

I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

Now, when she says to "swat" them, it doesn't mean to beat them into submission. Your kids need to understand this (not because I think your kids would intentionally be mean to them, but because I know when one is scared, accidents can happen). Go on the offensive. Don't wait for them to attack first. Move with confidence. Teach your kids to do also. If, after a few weeks, the roosters don't get it, send them down the road or to the freezer. You are the mama. You get to make the decisions. It's important for kids to learn good flock management, and that sometimes chicken math also means subtraction. Maybe let the kids help you look for the next one if you ditch the two roosters you have.

You are very right, I forgot to mention in my past post that only holding down isn't super effective, and I learned that quick. What I've found that works the best is holding them down, and forming a 'beak' with your hand and 'pecking' them really hard. Then fling them away. If I ever do this to a rooster that is acting aggressive, he goes away and hides from me for a while. Then they don't try to mess with me for a long while.

 

[Chasingcars]

My rooster is worse than my hens for being scared..he even goes to bed first

 

[BlueChai]

My silkie rooster, Nelly, is super afraid of me. And I've rarely ever punished him because he's pretty well behaved. He runs from me, doesn't crow around me much, and only eats if I'm not watching him. He will just stand off to the side and watch the hens eat until I leave. He also doesn't like to be held and pet by me, only my younger siblings. I think he sees me as dominant and is super scared of me because of this. It makes me kinda sad that I can't cuddle with him, but that's just how he is. I can still pet him sometimes though.
I've never had a predator try to attack my flock, so I don't know if he would defend the hens or not. When my dog chases him, he will turn around and stand his ground and peck him. If Nelly does that to my dog, do you think he would fend off predators the same size? My dog is roughly raccoon sized.

 

[Hopperkiller]

My silkie rooster, Nelly, is super afraid of me. And I've rarely ever punished him because he's pretty well behaved. He runs from me, doesn't crow around me much, and only eats if I'm not watching him. He will just stand off to the side and watch the hens eat until I leave. He also doesn't like to be held and pet by me, only my younger siblings. I think he sees me as dominant and is super scared of me because of this. It makes me kinda sad that I can't cuddle with him, but that's just how he is. I can still pet him sometimes though.
I've never had a predator try to attack my flock, so I don't know if he would defend the hens or not. When my dog chases him, he will turn around and stand his ground and peck him. If Nelly does that to my dog, do you think he would fend off predators the same size? My dog is roughly raccoon sized.

A raccoon can whip and sometimes kill much larger dogs. Too expect a rooster to fight a fox, coyote, raccoon, stray dog with the few tools mother nature gave him is not being fair or realistic with him. There is a big difference from being a leader or a kamakazie. Mine will sound the alarm and after a coyote attack reemerge and seek out his flock and herd them to the coop. That is all he is equipped to handle. He watches, herds, collects his hens each day but when have suspects danger he calls out and they scatter and are hard to find. When he comes out he checks each bush until he finds his girls.

 

[bobbi-j]

You are very right, I forgot to mention in my past post that only holding down isn't super effective, and I learned that quick. What I've found that works the best is holding them down, and forming a 'beak' with your hand and 'pecking' them really hard. Then fling them away. If I ever do this to a rooster that is acting aggressive, he goes away and hides from me for a while. Then they don't try to mess with me for a long while.

The objective in this method isn't to wait until they come after you and then correct them. It's for you to be the first one to "attack" as such. (Not causing harm, but just putting the rooster on guard.) You move first, and he won't know what to do. Keep him on guard at all times.

 

[BlueChai]

A raccoon can whip and sometimes kill much larger dogs. Too expect a rooster to fight a fox, coyote, raccoon, stray dog with the few tools mother nature gave him is not being fair or realistic with him. There is a big difference from being a leader or a kamakazie. Mine will sound the alarm and after a coyote attack reemerge and seek out his flock and herd them to the coop. That is all he is equipped to handle. He watches, herds, collects his hens each day but when have suspects danger he calls out and they scatter and are hard to find. When he comes out he checks each bush until he finds his girls.

Oh okay, that makes sense.

 

[Navahogirl]

If a rooster attacks an owner for acting like a predator, he's a "bad rooster." And a rooster that doesn't go charging out into the darkness in a suicidal counter-attack on a predator is also a "bad rooster?" Poor guys can't catch a break!

I'm sorry you lost your hen, but under the circumstances, perhaps you should be glad that she was the only one you lost. Before I finally stopped free-ranging, I had several massacres of up to 23 birds at a go; foxes often kill much more than they can eat, and cache the rest for later. If you had come home just a few minutes later, you might be mourning the death of a lot more birds - including the roosters you are so frustrated with.

Roosters are beautiful, and indispensable in a breeding program, but I fear that anyone who expects them to be effective against predators that have them hopelessly outclassed is in for disappointment.

I hope you manage to find more effective means of protecting your birds, and a way to make your peace with your roosters, too.

I beg to differ, I had 2 Roosters killed by a fox within a month of each other. They died saving their girls, not one chicken down. I lost 2 good beautiful boys. Plymouth Bard Rock I had only a year and Rhode Island Red not even a month

 

[cmom]

A fox isn't choosy and they will kill as any birds as they have the opportunity to kill. I had a fox kill several birds but did not take them but killed them. It did come back and I did catch it. Some males will protect the females and others won't. It can't be assumed that all males will protect the females. Some will and some won't. There are plenty of posts on BYC that take up the issue, some do and some don't.

 

[McChooky]

So I was a little late locking the birds up tonight, about 30 minutes. When I got home, I heard all the birds screaming together and one standing by my other car. I knew something was wrong so I run over there and one of my barred rock girls was laying in a pool of blood and dying. I lost it. I tried to comfort her while she took her last breath.. I guided the stray into the coop and both my roos were perched on the roost like nothing happened. She was only like 8 feet from the coop. Why didn't they help? I thought roos were suppose to protect the hens and fight until the death for them? Was it because it was too dark to see outside? They have a little lamp in their coop. They were just sitting there while the hens were squaking.. I think they knew their sister was being killed. I wish I could have gotten back just 5 mins before because I could have stopped this. He literally had just grabbed her then dropped her and ran when I came up. Dunno what to do. Going to keep them on lockdown for now.
Losing a chicken is the worst.

I made the choice of raising chickens inside enclosed predator proof coops and runs to protect them from predators and sleep better at night knowing they're safe inside. Roosters don't have night vision,strong jaws or sharp teeth and are no match against experienced predators that like to eat chickens.They're for reproduction purposes but will alert them.