Mean Mr Rooster...solved!

[miwin1000]

I have a RIR Rooster that came with the 5 hens all as 2 day old chicks. He was great until he got close to a year old, then he started attacking. I have found 2 solutions: 1. Mr Rooster recognizes me by the cloths (colors) I wear. He's used to seeing me in either shorts, or jeans. If I wear a sun dress...he attacks. So, wear cloths (colors) he recognizes. 2. I put a dog harness on him (upside down) and put him on a leash! He doesn't like it, but it sure does calm him down for a good while. And, if I'm having someone he's unfamiliar with come to see my set up, he can't reach them! Now I don't have to kill him!

 

[miwin1000]

All it takes is a little planning. If I'm expecting unfamiliars to be around, I can hook him up while he's on the roost at night....very easy when he's asleep. If ppl show up unexpectedly during the day, If I can get him into the coop, no further problem. The chase is on!

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

That is the thing, roosters have been bred (or it has always been their nature) to protect the hens. The ones that are best at it are also likely to be aggressive when we deem it inappropriate.

 

[MagicPidge]

Here's Mr Rooster in all his glory with his dog harness on. You can only see the clips where I hook the leash, but it fits him just like it fits on the dogs, except you put it on upside down so the tie comes out the bottom. Birds don't like things above them, and it's too difficult for him to walk around with the clips on top. In any case, this works, and he has adjusted to wearing it all the time very well. He doesn't even realize it's on him.

Wow, he is a beautiful rooster.

 

[TalkALittle]

It looks like you used a step-in harness. The kind that has a d-ring on each side of the clasp and normally buckles at the dog's withers. A regular Roman harness, or h-style wouldn't work on a chicken. I only mention it in case someone wants to do the same and is wondering what kind of harness.

 

[Peeps61]

Sounds like you found a solution that works for you! Good job.

 

[RJSorensen]

It would seem that a fair number of RIR roosters have problems of some sort at or about the one year mark. That upside down dog harness is quite a trick. I'll have to add that one to by bag of tricks. Thanks for it.

RJ

 

[aart]

Wants to see a pic of the rooster wearing the dog harness and leash!

 

[Mrs. K]

This sounds like belling the cat? How do you get the dog harness on a mean and mad rooster?

Try a fish net, the kind for scooping fish into the boat. Just drop over the top of him, and the handle will keep it in place. Generally they become very still when they can't get out of the net.

But why would you want to keep him?

 

[miwin1000]

Here's Mr Rooster in all his glory with his dog harness on. You can only see the clips where I hook the leash, but it fits him just like it fits on the dogs, except you put it on upside down so the tie comes out the bottom. Birds don't like things above them, and it's too difficult for him to walk around with the clips on top. In any case, this works, and he has adjusted to wearing it all the time very well. He doesn't even realize it's on him.