Need advice about our "sort of aggresive" roo

[easttxchick]

I am having the same thing with my 4 month old WLH roo. He is aggressive toward everyone(including me)except my husband(he is afraid of DH).

I just carry a web broom with me into the coop/run and he is terrified of it. He is just too good a rooster to get rid of-tends his ladies really well(that's his job).

I know there are differing opinions on this, this is just my 2 cents.

I babied him a lot when he was young, so I created my own monster!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
No, not easy, not humane really. That's living tissue with nerve endings.

I back mine into a corner and rear up over them, "wings" outspread, making lots of noise. I intimidate the heck out of them for quite a while. I snatch them up, move them, carry them- whatever ir takes to let them know that I am in charge, I am the alpha. It takes about once every month for a while and then they give it up. I had one bantam who didn't get the point- he is rehomed now, to a lady who free ranges. She says he's still awful but is great at protecting his new flock.

 

[mandelyn]

Some roosters just have a more dominant trait than others. I've babied every rooster I ever had (that's a lot!) and only 3 went to freezer camp, two RIR and one Americauna. Since the majority that hatched were sweet, any roo who wasn't, culled before he could "contaminate" any eggs.

Never a Bantam rooster though, only those 3 big ones. The RIR where the only reds I had, so I never got them again. The son of the Americauna I kept, he didn't turn out mean and was quite happy to be a pet.

Never had a rooster who didn't take care of his girls, so I culled on how they treated me, not wanting to be a pet got them sold, being a down right butt head trying to flog me all the time sent them to the freezer.

It's only ever a difficult decision if it's the only rooster you have, or an exceptionally pretty one. Hatch some of his eggs, grow out the roosters, pick the sweetest one, rehome the rest.

You can dull the spurs by nipping the points off with a dog nail clipper.

 

[mrbstephens]

My roo has only chased my 6 year old son and now I make sure the roo only gets to free range if the children are inside. He's not aggressive toward me, but just to be sure, I don't let him get too close to me. If he's too close I kick at him or stomp on the ground to make him keep his distance. I also hold a broom just in case.

 

[big red chicken]

All my roosters was mean to every1 except me. Two was very hard to break so I gave them away. The one that I kept (until the dog kill all of my chickens) I would pick him up which at first I admit was very scarey for me. After doing that a couple of times and caring a broom in coop he finally gave in. It took me over a good month or two to break him,

 

[eekgads]

From a more experienced chicken-meister, I was told to pick hip up & do your chicken chores w/ him under one arm. He'll get the idea that he's not top roo w/ you. When mine gets uppity, he gets a ride & he calms right back down.

I didn't hatch mine so I didn't baby him. Some of my chicks that I did hatch are going to be cockerels & are actually quite tame. Most of them are tamer than the pullets.

 

[peepjoy]

Thanks so so much everyone, such great ideas to work with! I read it all and really appreciate everyone's time!

I really liked rooster-reds page! I am not afraid of him, so that's a great start! I know now that I shouldn't have put him down when he was still ticked off. So, it's going to be a carry him around game for awhile! I will keep everyone posted on our success (I feel confident that it will be a success)!

Thanks again everyone, you guys are sooooo awesome on this site. I am glad I found it, cause we really love our chickens

Kim

 

[peepjoy]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I DID baby him when he was little......hmmmmmmm.....food for thought!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
One thing I noticed in your first post. It sounded like you walked away first, after ticking him off by holding him. Don't ever be the first to walk away. Make that rooster want to get as far away from you as possible after the holding session.
I'm in the camp of never babying a rooster. I've done it both ways. My current roo was never held as a chick and he's everything I could hope for in a roo; very respectful of humans.

 

[FreeRange Drulie]

An idea on cooling off your roo:

1st: wear gloves (just in case)

2nd: Snatch him up and really embarrass him in front of the hens. Parade him around, even hang him upside down. Be the boss, and make sure its not attractive to the hens!

maybe try it a few time a day if hes a real jerk.

and if you catch him running at you spread you arms high in the air. it makes you appear larger to them. (teach that to young children!)

Hopefully it helps!