someone is being a naughty boy!

[summerb123]

Hello peeps!

My rooster Oscar is a year old and a week ago his attitude started to change! he use to be very mellow and nice to the ladies, but something has changed! we put are chickens on poultry vitamins and finally has sickle feathers, and I guess a newly found attitude ! And NO, I'm NOT sending him off to freezer camp! He has attacked my sister 2 times charged me so many times I cannot count! He is not letting the hens have any food, just hogging it all for himself. He with the hens will fight over treats! and if I give a treat to the hen I'm the one he goes after until he gets food! can anyone help me with this behavior! I will not tolerate it any longer!




thanks!
~Summer!~

 

[AllynTal]

I having a breeding program with my flock and I breed to the SoP (Standard of Perfection). It involves selecting breeding stock based on body and color and other breed characteristics. However, no matter how good a bird looks, the absolute first criteria I use to decide who to cull is temperament and the first boys to go to the chopping block are the ones that bully hens. If a cockerel runs pullets off food and away from the waterer, he's first on the list. Second on the list are any of them that get aggressive with people. Period, no exceptions.

I'm going to say this as gently as I can. If you can't make the hard decisions -- when to cull, for example (not IF to cull, but WHEN to cull) -- you definitely shouldn't be thinking about breeding chickens. If you can't bring yourself to cull one aggressive rooster, then having to make that decision for maybe a dozen other birds down the line isn't going to happen and your flock will be a stressed-out mess. That's not fair to the rest of the flock to make them so miserable because you're sentimentally attached to the bird that's bullying them. Being a responsible flock owner means making the hard calls for the well-being of the whole flock. If you can't do that, think very long and hard about whether or not you can really maintain a healthy flock of chickens.

I found this an interesting read. Maybe you will, too.
http://www.nwedible.com/you-absolutely-should-not-get-backyard-chickens/

 

[bobbi-j]

seriously, I don't want to cull him! (not meant in a rude way) I want my old Oscar back! The one that loved his girls and thought I was part of the flock! I have NO clue why he all the sudden acts that way, but I will have to correct him! not by culling him or re-homing him! I hope I can re-correct him! and make him who he once was!

If my father were to cull him (which he is not) I would cry my heart out! everyday!

Unfortunately, sometimes we have to make hard decisions in chicken management. How old is your sister? Old enough to defend herself from him, or young enough to get seriously injured? (As in, potentially getting spurred in the face leaving her scarred for the rest of her life, or possibly getting an infection from spurs, and bruises from being flogged.)

You can try to rehabilitate him. It may work. It also may teach him to respect you, but not anyone else, putting your sister and others in danger. It also probably won't settle him down with the hens. Do you really want your hens all stressed out like they are now? Do you really want to take a chance on breeding aggressiveness into a whole new generation of birds? Do you have plans for whatever chicks you hatch out? There are times when we need to consider what's best for the whole flock, and not just one bird.

 

[JanetMarie]

A good rooster does not attack you, or family members, but knows you are the caregiver and does not challenge you. When you come with treats for the group he will cluck to let the hens know its yummy snack time, and he lets the hens eat first. One of my boys would not eat the snacks at all, but was happy to give it all to the hens. A good rooster never chases the hens from food.

The responsible part of breeding and keeping chickens is that you have to be able to butcher roosters of bad behavior and extras. By re-homing a rooster you could be sending him to a miserable life. There are many roosters in need of re-homing who are very well behaved, who would be deserving of a good home before one who will never be good. If it's not an option to butcher any roosters ever, then it's best to only keep hens.

If you are intent on keeping him, he will need a separate living area from the hens, and you always have to expect to be attacked. He will not like being kept by himself and will probably make him more aggressive towards you and your family members.

If you want to breed him, be aware that his mean genes will more than likely be passed on to his offspring, including female offspring.

ETA: The behavior of your rooster cannot be re-trained.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

she is older than me! she is just a scaredy cat! but I am the one responsible for the chickens, she just fills in for me when I'm sick ECT...! He only has 1 spur so not as much damage lol! he hasn't attacked me just charged me and pecked me! but I'm doing the best I can! I'm reading about this on other websites about why he just starting to act like this!

If you are the one responsible then you need to evaluate wether or not you are actually being responsible. You have received a lot of good advice here, so the question is what is the responsible thing to do? Is keeping him the responsible choice?

 

[theoldchick]

I wouldn't breed an aggressive rooster. What you need a rooster who is nice to his girls and respectful of his human caretakers. While I thoroughly understand your desire to avoid killing your rooster, we must make these difficult decisions. I, too, am a wimp when it comes to killing roosters so I give them to people with full disclosure. These people will process them and feed their families. Honestly, I'd rather roosters be part of the food chain then be part of a cock-fighting ring and used as a training bird.

Rehome this rooster and find another who will suit your needs. And don't forget young cockerels will be nice but when the hormones hit they will turn into what nature wanted them to be: Protective breeding machines that will defend their flock. Roosters are not pets. Don't expect them to be pets. It is their nature to be number one in the flock so they can earn breeding rights. Be mindful of what they are and don't give them a chance to attack. I've trained my roosters to roost when I enter the pen. If they don't I chase them around with a 'grabber' or fishing net until they go to the designated spot which can either be a certain roost or a corner. Smart roosters will instantly go to the 'safe' zone. The not so smart youngster may posture at me only to get pushed and bullied until they go to where I want them. The idiot rooster goes to crock-pot therapy.

And never, ever tolerate a rooster who bullies hens, makes them bleed, and won't let them eat.

Here Stan the Man tolerates a beak-lashing from a low ranking hen.



Real Deal Steele submitting to a dominant hen. Note his frayed hackles feathers due to over grooming by the hens. I had to actually remove him and place him with less aggressive hens.




Dapper Dan proved too aggressive for the hens. While he's smart enough for me to train and will roost the instant I enter the coop, I can't tolerate his abusive behavior toward the hens. He will go to the man down the road.

 

[Folly's place]

This is the reality of chicken and livestock husbandry. Being a responsible owner/ breeder means selecting good individuals, not idiot jerks who attack the folks who bring food every day! You've gotten great advise already, and all the best from me too. Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Hello peeps!

My rooster Oscar is a year old and a week ago his attitude started to change! he use to be very mellow and nice to the ladies, but something has changed! we put are chickens on poultry vitamins and finally has sickle feathers, and I guess a newly found attitude ! And NO, I'm NOT sending him off to freezer camp! He has attacked my sister 2 times charged me so many times I cannot count! He is not letting the hens have any food, just hogging it all for himself. He with the hens will fight over treats! and if I give a treat to the hen I'm the one he goes after until he gets food! can anyone help me with this behavior! I will not tolerate it any longer!




thanks!
~Summer!~

Kind of contradicting information.....you won't get rid of him but you won't tolerate his behavior. Sorry, can't have it two ways, I'm afraid, unless you are willing to take some measures to change this bird's mind....but I'm doubting it will work, because you will still be you and he will return to that relationship dynamic if both parties don't change.

Guess you are up a creek with this one.

Settle in to getting flogged and having your hens be miserable, as it doesn't look like you are willing to make a decision that would eliminate both issues.

 

[ChickenGrass]

Hi there.
I know what I would be doing with him if I were you!
I see you don't want to kill him.
1.Maybe you could give him away and let the new owners know what he is like,
2.You could separate him from the hens during feeding time,
3.Separate him from the hens and put him in another pen,but let him see the hens(put his pen beside the hens)
4.Or the freezer! (Which you don't want)

I think if you want to keep the rooster the best thing to do is no.2-3.
Goodluck
Fionn.

 

[Pork Pie]

Do you need a rooster for breeding? You have some good options there from @Chickengrass (but the one option you do not wish to consider would be my only option

)