The roosters again.....

[Mac]

Thanks for your reponses, which really help, and now I have more questions. The roosters....The owner of the farm keeps a baseball bat near the hen house door to sometimes use to fend off the alpha rooster (the other one lives in the rafters). So, is there anyway to instill myself as alpha short of hitting him with the bat? I don't want to have to grab a bat everytime I enter the hen house. Is there any humane way to get me to the top of the "pecking order"? I have raised and trained a few serious dogs and they had no problem at all with me at the head of the household, and I never had to touch any of them physically. Just was fair, consistant, let them know what I expected, love etc. They were all great citizens. Of course, they had brains bigger than a pea......Is there hope training a rooster not to bother me or the other one or the hens short of sending him away? Would squirting him in the face with a spray bottle of water work? Jumping up and down and yelling?

Thanks,
Mac

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

If he puffs up his feathers or charges you, just stand your ground. Never run away from a roo, as he'll just get used to it. I would think a spray bottle would just get him angry...

 

[BeckyLa]

Since he's three years old it's not likely he'll change. Maybe if he was a Juvy, but not now. I would suggest chicken n dumplings and then give the other roo a chance. Keep in mind that if your aggressive roo is free ranging and a friend comes to see you, well, it's not a pretty picture....

 

[silkiechicken]

I just stand my ground and make charges at him if he starts to charge. Basically, with a mean roo, I don't let him do his business if I am around. Keep him on his toes and he will leave you alone. Of course this doesnt always work so the stewpot is the next best answer.

 

[SeedyG]

I have 2 Roosters and I truly believe that you can assert yourself as the Alpha Rooster and do not need to make "chicken and dumplings" or "put him in the stew pot."

When you go into the hen house, wear some thick pants and boots, and if/when he attacks you, give him some swift kicks. You do not have to hurt him, but enough so he knows YOU are the boss. Also, do not show fear, because they can sense it. As someone else said, don't ever run from them, as they will remember that.

 

[SeedyG]

One more thing.. having a tough Rooster is not always a bad thing. Remember that this is what they are bred to do. They are supposed to protect their whole flock, so penalizing or killing them for acting on their instinct is kind of sad/unnecessary.

You also may need a tough rooster one day to protect your Hens from a predator.

 

[Cheri]

My daughter and one rooster don't get along. He pecks at her and she "baks" at him. When he sees her coming now he goes the other way.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Always remember, a rooster puffs up to appear larger, you too can puff up to be a bigger alpha to him (hold your arms out). Works when my roo wants to play rambo with my oldest son

 

[Rosalind]

Put on boots, pants, safety glasses and work gloves. When rooster challenges you, reach down and grab him, and get a gloved hand around his feet. Tuck him under your arm and scratch his shoulders a bit.

My roos find this treatment so humiliating they make little alarmed noises and occasionally crow from the far side of the room when I'm doing it to one of the other chickens. Then when I put the chicken down, they walk up to it and sort of check him out, like, "Buddy, are you okay? That was some ordeal she put you through! If you ever want to talk, I've got a wing to cry on."

 

[Chelly]

Someone posted this a while back:

http://shilala.homestead.com/roosters.html