What predators can roosters actually kill/fend off?

[cupman]

Looking at my rooster he's got to be over 10 pounds and his spurs are gnarly... it has got me wondering what kind of creatures a rooster can hold off. I would suspect a neighbor cat going for baby chicks would be in for a rude awakening if a rooster was there to protect them. The skunks around my area are all very small, I couldn't imagine them weighing more than 6 or 7 pounds. I would think the rooster could probably hold it's own against a skunk too. Raccoons are just so destructive I wouldn't hold out much hope for Mr. Rooster but who knows... anyone have any experiences with roosters fending off predators?

 

[terrilhb]

Good question. Actually great. I am really interested in seeing what everyone posts. Thanks for asking.

 

[mrpekinduck]

Someone on here had their rooster DESTROY a cat going for his hens. Hope this helps!

 

[RingedTeal]

They will risk their lives for their hens.Someone had their rooster send his hens to saftey and lure a coyote out into the open.Their are also some of roosters fending off hawks.

 

[yinepu]

it all depends on how determined the predator is.. if it's hungry enough Mr Rooster will become dinner
if it's not as hungry it may turn tail and run

we had one rooster who would chase off stray dogs, foxes and even coyotes... until he met up with one who was hungrier than it was impressed .. he was a free range bird who became a coyotes free dinner..

 

[speckledhen]

If a rooster caught a hawk on the ground, the rooster would have the advantage. It really depends on the particular predator and the particular rooster. I know one rooster who beat the daylights out of a small fox recently. He came away with a couple of bites, but they healed up fine. Most rooster-fox encounters would not go so well for the bird, however.

 

[FireTigeris]

I had a banty silkie roo beat a possum once... he died later when the wound reopened that he got from the possum but the possume never came back (was wounded).

 

[centrarchid]

My free ranging game rooster engaged a Coopers hawk twice this year that I witnessed although no contact involved, just bluff. He also ran a brief diversion in front of a red fox until dog came on scene. He was not protecting hens, rather he was protecting his offspring. Hens were elsewhere.

Messing with fox is high risk and rooster ultimately flew to escape. loosing a chick in process.

My roosters have no effect on nocturnal foes such as owls or oppossums.

 

[southerndesert]

Our big ol Buff O Roo, Hubert got a neighbor cat cornered in the pen and worked it over pretty good flogging and spurring. That particular cat has not been back that we have seen, but he has 15 or so and others are around often. Anyway I heard the fuss and walked over to see what was going on just as the cat launched itself over the 5 foot fence to get out. It had climbed a tree to get into the large pen then found itself unsure of how to escape the 5 foot chain link until Hubert was kind enough to educate it.

We have also lost young birds to cats over the years, but this time the old Rooster was on top!

 

[pgpoultry]

My huge Dark Brahma boy must have had a serious run in with a fox. 6 of my 12 hens were alive.My brave boy was seriously bitten and ripped, but there was fox fur on the ground and blood on his spurs and feathery legs.

Good news was, following about 20 stitches he made a slow recovery and went on to crow/tread/strut his stuff for another 2 years.