A good end to a bad roo

Since last fall I have been complaining about my somewhat aggressive rooster, Z. I had him trained to not attack me, but any other person was fair game in his eyes. He has been rough with his hens to the point that I now have 10 out of 18 barebacked girls, and he was stressing them so badly that several were not laying regularly. He was slated to go into the pot today, but apparently he had other ideas.

Two days ago as I was letting the flock out for some free-range time, Z attacked me. I have been watching him closely because I have caught him eyeballing me a few times in a way that I knew was no good. I saw the "look" the instant before he openly attacked me. He caught me directly in the leg with the spurs. I booted him off me, and thought that was the end, but no. He tried to tackle me a second time...and a third time. By the time the fourth pass came I had grabbed a walking stick leaning up against the coop, and was ready for him. I walloped him hard enough to snap the walking stick and he finally took off. The scariest part about this whole ordeal was that I was standing in between the rooster and my 6 y.o. daughter when the attack happened. She had come out to collect eggs with me once the rooster was out of the coop. I was terrified he was going to get to her if I didn't fend him off. I have never in my life had to beat an animal off me with a stick. It was like something out of a nightmare.

That night when the flock came in to roost, I grabbed Z off the roost, put him in a quarantine cage, and the next day he was processed. Last night my family enjoyed Z's final contribution to our home- Coq Au Vin simmered in a good bottle of wine for 8 hours in a crock pot. He was possibly the most delicious meal I have ever had.

I was worried about his absence upsetting the girls. Not so. I got more eggs yesterday than I have ever gotten- nearly double what I was usually getting. They appreciate him being gone, too.

When I was a kid we had a rooster like that. He would come running at you from clear across the farm. So this is my first time having chicks since I was a kid. Hoping to be able to get along without a rooster. Or end up with just 1 not aggressive one.

Good for you!

I have read that a "bad" roo can stress out the girls enough to reduce egg production. I know that not only are you relieved but your daughter and your hens are too. I am keeping my that I don't have to go through what you went through. It sounds like it was very scary. I bet he tasted wonderful!

Good for you! I have a roo that was very concerning his first year out. He was so agressive to the girls. I rehomed his father for the same reason, but he's 2 years old now and finally calmed into a wonderful roo. He still has his favorites and they're a little barebacked, but I plan to saddle them up. He gives me a good berth when I go outside. He knows that I won't interfere with his leadership roles as long as he doesn't mount any of the girls within my kicking him off distance. The funniest thing about him is that when I treat the girls, he runs up and clucks to them all "look what I brought you!"

Glad you didn't get a nasty spur gash! I'd have been terrified myself.

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I had a childhood experience very similar. Z was the first roo I have ever personally owned with the intentions of keeping. He came as a surprise in a batch of sexed pullets I got last spring. He seemed a little rough at first, but I worked with him trying to get him to settle down. He never did, though. His behavior continued to get worse and worse as time passed. This was the final straw.

Does the recipe for Coq au Vin include beating the bird to tenderize it?

Good for you, cooking him. Homegrown chicken really does taste the best! One trick I used on a bad rooster was to watch him coming at me, and be ready to grab his head/neck - then I'd pick him up and throw him! One smooth movement - arm goes down, hand grabs neck, continues upward, throw! He'd usually come back, but I'd do it again. I even used this technique with a bad goose - but I couldn't throw him near as far! I never did get spurred/pinched this way. People were amazed to see this happen in front of their eyes - -

The scariest part about this whole ordeal was that I was standing in between the rooster and my 6 y.o. daughter when the attack happened.

That is exactly why I do not keep aggressive roosters.