Advice: Get a Rooster!

[Mamaw Skaggs]

I really want to keep him...but his aggression really concerns me especially with the grand babies 3yrs & 4yrs trying to help with the girls whom they love and have held since Easter. He even sits in the coop when each girl goes in to lay...that cracks me up.

 

[bobbi-j]

I really want to keep him...but his aggression really concerns me especially with the grand babies 3yrs & 4yrs trying to help with the girls whom they love and have held since Easter. He even sits in the coop when each girl goes in to lay...that cracks me up.

You have little ones helping with chores? Then I would definitely be getting rid of the rooster. It only takes a second for a rooster to full-on attack. A flogging would be terrifying for a child, and serious injuries could be inflicted by spurs and claws. Personally, I'd eat this one and look for a less aggressive one.

 

[Wrooster]

I put up with an aggressive rooster for 3-4 years because he was really good at taking care of his girls and until we stopped free-ranging them they needed protection. I fenced them up after he bloodied my wife's legs.

When they attack they jump up and rotate their spurs at you. If you are kid-size that puts them at face level. You'd want to be very careful.

I used to put on leather gloves before I let them out in the morning. I tried to avoid a confrontation but if he came at me, I never backed down and never quit until he did. He got smacked pretty hard a few times. There are better ways to teach pecking order to a rooster but that's what I did.

 

[Mamaw Skaggs]

Wow...a lot to take in. The last few days he has been okay. I'm not confronting him at all but am very guarded. We have the grands wear safety glasses and watch for him to approach. ..we do not leave the children unattended near the coop, this is the only place he is aggressive...guarding his turf I guess. I really can't fault him for doing his job. Thank for all the great comments. It is greatly appreciated by this BYC newbie!

 

[dillondonnelly1]

This is my first experience with raising chickens...I have 6 hens and my husband just bought a full grown beatuiful rooster to protect them...well bad boy roo is doing his job, but when I go around the coop he wants to charge me...I have to admitt it is really intimidating. At first i thoight he was just over anxious to get his food or treats...but I feel he is really trying to attack me, I took a broom with me today and had to smack him down twice then he backed off. Is this normal? Can he sense my fear? Also is it normal for the rooster to roost at night with hens?

The problem with a fully grown rooster is that, if someone is selling it, there's most likely a reason that they want to get rid of it. You just got to show him that you aren't scared, and NEVER back down. He will always challenge you, but it will be less and less often if as long as you don't back down. I was in your position at one point, but eventually I got used to the rooster and realized that he's not going to kill me or anything.

 

[Mamaw Skaggs]

Well...that's a relief know he will not kill me! I'll keep telling myself that...I am bigger than him and I am the boss! Thanks for the comment. We are learning things day by day... it is a lot of fun.
Here is a picture of the bad boy Roo!

 

[dekel18042]

You should always ask why someone is getting rid of a rooster. While it could be a problem bird it could also be that someone can't keep a rooster where they live, or they have too many roosters. I try to find homes for nice roosters or even keep extras before putting them in the stewpot. I have never rehomed a problem bird and would not without disclosing the problem. (And maybe then I wouldn't because I would wonder why someone would want him.)

 

[davemonkey]

I've had mixed results with Roosters. My two absolute best for protecting the flock and calling them to food were 1) Egyptian Fayoumis and 2) White Leghorn. My favorite for having most of those same qualities, as well as being people-friendly was the Fayoumis offspring (EF x EasterEgger). These have all since decesased.

Currently, I have a great Roo for people-friendliness and being able to take a bullet for the flock (went toe-to-toe with a predator and lived), but he's selfish with food and kinda lazy. I also have a young cockerel, but he keeps to himself as a loner. None of the 15 hens have taken notice in him, and the Roo wholly ignores him.

 

[Mamaw Skaggs]

From the above picture can you tell me what kind of rooster he is? I know nothing about him? Age?

 

[cafarmgirl]

I'm on the fence about roosters. Had one for years, good with the hens, pain in the backside with me much of the time. He learned to be decent, eventually, but every once in a while he'd give it go at attacking. He's gone now and I honestly don't miss him, the girls don't seem to either. They free range in a fenced pasture and I have really good ranch dogs that keep critters away. No more roosters for me.