After some advice

[Trickylee]

Hi Everyone, this is Harry. Harry is a roo, appx 6 months and is coming into manhood. The lady who owns him has about 17 hens, including another roo who is only about 3 months.
Recently Harry has been trying to attack the ladies young son and has been getting very bossy with all the hens. No aggression with the other son or anyone else.
So I have him here with me now and my 5 older hens, hoping they might pull him into line a little.
He has been accepted overnight with no problems at all and I got a lovely cuddle before bedtime.
Now...the young son has apparently been throwing things at Harry and was caught by mum. Whether Harry picked the fight first or the son did is unknown.
So .... my gut feel is that he needed his own flock and the aggression is due to a bad relationship with the little boy but I’m no expert and will need to see how things play out in the coming days now he is here, but would be keen to hear thoughts/ advice from Chicken gurus! TIA

 

[gimmie birdies]

I raise my roosters from a chick, and when ever they got near I would pick them up. Soon they only came near me they would be picked up, I didn't have problems. Now I had adopted grown roosters, I would do the same thing. The grown roosters would avoid me all together. I would never show fear or push with a foot. Chickens like that and if you are doing that with a foot or a broom, you are playing their game. As far as the boy goes he is not scaring the rooster, he is just re-enforcing bad behavior.

 

[Trickylee]

So do you think he might be a non aggressive roo? Just reacting to the little boy? Harry was hand raised/ inc hatched.

 

[gimmie birdies]

The boy is smaller, may be easier to bully

 

[Trickylee]

Understand - thankyou

 

[Mrs. K]

Roosters tend to attack children first, then women, and then men. If he as settled down, it might because he is a bit unsure of himself in a new place. When he gets comfortable, he may become aggressive to you. He may not, but I would not bet on it.

I think he will be come aggressive to other people given time. Do you have previous experience with a rooster? Just be aware, when you are around him, and have a plan B ready to go. Most people underestimate the violence of a rooster attack if they have never seen one.

Mrs K

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have had a bout 40+ roosters in my lifetime, (mostly hand raised) maybe 2 adopted as adult roosters tried to attack, but after i would try to catch them to hold them they stopped that by the same day. I have never been afraid. They know it.

 

[Trickylee]

hmmmm....ok thankyou. Unfortunately lost a whole flock end of last year to a rogue dog, including my lovely rooster. He was a much bigger roo than this one and was pretty responsive to me do the arm flap (he was not hand raised and had had hardly any human interaction). He would get on the gate to try and be taller than me, but I would just hold my arms up above my head and he would do as he was told. I never turned my back on him, but I was never worried he would attack either I guess. I'm a dog trainer, so thus my interest in their behaviour and volunteering to take Harry on and see what happens. I guess now that Harry has his own flock and no potential threats from other roo's, it will consolidate and exasperate the problem if he is going to be aggro? I know even though he's little it could still be nasty if he goes me, but so far I'm not concerned. We have big rain here in North Queensland atm, so I've left him and the 5 hens in the house for the day, been in and grabbed eggs and he's like 'meh, whatever' so I guess I'll see how we go....(I say tentatively) Any signs, I'll just take my rake everytime I go near him and let the owner know its time for heaven I guess. I'll post some updates to let you know how it progresses. Thanks very much for the advice, cross fingers for me.

 

[Trickylee]

I have had a bout 40+ roosters in my lifetime, (mostly hand raised) maybe 2 adopted as adult roosters tried to attack, but after i would try to catch them to hold them they stopped that by the same day. I have never been afraid. They know it.

Thanks so much - yes I'm not scared of him and will keep picking up over the next few days. I'll post some updates as Igo. Very much appreciate the advice.

 

[gimmie birdies]

My rooster is of the age now the hens love him

When he was getting used to the idea, he annoyed the hens.



I had a girl friend who gave me a black silky rooster once, he was great! but I could not keep him he crowed too much and the neighbor complained. The silky was nice, didn't attack, but followed me about talking and he had a wayward smooth long feather that would wobble about as he walked.