Aggresive roo's demise

[Sarevan]

We adopted a Speckled Sussex Roo and hen over a month ago. He had been hanging back not really coming close when we handed out treats or feeding the girls. He came from an iffy location possible cock fighting breeder. We were hoping for chicks from the pair.

Anyway things were going fine with integrating them into flock, girls paying him attention, grooming etc until the day before yesterday. His protective instincts kicked in he didn't like us ( my great niece and I) picking up and examining the girls. He ran out of the run and we took off to get him. My niece got close and he flew at her flogging her. I had my herding stick got between them pinned him down and he really started fighting pecking and kicking. We examined him checking for lice mites which we found he did have. He was furious.
We got him back in the run but kept challenging us. I told my niece she couldn't go in any longer without a stick.

Yesterday I was by myself to refill feeders, check water and prepare to shake and bake them - apply Sevin for the mites/ lice. I filled the first feeder he was sitting in back of run calm, the girls were crowding around me for pats and treats. As I started filling the second feeder he was moving toward me, no feathers fluffed, no warning mantling, no sound. If it wasn't for my hood being up and raising my arm he would have gotten the side of my face. He had knocked my glasses askew and a 1" scratch on my right hand. He started flogging and jumping at my legs attempting to drive me out. Stick in hand I drove him back but he kept coming trying to get a better jump at me. I pinned him down with a smack and he became totally possessed. I grabbed him by neck and wing, grabbing his legs headed out of the run he had lived up to his name POS (pot of soup).

My Sister heard the commotion and got me the hatchet. He was still fighting I have never seen a Roo turn so violent before. After the deed was done I realized he probably wasn't safe for eating as he had been wormed and was still in the toss out time period. But having him in a small confined area I couldn't see it being safe for any of us trying to feed or water him without being injured. My niece also likes to sit with the girls playing music from her ipod and handling them, with that rooster she could have been seriously injured if he thought she was some type of threat.

I ended up plucking his pretty feathers and examined him. He had a metal tag in a wing webbing for an immunization and on his breast there was a thread stuck into his body. I tugged on it and it was definetly attached to something in his upper body cavity. His skin condition was pretty bad. He had been on a diet of just corn and alfalfa hay when we got them. They didn't even know what feed pellets were. He had gained some weight but skin color was still yellow but not as big bird yellow as it had been. Skin was really rough evidence of past injuries, rash and strrange skin tone on thighs. The back had the start of a bruise where I had smacked and pinned him down with stick. Rather then finish up a necropsy and find out what the string was attached to I just disposed of the carcass. I was still so angry! I checked on the girls they were upset but not as bad as I feared. The sussex hen now has no protector and has to find her place in pecking order. After they calm down tomorrow or so I will do the shake and bake with the sevin.

The crazy Roo didn't give me a chance to make him a part of the flock and recognize us as dominate.

I'm done ranting now......thanks for letting me.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I would have done the same thing, except I probably would have cooked him up and fed him back to the hens

Sorry you had to deal with the jerky rooster, he sounded terrible.

 

[RingedTeal]

I can almost guarantee you he didn't come from a chicken fighter. Because of his condition, a chicken fighter would have taken way better care than that.

 

[TheNuttyChick]

I wonder what that thread in his chest was?

 

[Sarevan]

For my curiosity I did go back and do a necropsy, the thread was to his crop, must have been impacted at some time and they did surgery. On the thread I also found a very small steel washer inside. Why I have no clue, it was small less then 1/8". He had scar skin flaps on his chest, from past injuries. His legs had what I would call arthritis, rough ends breaking through the cartilage. (maybe why he became so aggressive from pain) No internal parasites found in digestive tract, organs appeared healthy. He had gained weight after he was eating the pellets we provided, rather the corn and alfalfa he was fed prior to us getting him. Hardly any fat deposits inside, very lean bird. Other then the condition of his skin which was a bright yellow I couldn't find anything visibily wrong. I was sure I would find a liver problem. It may have been there but would have needed tests to verify. Only parasite found was the lice/mites. It appears he was doing rooster duties as some eggs are fertile, we will not try to incubate them.

I did talk to the previous owners wife, only thing she said was "Oh, he didn't like people wearing work boots." Also they were the second set of owners. I wear leather red work boots when outside doing any work, possible another reason he came at me so hard, but then again what made him hate boots so much? The hen has become docile, didn't throw anymore of a fit than any of the other girls for being dusted and medicated.

I am glad he was taken out I would not have wanted my Great Niece injured from an animal. No animal that has threatened family has ever been rehomed, dog, cat, now chicken. I would have felt horrible for anyone being injured even after they had been warned.

 

[bobbi-j]

You did the right thing.