I have a Barred Rock Rooster who is 20 weeks as of last Saturday. He's always been very docile and actually really timid, but I'm not certain if he is experiencing hormonal surges as he is growing up or if he is destined to be an aggressive bird. I'd really like to keep him, so if it is just correctable behavior I'd like to figure it out and stay the course, but I don't want to be weary of him either.
A few weeks ago, I noticed that he had started to mount some of my pullets who are not yet laying (I posted about that at the time). At the time, he didn't seem to be hurting them, just trying to learn the ropes so to speak. Since then, he doesn't seem to do that much any more, but he's definitely mounting the hens who are laying daily and is asserting his dominance over the flock in general. He's pecked at my hand or foot once or twice while out in the run with them, but I haven't thought much of it as the hens sometimes do the same and I pecked or softly kicked back when he did it.
On to the problem - the other evening, I was out in the run and it was getting close to dusk, so I decided to go ahead and shoo the hens into the coop and lock them up for the night. A few of my hens and pullets were not done playing for the evening and I clearly committed a major faux pas so he looked me in the eye, put his head down and charged me. At the time, I kind of laughed and said, "guess he put me in my place. That was his job". I went out of the gate and the two of us had a stare down and I'll swear to you all he stood on the stoop of the coop from that point, stared me down and called all the hens in. If he could talk, I swear he was telling me, "How dare you? I tell them when to go into the coop, not you." Since then, he gives me the stink eye and watches me (no, I'm not imagining it!). I'm a little weary of him and have not wanted to turn my back on him for fear that he'll do it again.
And if I could talk back to my rooster, I'd tell him I understand my place and truthfully, I'd give him that one little victory in the future. I understand those are his girls that he's just trying to protect and he can lord over his coop however he chooses, but this is MY castle and unless he wants to become pot pie, he needs to understand his place as well. He can protect his flock, but I'm not the enemy and he doesn't fight me. Chickens are really just serfs working on this feudal lord's land daily for free food and shelter and all I get out of the deal is some eggs.
He's only 20 weeks, so his spurs aren't fully developed yet and I know he can't properly hurt me yet, but I'm concerned that he's on the way to becoming mean and aggressive. I'd rather correct the behavior now while he's young and unable to actually hurt anyone. I've been googling and researching, so I don't know if he's going through hormonal surges and I need to just wait it out, or if I should just continue to constantly enter the run and spend time with them/him. I've always been the one to spend time with him/the hens and he's previously been a little timid. Thoughts? I don't want to get rid of him and I really see all of the positive benefits of having a rooster in your flock, so I'm hoping he's not destined for other things.
A few weeks ago, I noticed that he had started to mount some of my pullets who are not yet laying (I posted about that at the time). At the time, he didn't seem to be hurting them, just trying to learn the ropes so to speak. Since then, he doesn't seem to do that much any more, but he's definitely mounting the hens who are laying daily and is asserting his dominance over the flock in general. He's pecked at my hand or foot once or twice while out in the run with them, but I haven't thought much of it as the hens sometimes do the same and I pecked or softly kicked back when he did it.
On to the problem - the other evening, I was out in the run and it was getting close to dusk, so I decided to go ahead and shoo the hens into the coop and lock them up for the night. A few of my hens and pullets were not done playing for the evening and I clearly committed a major faux pas so he looked me in the eye, put his head down and charged me. At the time, I kind of laughed and said, "guess he put me in my place. That was his job". I went out of the gate and the two of us had a stare down and I'll swear to you all he stood on the stoop of the coop from that point, stared me down and called all the hens in. If he could talk, I swear he was telling me, "How dare you? I tell them when to go into the coop, not you." Since then, he gives me the stink eye and watches me (no, I'm not imagining it!). I'm a little weary of him and have not wanted to turn my back on him for fear that he'll do it again.
And if I could talk back to my rooster, I'd tell him I understand my place and truthfully, I'd give him that one little victory in the future. I understand those are his girls that he's just trying to protect and he can lord over his coop however he chooses, but this is MY castle and unless he wants to become pot pie, he needs to understand his place as well. He can protect his flock, but I'm not the enemy and he doesn't fight me. Chickens are really just serfs working on this feudal lord's land daily for free food and shelter and all I get out of the deal is some eggs.
He's only 20 weeks, so his spurs aren't fully developed yet and I know he can't properly hurt me yet, but I'm concerned that he's on the way to becoming mean and aggressive. I'd rather correct the behavior now while he's young and unable to actually hurt anyone. I've been googling and researching, so I don't know if he's going through hormonal surges and I need to just wait it out, or if I should just continue to constantly enter the run and spend time with them/him. I've always been the one to spend time with him/the hens and he's previously been a little timid. Thoughts? I don't want to get rid of him and I really see all of the positive benefits of having a rooster in your flock, so I'm hoping he's not destined for other things.
My previous rooster, Napoleon, was just as fierce as his name. He would attack anything and everything, work gloves, crocs, dogs, people, hawks, you name it, he would probably have attacked it. He was marvelous with the ladies though, truly an incredible example of a selfless and gentlemanly rooster. It took a while before I had the bravery to stand up to him but once I did, he only needed gentle reminders every once in a while. I miss him a lot!
