Aggressive BLRW ROO

[LucyArredondo]

I have a small flock of BLRW I've been raising from chicks. They are about 8-10 weeks old. They're growth is all over the place. I still have a couple that haven't fully feathered out. One of the bigger Roos keeps biting me, every time I feed them. I always have to push him and the biggest hen out of the way. Anyone else have this problem and what do you do about it?

 

[PeepersMama]

There are two ways to deal with mean rooster:
1) Dominate them. Basically make sure they don't breed the hens if they're standing right next to you, don't let them try to boss you, and chase them off if they peck you. When you're outside, he becomes roo #2, and you are the big boss.
2) Let him see that you aren't a roo. Once he realizes that you aren't any competition for him, he should back off. Now, if he tries to peck you, then give him a little smack and show him that pecking isn't how you behave around people, and if he attacks you then kick him off and keep walking. Feed him by hand - roosters don't share with other roosters. After awhile he'll calm down.
I have tried both of these methods and they both work well.
You can't raise a rooster to be nice. It all depends on his individual temperament. If you are breeding BLRW's, then I wouldn't breed him. Mean rooster sire more mean roosters, and although every one is different, daddy's behavior plays a big role.

 

[LucyArredondo]

I have been smacking him when he pecks me. I also push him out of my way all the time. I have hand fed my little flock a few times and my ten year old loves to also. I was afraid that was something that I shouldn't have done. I really hate not using him as a breeder because he is the biggest and the best looking

 

[PeepersMama]

Aw, that sucks when they "look the part." Here's a story:

Our buff orp boy, Arrow, could be a nasty little snot when he was young. After he hit manhood, everyone was afraid of him. Mom said that if I kept the "sparring matches" between us long, then he'd think there was a chance he could beat me. After I started kicking him, holding my foot in his face and letting him strike first, he shaped up and calmed down alot. I never provoked him to a fight, but we couldn't walk past each other at one point. Once he hit one year, he became world's best rooster EVER!!! He wold attack us sometimes,but he would also charge dogs as big as my great pyrenees (through a fence, but still!), and he took on our neighbors border collie that was chasing a hen, while Bear (big boss) was hiding in the bushes. He eventually became our one and only rooster, and we kept him till he sadly got mareks, along with most of his girls.

I miss him.

If your boy is still young, then keep him until he proves himself to be a jerk to the hens or a "good guard dog" If he is protective, I would keep him, but makes sure that he's locked up if any little kids with no mean rooster experience come over.
Would you post a pic of him? Not for any real reason besides the fact that I want to see him

 

[LucyArredondo]

I sure appreciate the story. It gives me hope about his potential. I don't have a picture of him currently and it has been pouring rain all morning. I will try to get one to post. I say he's the best looking roo but that's not saying much. I don't know if these are poor quality or what but they are still not fully feathered and I don't understand why. They get plenty of chick starter, hay and fresh water. I have a bielefelders pair that are a week or two younger that look better than this bunch.

 

[PeepersMama]

If you aren't sure about his quality, look up foley's waterfowl. That guy has the best BLRW's in the country. His birds are stunning. You can compare your roo with his - and he's got tips for breeding them to get accepted, too.

Some breeds are slower to feather than others. I'm not sure about dottes, but depending on the breeding they might just be taking longer to mature. I have had a bielefelder, and she feathered really fast - like, adult feathering two weeks early fast. She was so cool, I miss her

 

[LucyArredondo]

The little guy on the left is the one I worry about

This is my other two Roos and hen

And this is my bielefelders pair