Aggressive Cockeral - only when meal worms are around

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

I have a 4.5 month old BCM cockeral


He has 2 ladies with him in a 100 sq ft hoop house. He is a good boy, calls his girls to treats and will sometimes take them Over and drop them in front of the pullets.

He will charge and flog me if I have meal worms (3/4 times) in my hand or if I placed them on the ground. He will stop 5-10 minutes after or if I leave and return.

When he stops, he will let me pick him up and act mostly friendly. I’ve tried some of the various correction methods but the mealworms cause it.

He will not do this with scratch or other treats.

Why would he do this?

 

[LaFleche]

Sounds as if overwhelmed by his voracity, greedy little guy! A severe case of mealworm addiction.

 

[Folly's place]

There's no acceptable reason for him to attack you! If it's possible to reform him at all, it needs to be very soon.
Wear at least jeans and shoes or boots, carry a stick, or something, and move him out of your path at all times. I'd leave out the meal worms, at least for now, and concentrate on getting him to respect your space.
@Beekissed , @BantyChooks , and @Shadrach all have good articles about roosters, worth looking up.
Is this your first flock, and first cockerel? Having adult hens, at least, helps to civilize many cockerels, rather than having them with agemates only. And with more experience, you will be better able to see difficulties much sooner, before actual attacks happen.
'Friendly' hand raised cockerels are usually just very bold, and lack respect, and then turn into attack birds when their hormones hit.
If small children or visitors are part of your environment, moving him on sooner rather than later would be best. Before he hits a child in the face, for example.
Nice roosters are a delight, attack birds aren't, and often/ usually can't be reformed.
Mary

 

[aart]

He's young...best to not react, IMO.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

This is my first flock. The other 4 cockerels got taken by predators a few weeks ago.

I will play it by ear.

No kids will be near him for the foreseeable future.

It’s so strange as he will let me pick him up and carry him around most of the time.

I have 33 chicks of various breeds in 2 brooders currently. Maybe this cockeral will be replaced.