Aggressive Frizzle Rooster

[feather13]

We have a six month old Frizzle rooster that is getting increasingly aggressive. Well, I'm not even sure he's a Frizzle, but the guy who sold him to us said he was, although he looks nothing like the Frizzles I've seen online. He's the weirdest looking bird we've ever had. He looks like Justin Bieber with his comb hanging over his eye and it looks like he got into the Sun In with his bleached blonde hair LOL.

Anyway, he's currently the only rooster in a flock of eleven and has three "girlfriends" who are bantams (he doesn't stand a chance with the older hens who attack him if he comes near them). He's started acting aggressive and I'm wondering how long any of you work with your roosters on their behavior before getting rid of them. The flock has a large covered coop and run plus I let them in a very large run while I'm home, so crowding isn't an issue.

But today after I cleaned out the coop, I was walking up the stairs and he attacked my legs. He's attacked my partner before, but not me. Both of us caught him and held him, hoping to get him to calm down. Tomorrow I'll go back down and hold him if he attacks (unless anyone has a better idea? I've read articles here on BYC about physically dominating roosters and others suggesting behavioral modification through spending gentle time with them) We have four kids. They are teens, so not young, but my friends have kids who like to go into the coop. We've had two other roosters before him (a Wyandotte and a Silkie) and neither one was ever aggressive. I'm just wondering how long you all usually work with a rooster to get him to stop being so aggressive before getting rid of him.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

He looks like a frizzled silkie.

 

[birdofhermes]

i don't think roosters can see very well. sometimes if the light is low or if i'm wearing something new my rooster will act aggressive until i talk to him. if i'm trying to get him to be nice to a person i get them to give him a hug and talk to him so he knows they're cool

 

[Folly's place]

I'm in the 'three strikes and you're out' camp, and then only if I really had hope for that cockerel. He's going to continue attacking, and only get more dangerous.
Human aggression is often hard-wired in that little brain and just won't be fixed with behavior modification. At best, each person might be able to redirect him, but then the next person will be attacked.
There's something really wrong with a tiny individual who attacks the giants who bring food! Are they just too stupid? It doesn't seem sane to me.
'Nasty birds taste best'.
Mary

 

[feather13]

He looks like a frizzled silkie.

Thank you! I've been wondering what he is. Usually roosters are so beautiful, but this one is such an ugly duckling.

 

[feather13]

i don't think roosters can see very well. sometimes if the light is low or if i'm wearing something new my rooster will act aggressive until i talk to him. if i'm trying to get him to be nice to a person i get them to give him a hug and talk to him so he knows they're cool

Thank you! His little Justin Bieber comb hangs over one eye, so I think he has pretty impaired vision. Yesterday I was cleaning out the coop and walking back and forth a lot. He might have gotten upset by that. He's hard to catch, but I'll try holding him and being sweet and see what happens.

 

[feather13]

There's something really wrong with a tiny individual who attacks the giants who bring food! Are they just too stupid? It doesn't seem sane to me.Mary

LOL... right? Especially since he is such a tiny little thing!

 

[sourland]

He is a really neat looking rooster, but in life looks only get you just so far. I seriously doubt that 'hugs' and being 'cool' matter to male animals dominated by their testosterone and not controlled by their brain. Nice roosters do exist, and need homes. I agree with Mary - 'Nasty birds taste best.'

 

[birdofhermes]

Thank you! His little Justin Bieber comb hangs over one eye, so I think he has pretty impaired vision. Yesterday I was cleaning out the coop and walking back and forth a lot. He might have gotten upset by that. He's hard to catch, but I'll try holding him and being sweet and see what happens.

yes it also helps to wrap them up in a blanket. at least my one relaxes and falls asleep right away haha

 

[bobbi-j]

That rooster is going to get more aggressive as time goes by. It has nothing to do with impaired vision or any other excuse you want to come up with. If he were mine, I wouldn't keep him. Especially if you have small children that will be visiting your coop.

If you want to try to keep him, the best way to try to curb his aggression is to remind him that you are the boss. It's time to quit cuddling and coddling him and start showing him that you're boss. Don't move away from him if he comes toward you. You need to make him do the moving. Walk toward him and make him move. Move him away from the feeder, move him out of the coop, move him just because you want to. A thin, flexible switch can be your friend. Tap it in front of him, swat his behind, keep him on the move. Do this daily until he shows you the respect he should. In my opinion, a "good" rooster keeps his distance and moves away when people come near. Hugging a rooster and showing him you're "cool" means nothing to him. It may distract him, but it's not going to keep him from going after the next person.