Aggressive Roos. What to do?

[Devoted Nana]

I was fine Im always covered in cuts and scratches from them and it really doesn’t hurt it just really surprises me how he acts like that even though I was like his dad always holding and being around him

I'm really sad. we bought fertilized eggs for two of our hens that went broody last Spring. 5 out of 6 hatched, and we ended up with two roos and 3 hens. one rooster "disappeared" at about 4 months old (they free range). The one left was sweet and "hen-pecked" for a while. I would eat out of my hand and let me pet him. I was hoping he would be more of a leader of the flock than he was, though. in the last few weeks (at almost 7 months old), I've been happy to see him taking the lead of the 8 hens. The one hen I've had for a year-and-a-half used to be the alpha and was pretty mean to the others. Now, she cowers around.
Talk about a change! Today when I went out to take them some treats, instead of eat out of my hand, Rooster Cogburn started biting at my fingers! Surprised, I said, "no!" (like he was some kid. lol) He flared his neck feathers at me! I decided I needed to figure out what to do now! He came out of the run behind me and I saw him rush me in my peripheral vision! I turned and ran back at him quickly, but since I wasn't sure that was the right way to handle it, I came here.
They free range and go into the woods during the day. I want him to be protective, but how do I find the balance? I'll keep trying to "show who's boss". But he is not little at all. He's a New Hampshire Red. I don't see spurs on him yet--that will be a game changer. My husband will happily fix him up for dinner. But then my girls are "on their own" again. When I had three backyard chickens 14 years ago, I had NO problems with them at all. This has proven to be expensive and a headache between battles with bumblefoot, lice, not being able to take trips, etc. Buying local eggs may be what happens next...

 

[Mrs. K]

Yeah, invite him to supper.

But go to your feed store, and post 'Nice rooster wanted". Contact your county extension office for poultry clubs, 4-H groups. Other people have chickens, find them.

What you want is a rooster that is getting close to a year old, and who has been so nice, that they have not culled him, and they would cull him if he was rotten. If he has been raised free ranging, so much the better.

Don't pet him, don't encourage him into your space by feeding him by hand. You want him to respect you enough be giving 4-6 feet of space all of the time. Not in a panic, just naturally calmly move away from you.

Mrs K