Aggressive Rooster? Can he be tamed?

[OzarkChooks]

I have a 22 week old Rooster named Jefferson. He was never a sweet cuddly boy but he was never aggressive to any of us, including our kids. He doesn't like to be touched, so we don't mess with him. He will take treats out of our hands though.
After my father passed away, my mom has come to live with us. She has been chasing the chickens away from the porch with a leaf blower. This has been going on for weeks. Recently she was attacked two separate times by Jefferson. The first time he went for her feet. The second time he flogged her.
My question is, can this be remedied? I don't want to get rid of him unless he goes for my kids. My kids are outside with all the chickens every day and neither of the roosters have ever acted aggressive towards them ever. Can we fix how he is with my mom? Any suggestions?

 

[Opiumbrella]

She is scaring them. He is just trying to protect the flock and himself. I would say look for a less terrifying and stressful way to discourage them from the porch if they just can't be allowed there.
Sounds like he is more afraid of her than just a mean guy.
Work daily on socializing with him. Using treats and such. If your mom will do that as well and stop with the leaf blower she can likely make friends with him as well.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Instead of scaring him away with a leaf blower, toss some scratch in a different area, & train him rather then terrorize him?


I have 21 roosters, & only 3 of which are buttheads. 2 aren't that bad, 1 constantly attacks me.



(P.S. I love the Looks of your EE, he looks part Gamefowl)

 

[OzarkChooks]

Oh I know the leaf blower is terrible. I get upset every time it happens. So you think if I convince her to try to make friends, this could be turned around? I should clarify that both time he attacked her it was when she was NOT trying to chase them off. She was just walking to the car.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I see he's still a cockerel, not a rooster, so there's still time to train him to be a good boy, & regain his trust.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Oh I know the leaf blower is terrible. I get upset every time it happens. So you think if I convince her to try to make friends, this could be turned around? I should clarify that both time he attacked her it was when she was NOT trying to chase them off. She was just walking to the car.

The leaf Blower still maybe the reason for the attacks.

 

[Isadora]

Personally I wouldn't keep a rooster that attacks anyone, as the attacks seem to spread out to include more people eventually. I just culled a cockerel recently who had chased one of my kids. I knew my kid was trying to hold one of the hens so I put the cockerel on a "wait and see" time so I could assess his behavior. The very next day, he sidled up to me and my son and tried to attack us. Bye bye, birdie.
People try various methods to get their roosters not to attack them, whether it's carrying them around, time out in a separate pen for a few days, kicking him, etc. I don't think it's worth the risk to your children. It only takes one attack for them to lose an eye.
Good luck

 

[OzarkChooks]

The leaf Blower still maybe the reason for the attacks.

Oh I don't doubt that for a second. I was so worried he would think she is a threat because of it. The chickens love coming to the back porch because my kids feed them treats there. So they are getting very mixed messages.

I am new to chickens and I have heard things about roosters....so I am hoping he is not permanently affected.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Oh I know the leaf blower is terrible. I get upset every time it happens. So you think if I convince her to try to make friends, this could be turned around? I should clarify that both time he attacked her it was when she was NOT trying to chase them off. She was just walking to the car.

Even if it was not when she was using it, it is still likely because she had been. They remember that. It is their job to keep their flock safe and he sees her as a threat.
Get her some BSF grubs, you can make friends with the grumpiest roo with those things. My marshmallow (named for his fluffy whiteness) was just a meanie. To the point we had to pen him away from everyone else.
We laugh because he has come to live up to his name. Some dried grubs, a little patience, and he is now just a big marshmallow. (Unless my cat tries to stalk his hens)

 

[MysteryChicken]

Oh I don't doubt that for a second. I was so worried he would think she is a threat because of it. The chickens love coming to the back porch because my kids feed them treats there. So they are getting very mixed messages.

I am new to chickens and I have heard things about roosters....so I am hoping he is not permanently affected.

One thing should be done is stop with leaf blower. No other method of assault should be used, that means No: Hitting, no kicking, no swatting, no smacking with sticks. Any of these will just make the problem worse.


Train with treats, handle him, & talk with him. If he attacks, hold him like a football, or carry him around for awhile, don't put him down until he stops wiggling, then reward him.

Roosters are trainable.