Aggressive Rooster? Or Not 🐓?

[thudson]

I just wanted to share a story and give maybe a little advice that might help you in a similar situation. This is currently happening in my own flocks.
Everyone knows I been raising chickens and dealing with situations in my flocks for a very long time. (40+years) I have had several so called "aggressive" roosters. Pictured below is a rooster that is wearing my wife out almost daily. It is kind of comical, but my wife doesn't think it is very funny.
The rooster is a Showgirl Turkin/Silkie. He is a beautiful splash color and my wife calls him Cinnamon. Anyway she will come out of the house and start the walk to gather eggs in the runs anout 30 yards behind the house. Almost immediately Cinnamon will see her come out of the house and he will get into position. He looks like a track star getting into the starting block. He will crouch down, spread his wings a liitle, duck his head with his eyes fixed on the finish line. Then the starting gun goes off in his head when she opens the door to the run and he is on her. Just flogging. spurring, and even biting like an Anaconda or Snapping turtle, he grabs ahold with his beak and won't let go or he will start to twist ripping or tearing with his beak. Kinda of a new trick I haven't seen before. My wife doesn't like it too much and I get in alot of trouble because I am laughing so hard that I am crying. No bigger than he is, he really can't do too much damage except with the beak manuever. (I KNOW, I KNOW, BAD HUSBAND FOR LAUGHING).
What can she do? What did she do? This may help you too. Most people think it is Stew Pot Time. Could be, maybe, Not. Explanation time. Why is the rooster doing this all of a sudden?and why to her and not me?
1. Spring time-- every spring the temps rise, sunlight is longer and therefore the roosters Testosterone rises.
2. The hens start laying after the molt they just went through in winter, so the rooster needs and wants to breed and also wants to protect his ladies.
3. Do you have Multiple roosters? he is showing off his protection skills to the others. Or is he being bullied? He is showing the others he is tough and can and will fight if necessary.

So what to do? What did my wife and I do?
1. Be aware and understand what is going on SPRING IS HERE.
2. Wear long pants, good boots and gloves.
3. NEVER turn your back to a rooster in spring if you can help it or be sure you keep an eye on him.
4. Carry a bucket or a stick with you. The bucket is for keeping something between you and him if he attacks. The stick is used just to guide him in a direction you would like him to go, so you can gather eggs or feed them safely.
5. Another trick my wife learned and I didn't think of, which she points out, she will carry a spray bottle of water into the coop with her. If he charges she squirts him at his head. Apparently he don't like it and he stays away. Now she just carries the spray bottle in the coop and he doesn't attempt his attack at all now.
6. Relocation or isolation if necessary, but this should be a last resort Really not necessary. Very low chance this will happen
7. Stew Pot- yes this is an option, just not for me. I know some folks will eat the chickens they raise and it is no problem for them. But the only time I euthanize a chicken is do to disease or injury. Not for something that is normal behavior.

I hope this helps someone, maybe a little. This is my opinion and suggestions and zi know there will be people who may disagree or who have more options but this is what we do.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally would use a long handled fishing net and scoop him up, perhaps putting him in that bucket, while I gather eggs, than release him. Do it often enough and he will start changing his mind hopefully.

I've only had one rooster act like that, and mine was relentless. We eventually culled him as I got tired of dealing with him daily, and didn't want to breed from him in case it was genetic. A smart rooster shouldn't see the keeper as a threat.

 

[thudson]

I personally would use a long handled fishing net and scoop him up, perhaps putting him in that bucket, while I gather eggs, than release him. Do it often enough and he will start changing his mind hopefully.

I've only had one rooster act like that, and mine was relentless. We eventually culled him as I got tired of dealing with him daily, and didn't want to breed from him in case it was genetic. A smart rooster shouldn't see the keeper as a threat.

I understand and she does do that on occasion. He is a total mess. I can pick him up and he is the sweetest boy. But then I put him down and he will attack her instantly. I even seen him the other day run out of the door of the coop and start spurring my pit bull in the chest. It was scary, but then it became humorous because my pits eyes got big and he was looking at me like Daddy you going to do something about this chicken. I don't want to play with him.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My patience finally broke because I was backing up, and stumbled, and I'm not exactly quick on my feet these days. This was a few years back. Personally I don't put up with that type of behavior no matter how adorable the rooster. It just isn't worth an injury. There's always more roosters to pick from. I like to keep the good ones around, and the others become dinner.

 

[thudson]

My patience finally broke because I was backing up, and stumbled, and I'm not exactly quick on my feet these days. This was a few years back. Personally I don't put up with that type of behavior no matter how adorable the rooster. It just isn't worth an injury. There's always more roosters to pick from. I like to keep the good ones around, and the others become dinner.

I totally understand. I had a rooster last spring a huge barred rock that spurred me in the hand. It spurred me so bad that the long spur almost went through my palm on my right hand. I went to clean it up and unfortunately I had a stroke 15 minutes later. I spent 10 days in ICU and 47 days of rehabilitation I have almost fully recovered. When I got home I penned the rooster up so I could cut his spurs. When I came out to the pen after getting my stuff together to cut thestress. Some 20 minutes later he had died in the pen. Not sure what happened. I assumed he had a heart attack his self from the stress. So it is hard no matter what you do with an aggressive rooster.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I totally understand. I had a rooster last spring a huge barred rock that spurred me in the hand. It spurred me so bad that the long spur almost went through my palm on my right hand. I went to clean it up and unfortunately I had a stroke 15 minutes later. I spent 10 days in ICU and 47 days of rehabilitation I have almost fully recovered. When I got home I penned the rooster up so I could cut his spurs. When I came out to the pen after getting my stuff together to cut thestress. Some 20 minutes later he had died in the pen. Not sure what happened. I assumed he had a heart attack his self from the stress. So it is hard no matter what you do with an aggressive rooster.

So sorry you went through that. Glad you are doing better. You have more patience than me with roosters. We had a few aggressive roosters when I was a kid, and I swore I wouldn't be terrorized by them as an adult. Thankfully most turn out good here. I only had that one that was aggressive. I tend to have a bunch of roosters running around, so it's important to me that I don't have to worry about them.