Aggressive Rooster

[EmmC]

So, a friend of mine has this rooster that was never mean until she was kicking at something frozen on the ground, then all of a sudden he started acting aggressively towards her. Now, I am taking him in, mostly to protect my hens, and I was wondering if there are any tips to get a rooster to not be mean.
Thanks for any tips!

 

[slkyldy4evr]

I know this sounds pathetic but please do not cull him, some people say that mean roosters can't be fixed but they can be, so please don't give up, mine was like that but he's better now, try to pick him up and walk around with him in your hands, maybe like once a day if you get the chance, also try to go out to wherever they go during the day and sit in a chair, and if he comes at you, stand up quickly and if he continues after you stand up, walk straight toward him without letting him get in your way, just don't step on him by accident. Hope this helps!

 

[EmmC]

Ok, thanks! I will try it.

 

[slkyldy4evr]

What breed is he?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

What he did was probably a natural response to her activity. That doesn't actually indicate aggressive to me... but protective.

How old is this boy?

Sounds to me like you just add him to your flock and treat him like a rooster, though I'm suspecting cockerel.

Basically, he needs to respect your space. Roosters are not pets and don't like to be treated as such. They don't want you to hold and pet them. You should walk directly through the path of the boy. He must step out of your way as a matter of showing respect for your space.

You could even chase him just a little. In the chicken world fear equals respect. Gentle moving and coddling does not equal trust. It equals that they don't have to fear/respect you.

This protective stage usually hits around 8 months old in my experience. Cockerels will usually go after who they see as the weakest. If you have small children it will be them. They usually give my dogs the stink eye first and then escalate to attacking when the dog passes by. Just yesterday I got my first good attack from my favorite coddled boy. He was coddled before I knew better. So I put him on the run. He got my leg while my back was turned. He has recently become my only breeding age boy. So I think he decided I was the next that had to be taken down.

I am an animal person. And injuries hurt but don't scare me. So I will pursue giving him a little schooling to see if he gets to stay past this breeding season or not. I realize though, with the experience I have... that there is more to the story than meets the eye. For example... no matter how many times I call him a rooster, what he actually is, is a hormone raging, horny, semi out of control teenager. If you have any experience with teenagers and seeing how things effect them you can see the root cause of the behavior. Every animal at a certain pubescent age becomes a little wild and testy. So this is no different, IMO. Some can be corrected and live happily ever after. Some will raise cane until the day they die. Every single one of my birds no matter what breed is an individual, just like my dogs and my kids.

You may have to experiment and see what works for you. I like a squirt bottle with a nice long reaching stream. And I always use something to extend my reach... like a broom, oar, stick.... whatever I can get my hands on. I don't swing it at them or anything... just use it as a long arm to heard them where I want them to go. It helps a lot. The other poster made good suggestions except for me I would avoid the handling. Gotta try what works for you though.

The time I do insist on handling my boys is at roost. If anybody pecks me, they get packed back. Roost is also the best time to catch birds if you need to. They are very calm and docile after they have settled down for the evening or before it's too light in the morning. They can't see well in the dark and being quiet and still is one of their defenses from predation.

After some maturation... they call girls to treats, dance for the ladies... quite fun. But boy am I different at 43 than I was at 18! You get the difference.

I will see if I can find another good post I saw to share with you for the technique in a bit.

Good luck!

 

[rebrascora]

I know this sounds pathetic but please do not cull him, some people say that mean roosters can't be fixed but they can be, so please don't give up, mine was like that but he's better now, try to pick him up and walk around with him in your hands, maybe like once a day if you get the chance, also try to go out to wherever they go during the day and sit in a chair, and if he comes at you, stand up quickly and if he continues after you stand up, walk straight toward him without letting him get in your way, just don't step on him by accident. Hope this helps!

I wonder how much experience you have with aggressive roosters?

With genuinely aggressive cockerels/roosters, the last thing you want to be doing is bending down to pick them up, as that puts your face in an extremely vulnerable position. It's one thing having your legs or back injured but another altogether having your face attacked. They are also extremely quick in attack....far faster than the average human can react at that close proximity.

I have had aggressive cockerels and roosters that could be retrained and some that couldn't. I find that a long handled broom or shavings fork is a useful tool to have with you until you have settled the matter. It can be used both to fend them off and pin them to the ground until they submit. It's no good trying to walk through them when they are coming at you or latched onto you with spurs in the process of flogging you. Once they are showing acceptance of your dominance, then make a point of walking through them every day, so that they have to move but until they do so on a regular basis for several weeks, keep the broom to hand. Basically, the walking at them/through them, so that they have to get out of your way, should be a daily reminder to them that you are the boss, but you need to establish that dominant position first, if he has already shown aggression and attacked you.

 

[slkyldy4evr]

I wonder how much experience you have with aggressive roosters?

With genuinely aggressive cockerels/roosters, the last thing you want to be doing is bending down to pick them up, as that puts your face in an extremely vulnerable position. It's one thing having your legs or back injured but another altogether having your face attacked. They are also extremely quick in attack....far faster than the average human can react at that close proximity.

I have had aggressive cockerels and roosters that could be retrained and some that couldn't. I find that a long handled broom or shavings fork is a useful tool to have with you until you have settled the matter. It can be used both to fend them off and pin them to the ground until they submit. It's no good trying to walk through them when they are coming at you or latched onto you with spurs in the process of flogging you. Once they are showing acceptance of your dominance, then make a point of walking through them every day, so that they have to move but until they do so on a regular basis for several weeks, keep the broom to hand. Basically, the walking at them/through them, so that they have to get out of your way, should be a daily reminder to them that you are the boss, but you need to establish that dominant position first, if he has already shown aggression and attacked you.

Well maybe that's you're experience but in mine, I firmly hold him as low as I can and walk around and it works after a few weeks, maybe yours have been different.

 

[EmmC]

What breed is he?

He is an easter egger

 

[slkyldy4evr]

Okay just wondering

 

[EmmC]

Hi. 

What he did was probably a natural response to her activity. That doesn't actually indicate aggressive to me... but protective.

How old is this boy? 

Sounds to me like you just add him to your flock and treat him like a rooster, though I'm suspecting cockerel. 

Basically, he needs to respect your space. Roosters are not pets and don't like to be treated as such. They don't want you to hold and pet them. You should walk directly through the path of the boy. He must step out of your way as a matter of showing respect for your space.

You could even chase him just a little. In the chicken world fear equals respect. Gentle moving and coddling does not equal trust. It equals that they don't have to fear/respect you.

This protective stage usually hits around 8 months old in my experience. Cockerels will usually go after who they see as the weakest. If you have small children it will be them. They usually give my dogs the stink eye first and then escalate to attacking when the dog passes by. Just yesterday I got my first good attack from my favorite coddled boy. He was coddled before I knew better. So I put him on the run. He got my leg while my back was turned. He has recently become my only breeding age boy. So I think he decided I was the next that had to be taken down.

I am an animal person. And injuries hurt but don't scare me. So I will pursue giving him a little schooling to see if he gets to stay past this breeding season or not. I realize though, with the experience I have... that there is more to the story than meets the eye. For example... no matter how many times I call him a rooster, what he actually is, is a hormone raging, horny, semi out of control teenager. If you have any experience with teenagers and seeing how things effect them you can see the root cause of the behavior. Every animal at a certain pubescent age becomes a little wild and testy. So this is no different, IMO. Some can be corrected and live happily ever after. Some will raise cane until the day they die. Every single one of my birds no matter what breed is an individual, just like my dogs and my kids.

You may have to experiment and see what works for you. I like a squirt bottle with a nice long reaching stream. And I always use something to extend my reach... like a broom, oar, stick.... whatever I can get my hands on. I don't swing it at them or anything... just use it as a long arm to heard them where I want them to go. It helps a lot. The other poster made good suggestions except for me I would avoid the handling. Gotta try what works for you though.

The time I do insist on handling my boys is at roost. If anybody pecks me, they get packed back. Roost is also the best time to catch birds if you need to. They are very calm and docile after they have settled down for the evening or before it's too light in the morning. They can't see well in the dark and being quiet and still is one of their defenses from predation.

After some maturation... they call girls to treats, dance for the ladies... quite fun. But boy am I different at 43 than I was at 18! You get the difference. 

I will see if I can find another good post I saw to share with you for the technique in a bit.

Good luck!   

Thanks for the advice. He is a little more than a year old right now.