Aggressive Rooster

[Sam and Beth]

My rooster Crush has recently become way more aggressive than when i first got him. Which was around three month ago and he was around one years old.He has alway protected his hens but now he is attacking me for no reason and he is now pecking the hens and pulling out their feathers. I am now really worried that he is going to end up killing my hens and i don't know what to do. I only have one rooster and 16 hens. I have never hit or kicked my rooster i just block him with a broom are a snow shovel. When i have two pairs of gloves on occasionally i try to pick him up and hold him in a way to calm him down but he is so fast i am unable to do it every time. Does anyone know what to do with a really aggressive rooster i really don't want to end up with dead hens. Any help will be really appreciated. thank you so much.

 

[Sneebsey]

Cull him. A cockerel who is disrespectful of you and the hens is of no use to you, and if he is this bad, you will not be able to train him successfully. I would expect this sort of behaviour from a younger cockerel under one year, but a grown-up should know better.

There are too many good cockerels out there looking for a home for anyone to keep a wrong'un, imo.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It sounds like he thinks you and the hens have become too friendly with each other. He is punishing them and trying to drive you off. Sometimes it is genetic. Try not to get too close to the hens and don't handle them except for at night.
In the end, he may have to meet the soup pot.
The friendliest of roosters are often those that are most human aggressive because they aren't afraid of you.

 

[Pork Pie]

It's a problem as old as the hills, so it appears. This link may provide additional information

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-roosters-what-is-the-best-way-to-handle-them

 

[GrannyHeeney]

That sure sounds like what happened with Leroy. =( Remember that saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt?" Leroy was one of the most beautiful roos we'd ever seen, so I'd been digging through the threads on here for a month. Seems like the folks who have the best luck with their roos keep them at an arm's reach from the very beginning? The more we handled him, the worse Leroy got, to the point where he'd slam into the side of the cage whenever we'd come out of the house. =(

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Hubby just said it's called a bully =(

 

[Sneebsey]

I wouldn't say that I keep them at arms length, per-say, but I definitely try to teach them who is boss. There are subtle hints that they may start to think themselves as top dog; they may try to dance at you, or crow or breed hens in front of you. This kind of behaviour shouldn't be tolerated; think of yourself as top rooster. If he does any of these things, walk towards him, arms akimbo, and don't back down. If he tries to make a go at you, give him a good kick (not full blown, just with the base of your foot). Sounds harsh, I know, but if you think of the bloody fights cockerels have with each other, it's fairly tame.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That sure sounds like what happened with Leroy. =( Remember that saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt?" Leroy was one of the most beautiful roos we'd ever seen, so I'd been digging through the threads on here for a month. Seems like the folks who have the best luck with their roos keep them at an arm's reach from the very beginning? The more we handled him, the worse Leroy got, to the point where he'd slam into the side of the cage whenever we'd come out of the house. =(View attachment 1416767

Pretty boy, but a turd nonetheless.
I've raised several hundred roosters, about 20 of those were various breeds including egg, meat, DP and exotics. This may be anecdotal, but the only breed that attacked me were Plymouth Rocks.
I don't handle my birds unless absolutely necessary. I don't walk directly toward them unless absolutely necessary. I move slowly around them. The bulk of the roosters I've raised are Black Penedesencas. As a breed, they are very skittish, wary and aloof birds that avoid human contact. I've never been attacked by one and none have ever given me the stink eye. They're just not that into you. Incredible flock protectors.
I have had a couple hens attack me when I grabbed one of her chicks. It reminded me of a sow when you grab one of her piglets.
All chicken handling here is done after dusk.

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Wow, Leroy did all of these things from the beginning and we just thought it was "cute rooster behavior." At the end, he'd hold them down and rake their backs, then turn around and stare right at me! :-o I just KNEW at that point that it was about me, but by then, it was all she wrote.

 

[GrannyHeeney]

We are currently fighting over bathing the chickens--all my Barred Rocks are Orange Rocks because of the SC clay. ("I'm going out to give the chickens a bath." "No you're not, me and Marie are doing it tomorrow!" "Oh you two, there are 3 chickens, you can BOTH bathe them!") 2 weeks ago, we'd have been dreading it with Big Bad Leroy Brown around. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to walk out and even just stand in the coop. **This is why we do this!** ::chicken love::