Aggressive Rooster

[Boomerwaffen]

What an interesting story! I would never have thought of trying either of those moves! I'm not sure I could catch my Barred Rock rooster. They have a large area to run, and I'm kind of small.

They’re easy to catch. Just get him into a corner and you’ve got him. He may run around for awhile too. But that’s helpful too because he is running because he’s afraid. They learn from that. The other birds see it too. I just immobilize them by pushing them down until I can get a better grip. I’m small myself. But we are still giants to the rooster. My wife is only 5’2” but Lamar is afraid of her.

 

[ElizaMay]

I was attacked yesterday by our nearly 6 month old Black Orpington named Lamar (a GTA5 character our son named him after). Like the video game Lamar tried his hand at assault on the back of my legs yesterday as I turned to leave the coop. I grabbed Lamar and held him face down on the ground and spoke softly to him and strokes his head and neck softly, holding him firmly down. All the other birds especially the 12 hens made a semi-circle in front of Lamar a few inches away watching Lamar get the treatment. I went in the coop today and no attack and Lamar acted calmly but avoided me as he has done since he was a chick. I will try this again if it continues more than once more, I’ll grab Lamar and hold him by his feet and walk around with him in the coop for a minute or two. There can be no doubt in your rooster’s mind that you are not only the kind giant that brings him food you’re the boss not him. We have a large Embden gander named Fat Tony (pictured in back) that doesn’t take Lamar’s crap either. So Lamar started trying to dominate our drake and then I guess he decided to have a go at me. Interestingly he’s never tried it on my wife. She’s Thai and she said they just smack them (not to hurt but to stun) aggressive roosters and don’t have any problems with them.

I have done this with several roosters (both forced head onto the ground and held them there till they stilled, and carried around the coop by the feet). We are now st a point in our relationships that they move away from me. At first it was with fear and bouncing themselves off the chickenwire, now it is simply to move out of my way and wait for whatever it is I am in there doing to be done.

 

[ElizaMay]

I thank you for your earnest advice. The rooster I spoke of in this thread was a silent attacker and would blindside me without warning. As much as I knew there was a rooster reason for his behavior, I couldn't have him attack me every time I entered my flock's space. The rooster I still have has issues with me too, but he so far has only run close behind me. He bumped my leg once but he hasn't done the full force both feet plant into my legs or back. As soon as I enter their area, my flock comes running to me. Of course my rooster does not like this. I am trying some different methods with him because I want to keep him. He is a very good guardian of the girls. When I enter their area with my feed container, I walk a few steps then throw some out on the ground so all have something right away a distance from me. This worked well one morning. However, no matter what I'm doing in their area, they gather round me and follow me. I know my rooster doesn't like this, but I cannot control it. He doesn't seem to care if I sit down and they gather round me for attention. He doesn't come after me inside the coop either. It's just when I'm walking to and from the feeding/watering area and most often when I'm leaving. As I said, I'm going to try various things to keep him from getting worse because I really like and respect him. But, I cannot provide feed and water in a way that allows him to believe he found it first. When I feed and water, he is one of the flock and he needs to behave.

I agree with your stand - it seems dishonest to allow a rooster the dominance of thinking he has 'done it all' and provided good things to the flock. YOU are the HEAD CHEESE that both feed and law flow forth from. You need to collect eggs, provide medical treatment and parasite control, and the birds should be able to connect you with a provider of good things, as well as not so good, so they don't freak out like wild things when you DO inevitably have to treat a wound (or cull).

 

[Ponypoor]

There are many threads here concerning 'reforming' human aggressive cockerels and roosters. In my experience, nothing really succeeds, except very rarely. And there's a saying I first heard here; "Nasty roosters taste best"!
Mary

We have a saying in the horse world: it cost just as much to feed a bad horse as a good one.

My roo is really good with me, but I have had it out with him a few times. Others though he attacks. I know I am going to have to get rid of him (freezer) in the spring. Can't have him around I have kids here all the time.

 

[Ponypoor]

I hand raised my little flock from hatchling age. I purchased one rooster and was given a surprise rooster chick with my order. I now have two roosters and 11 hens. My roosters did not like being handled from day one. I continued to try to gently condition them, but they remained aloof. They are now 6 months old. My Black Australorp has become very aggressive and has attacked me twice from the back and the side in the past few days. I don't understand this and I am not going to tolerate it. I was very aggressive right back at him today and he backed off and gave me my space. I was not approaching him either time. Should I even hope he will stop this behavior? Thank you in advance!

He is very handsome, too bad he is naughty.

 

[AgnesGray]

We had a processing day recently and something we've observed many times is the difference in size of the male parts in mean cockerels and roosters (larger than their brains) compared to most of the quieter ones which tend to be more normally proportioned to their size. We've come to the conclusion after seeing this over and over that it's a hormonal or genetic thing and not something we can "teach" out of them 9 times out of 10. I do try to carry them around once and will hold them down if I really don't want them to go, but they usually end up in tacos.

 

[Jerisflock]

He is very handsome, too bad he is naughty.

Yes, and as you may have read further, the black one is history. The Barred Rock, Ricky, has tested the waters and came close to meeting his demise after attacking my husband. Since being "put in his place" he has behaved. Unfortunately I suspect it's only a matter of time before he tries it again. Dumb roosters!

 

[Jerisflock]

Yes, and as you may have read further, the black one is history. The Barred Rock, Ricky, has tested the waters and came close to meeting his demise after attacking my husband. Since being "put in his place" he has behaved. Unfortunately I suspect it's only a matter of time before he tries it again. Dumb roosters!

It makes me very sad! I dreamed of gentle, beautiful roosters who loved me, lIke my hens do.

 

[Folly's place]

I don't think that chickens 'love' people, certainly not like dogs, and cats, and some horses do.
Aside from that, roosters, stallions, bulls, boars, whatever, can be ruled by their hormones and genetics, and are not like females of the same species, often. And when their brains are smaller than their 'other parts' it's easy to see why...
Here we value roosters who spend their time with their flock, not with us.
Mary

 

[McChooky]

I rescued a 2 yr old rooster that was raised in a flock with older chickens and a rooster and he is not a bit aggressive.Human raised cockerels are prone to be aggressive and attack their caretakers.I wouldn't give you 5 cents for one regardless how beautiful they might be. I don't have to worry about being attacked when I go in the run with my chickens around him.