Aggressive Rooster

[Chicken_owner]

My rooster is about 1 year old and is starting to attack my dad but he won't attack my the rest of us, he will just chase us around. This has happened before in his brothers. They would attack us and at one point they almost killed him and he wouldn't attack back. We had to give them away but he is starting to attack like they did. He has always been a gentle rooster until now and my family has grown deeply attached to him, What can I do to stop him from attacking us or do I just have to give him away?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Can you seperate him for a few days? He may be going through some raging hormones.

 

[drdoct]

I just carry around a red plastic rake to fend mine off. I know it's not a long term solution, but for now I don't go out unless I'm carrying the 'Red Rooster' around. I'd just like to get some chicks first before having to get rid of him. Mine is right at a year as well. But he started showing out around 7mths.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Geez! My roo is deathly afraid iyf me. I hope it stays that way.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

Don't run away from him, that just validates that he can get away with chasing and attacking you. Pick him up and carry him around next time he gets fighty. Or catch him, sit on top of him (not on top like you are crushing him, but put him between your legs so you are above him) and force him to the ground (put his beak to the ground), it's about asserting your dominance. He thinks he is the boss and thinks this is part of his job, you need to let him know that's not how it's going to work.
I had an aggressive roo and I did the pick him up and carry him around a few times and now he does not mess with me. They don't like it one bit and will fight it, but they need to be shown who's the boss. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but if you really really like him it's worth a shot.

 

[drdoct]

I've done all that and more with mine like holding him down. Even carried him upside down around the yard. All kinds of things to no avail. But I still want to raise some of his stock for some EE. So I just stick to the red rooster for now. He barely bothers me now that he knows he can't get any fun action out of me.

 

[Chicken_owner]

Can you seperate him for a few days? He may be going through some raging hormones.

I'll try thanks

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

kicking running ect only adds to the aggression. If he is a rooster you want to keep, for whatever reason...Meet it head on..the rooster will need to be Grabbed when attacking .yes easier said than done.. and periodically throughout the day. Especially by the one he is being aggresive too..in this case your dad.I usually grab them up.and then cover their face and beak with my hand while holding them under my arm. while saying NO..much like reprimanding a child or dog..Be sure to keep his face covered. Or he will try and peck..I walk around with him for 5 or 10 minutes then set him down..this must be done several times a day.til he learns who is dominate.. if this is not an option..then in the pot he goes..a large rooster can injure a small child ..whose eyes are vulnerable. Or elderly whose skin is thin...

 

[Boomerwaffen]

My rooster is about 1 year old and is starting to attack my dad but he won't attack my the rest of us, he will just chase us around. This has happened before in his brothers. They would attack us and at one point they almost killed him and he wouldn't attack back. We had to give them away but he is starting to attack like they did. He has always been a gentle rooster until now and my family has grown deeply attached to him, What can I do to stop him from attacking us or do I just have to give him away?

So we have four roosters. Our original rooster Lamar a large black Orpington went through an aggressive period. He was a terror until he was 18 months old. Even our Embden gander Fat Tony couldn’t stand him. But now he has three sons two of whom were sired with barred rocks. One of them is absolutely enormous. He’s twice the size of the Orpington which is already a large breed. His name is Snow and he’s even more aggressive than his father was. His father Lamar even put a spur almost completely through my right hand. I’d planned on dispatching Lamar (named for a drug dealing thug NPC in GTA5 by our son). But my wife forbid me burying him under biscuits.

So here’s what we tried and what worked best. First of all get yourself a fishing dip net. It has two uses on aggressive roosters. The first is to catch the little thugs without getting a spur stuck clean through your hand. The second is psychological with the chicken. Roosters are fairly intelligent and rational creatures. Once you catch them with a net they know what it is and will take off when they see it. That right there is half the battle. Anti watched a lot of YouTube videos of advising holding them down and tugging at their neck feathers, carrying them around by their feet (don’t as if they’ve just eaten this can suffocate them), and other stuff, basically trying rooster dominance. None of it worked. What I found that did work was catching them and then tucking them under my arm and taking them down to the pond and feeding the fish. I’d pet them and talk softly to them. But I’d confine them with me for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes I’d walk around our property or into the house. We have a large mixed flock of chickens, ducks and geese. Whenever I grab an aggressive rooster all the other birds intently watch the rooster I’m carrying around. The hens will often then crouch down when I walk by later. The rooster of course hate being carried around like this. At first I could feel them trembling a little. But after a couple of treatments they relaxed. I also combine this treatment with words. If I can’t grab them right away I follow them around as they flee. I say their name and say come here buddy I’ve got something for you very upbeat and friendly. Now if I just say that they often take off. After about 13-15 months they really calm down. From about 10-15 months they can go crazy. They’re basically walking testosterone. But that’s why we have them. It’s why we have the geese and drake too. To protect our flock from small and arial predators. Roosters love nothing more than picking a fight with any animal they don’t like. We let our birds free range on our property and have only lost one. That poor one used to go too far into the woods and something got her.

Anyway I’ve found that the gentle but firm 10-15 minute treatment with roosters works the best. Sometimes the more aggressive ones will have another go at me or my family the same day. But usually the treatment is good for a week or two. I really enjoy our roosters and think I’ve figured out how to deal with our. It’s funny when I realize them in the pond deck. They just stand there for a minute. Then slowly walk over to the steps and down. They maintain composure around one side of the pond till they get all the way around it. Then run like a roadrunner up the hill to wherever the majority of the flock it. After they’ll usually flee me for the next few days. I do this to them whenever they show any aggression whatsoever. Puppy training.

Good luck!

 

[drdoct]

Now that it's getting cold, I have sleeves on and can hold mine. During the Summer that little ground pecker will bite the fire out of my arm, hand, and anything else he can. Oh and also he's gotten some of the hens to try and jump up and get me as well. Mine met me at my truck as I was leaving and wanted to play some. So I gave him a nice kick in the chest as he jumped up just enough to knock him back. He did it again and I did the same thing. Then almost as if he decided... hmmmph this isn't worth it... he turned and did some odd cackle sound as if to tell the girls... play time was over and he was getting away from me.