aggressive rooster

[eggy n nibbler]

hey guys

we have had our rooster for like 3 weeks now at first he was very nice and we could walk around with him and he would follow us around and come when we call but for the last couple of days now he has gotten very aggressive towards the whole family me, my bf and his mum he tries to fight
he charges at us and hits us with his legs he hasn't got the massive spurs but it really hurts and it is really frighting as well he was such a sweet heart
what has made him sooooo aggressive
could it be that he is coming attached to the hens and wants to protect them

and how can we make him stop trying to hurt us?

any ideas would be great

cheers em

 

[theoldchick]

His hormones make him fight. He's territorial over his gals and will attack any one he considers a threat or an easy mark. Most roosters will continue to attack until they are heading for the crock pot. There are things you can do to make him respect certain members of your family but you will never be able to trust him around people. If you have small children he needs to be culled immediately.

 

[eggy n nibbler]

nawwww i couldnt kill him i would give him away before that happened

i will try being nice to him when im around him but i would never kill him

i have no kids so that is fine i have learnt to run very quickly from him

 

[keesmom]

nawwww i couldnt kill him i would give him away before that happened

i will try being nice to him when im around him but i would never kill him

i have no kids so that is fine i have learnt to run very quickly from him

Then get rid of him now. Being nice to him will get you nowhere. Running from him is one of the worst things you can do. And if you think he hurts you now wait until he gets those spurs and sticks you with them.

 

[cravenchx]

Running from him just teaches him he is the alpha
Pick him up, hold him tight and lower his head with your
hand and hold it there. Remove your hand, if he raises his
head, hold down again and walk around the ladies in this
position. I have to do this every two weeks with my roo.
Max keeps it up, and into the pot he will go.

PS
If you give him away, someone else will just put him in
the pot

 

[galanie]

nawwww i couldnt kill him i would give him away before that happened 

i will try being nice to him when im around him but i would never kill him

i have no kids so that is fine i have learnt to run very quickly from him

Then get rid of him now. Being nice to him will get you nowhere. Running from him is one of the worst things you can do. And if you think he hurts you now wait until he gets those spurs and sticks you with them.

 

X a million!

 

[runsw/scissors]

Em,

Please listen to these people are telling you! Being "nice" to this rooster is a recipe for disaster!!

If he is trying to spur you now (that's when he uses his legs to strike you) it will only get worse! Please consider the danger you are putting yourself and family as well as visitors in! Do you realize that you can be held financially responsible for any harm that rooster does to people?

You must dominate that rooster and quickly! You can search here for how to do that, but understand that usually doesn't work; in the end putting the rooster down is the best and safest course of action.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most people use the domination method and I definitely wouldn't run from him.

In the past I've had aggressive roosters. If they came after me I'd kick them into next week. The third time they were grilled slowly with sea salt, cracked pepper and sage.

What I do now is move very slowly around the birds, especially the roosters. If I have to be right next to them I stoop. I also bring treats.
The roosters will attack predators and other roosters.
Predators move fast or come from above and other roosters don't bring treats.
I do have a lot of flighty breeds but haven't been attacked in a long time and I have several roosters.

Once they attack it's probably too late to change the pattern.

 

[Pico de Gallo]

Mine get aggro every month or so: usually on sunny days when I'm wearing bright colors. You might consider a wardrobe change to something thicker and more drab, like a pair of duck Carhartts!

I just kick at them, then chase them around until they stand down. I find my feet don't actually need to connect, but the behavioral correction does seem to last longer when you do! One trick is to fake him out with a swift lunge to get him aloft, and quickly punt with the other foot...far less forceful than hitting them as they're coming at you, and the surprise factor is a great deterrent.

You can usually tell from their posture when an attack is imminent before you've even entered the pen. In this case I make a fake kick to tell him I'm not in the mood, then keep him in my sight for the duration. Whatever you do, avoid turning your back!

My GF just carries a stick, which is good for keeping him at a distance but impractical for two handed operations...and that's their favorite opportunity.

 

[kgdubois]

Hello Em

I understand you not wanting to kill any of your animals, but one thing to consider is that if your rooster stays around, he will be passing down his aggressive, undesireable behavior to his chicks. I have not had chickens all that long, but I did grow up on a large cattle ranch in West Texas, and have witnessed this very thing in several different animal species. Bad behavior in livestock should be removed from the breeding stock as soon as possible to prevent it carrying on for generations -- I am not saying you have to kill the rooster, but (IMO) being a responsible animal owner & caretaker means having a herd/flock/group of animals that is not a threat to anyone...adult, child or other animals.

I wish you luck in finding the right solution to your problem!