Agressive roo.... Is there any hope?

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Speckledhen is right about some roosters inheriting nastiness from a parent rooster. Living proof......(picture taken Thursday afternoon right after I was flogged, rooster gone by suppertime!)



OMgosh, I look like a hateful, old hag......I'm really not, I was just pizzt (sic) at my rooster!

 

[Cetawin]

You make a good point about there being a lot of activity and a stranger around...that could unsettle him indeed. I hope the experiment works and the rooster is fine.

Speckledhen...LOL I remember that story about Nugget...that boy was what almost 3' feet tall....30 something inches for sure I remember. Bad roo to try to steal at night huh...lol

Dang you are lucky .... that roo came close to your eye. His butt would have been gone the second after he did that to me. I would have broken his danged neck immediately. I won't have that nonsense. Thank goodness you are alright.

 

[Geckochick]

Speckledhen is right about some roosters inheriting nastiness from a parent rooster. Living proof......(picture taken Thursday afternoon right after I was flogged, rooster gone by suppertime!)



OMgosh, I look like a hateful, old hag......I'm really not, I was just pizzt (sic) at my rooster!

Oh wow!!!! I am so glad he didn't get your eye! Ouch.

Last night, after the little ones were in bed, we let Roo out of his bachelor pad, and he was a bit antsy, but no attacking. He flitted around a bit, but it wasn't even the dance. He was a bit pushy with the hens, but DH pushed him away. We let him sleep on the roost with the girls again and this morning, he was normal. We both went into the coop (usually it is just me in the mornings, but I wanted DH there just in case), and Roo was excited to see us, but not in an attacking way.

The plan right now is that we are keeping them locked up today-- it is storming here, anyway and we just put our seedlings out in the gardens last night. DH is building the summer chicken run (we do not free range in the growing season) tomorrow, so we will let him be contained with the girls. The kids have been told NOT to go in the coop without an adult. If Roo shows the slightest attacking behaviour again we will consider that the last straw and he will be gone.

Thank you all for your help and support. I am surprised by how attached we are to him, and I missed knowing he was with his girls and protecting them.

Final question-- is there a peak in adolescent testosterone-y behaviour in roosters? When does it start and stop, generally?

 

[Cetawin]

They are generally hormonally stupid from around 16 - 30 weeks old from best I can tell...their little hormones start raging around 16 weeks...a lot of it depends on the individual roo and sometimes the breed because some breeds do mature much slower than others.

Getting attached to a roo is not at all surprising. There is something special about the boys. I adore roosters and their antics. I am also a huge advocate for a good roo. Speckledhen is blessed with some fabulous roos and so am I. My boys are just darlings....That second picture I posted above...Lancelot was standing on my diningroom bench. He just happened to follow me inside through the storm door which was closing slow enough he could slip by. So, while he was inside, I scrambled him and up breakfast and he had his own plate...no girls to steal it from him and no worries about having to give it to them. He enjoys that every now and again. Oh and he NEVER shares his green beans and a couple other little special things....he keeps those for himself.


I made this video when I went to visit Speckledhen....my 15 year old and her rooster Isaac had a weekend love affair....they hugged, spent time swining in the hammock and she carried him around all over the place...Completely trustworthy and all the great aspects of being a good rooster. This is exactly why there is no need tolerating a bad boy...too many good ones out there

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Sorry to hear about your situation. I think, they seam to start growing into their own at two years old., in my experience that is...and spring does seem to be the worst time..however, I don't think you can rehab them, anymore then you can tame a bad bull. Some are just bad (and stoopid if you think about it, why bite the hand that feeds you) when you are rid of him you will feel a weight is gone...right now he is demanded extra work and worry to keep him away form your kids, and not to mention you have to be 'on guard' all the time. Sentiment aside, get a nice pretty roo and the hens will be happy about it too!