Are Black Cooper Marans Roosters agressive??

[BigOJoe]

I have 3 black cooper maran roosters in with 27 hens, 5 BCM, and various other breeds. I want to keep just the Maran roosters so that my maran eggs will be full blooded marans and dont care about mixing maran with the other breeds

but one of the roosters attacks me on a weekly basis. and in this hot summer and fall I am usually in shorts so needless to say i have some scratched up legs.

I have come real close to setting him out to free range with the coyotes, foxes and dogs and see just how BA he is with them.

i have had dozens of other roosters and only been attacked by the bantie boys (they have gone to another farm now)

i want keep the marans but this guy is pushing his luck with me.

 

[flgardengirl]

I haven't noticed that marans in general are any more aggressive than other breeds. Most are pretty docile. I have had two blue copper marans roos who have gotten aggressive around puberty. If you really want to work with him and you think he is worth keeping you can try picking him up and carrying him around with you any time he shows aggression. Never back down from him. Show him you are dominant and you can do what you want with/to him. I don't hit them or anything because I have found it only makes them challenge you more in the long run.
Some people will hold the roo tucked under one arm (kinda like a football) and if he raises his head, push it back down so he can't look at you. Every time he raises his head, push it back down. Eventually, he sees that you are dominant and will keep his head down on his own. There is a thread on byc somewhere that talked about it, if you can find it. If he is a younger roo I think they often start feeling protective of thier flock (which is thier job really) and get all those adolescent feelings and are hormonal. It is easier to make a younger roo become submissive than an older one who is set in his ways. If he is older and really vicious, you may have to rehome or send him to freezer camp.

 

[Paco]

I wouldnt say mine is agressive buy he is alot bolder than any other rooster that i have just yesterday he flogged my rottwieler in the face for sniffing him.

 

[cashdl]

Mine is not agressive but very bold. He will jump at me for food but he is not attacking me. He is definately my least favorite roo, but he is part of my olive egger project so I put up with his pushyness.

Lanae

 

[Paco]

I actually prefer my roosters bold like that since they will actually protect he's hens.

 

[joedie]

I have 8 BCM roos and they are all pretty docile. Actually clear a path for me when I walk thru the barnyard. The only other roo I have to caompare to is my EE. He is alpha but still doesn't bother people.

 

[onthespot]

The only mean one I had was made a pet of when he was a chick. If I had one flogging me, I'd have him in the freezer after a few floggings. Especially as it is not your only roo. Bad dispositions can be hereditary, so you may only want to keep the gentlest, kindest roosters.

 

[BigOJoe]

They are kept in a very secure 12 x 16 coop, so i dont need a protector, if he is only going after the egg raider. I can't free range or put in a good run, with all the wild preds & dogs.

He is 6 months old, so it probably is harmons and stuff. i like the idea of working with him, for a little while anyway.

it was funny this afternoon, i was making an egg run and he attacked again, I knocked him back 3 or 4 times as he came back at me the last time, one of the other Maran Roos stepped in and the two of them went at it, so at least one of them sees me as the big guy that brings them, fresh water, food, and snacks and not just an egg raider.

thanks

 

[flgardengirl]

Keep an eye on that good rooster who is protecting you. I have one awesome blue copper roo who will protect me like that. He has a few faults visually (like a little too light in the hackles). I would never get rid of him though because of his personality. I think personality, especially the personality of the lead rooster, can be very important for a flock. I do wonder sometimes about marans and other chicken behaviors in their natural habitats and how many behaviors/instincts are lost by just breeding for the 'beauty queens'.
Anyhow, this good roo is now the lead roo in his group. He watches after all the other chickens including roosters. He waits until they are all inside the coop at night before he will go in himself. Then he sits in the doorway until I come lock the door, then he will go perch.
There have been a several times when one blue copper adolescent boy tried to bite me, the good rooster chased the bad boy around and around the run until he got him inside the coop and then he kicked his a** from one end of the coop to the other.

I watched this roo teaching another young cockeral ( a golden cuckoo) in the pen next to him how to call the girls, give them his treats, and protect the flock by going in at night only after everyone else was tucked in, verbally alerting to hawks, etc. Every morning the young cockeral would sit by the fence and study the older roo. Then he would copy everything he did all day long. Now that particular cockeral is a good rooster as well very much like the other one. I guess this is 'Modeling Behavior' lol. It was fascinating to watch the roo teach the younger one. I guess I had never thought about chickens acting that way.

 

[RhodeRunner]

My first Black Copper Marans rooster was a complete jerk for awhile, but I cured him of that. One super cold night in the winter, I moved my Marans into the heated shed. In the morning when I was going to let them out I smelled something. Turns out it was a gas leak in the shed. He was nice to me ever since.

One a more serious note, mean roosters just suck, and if they refuse to learn who is the boss then I cull them. I don't keep roosters that are aggressive with my hens either. However, I noticed that getting attacked by a bird tends to be a personal issue. I rarely get attacked even by peoples supposed attack roosters. I think they just know by looking at me that I will eat them for dinner.

Never be afraid of an attack rooster. If he shows any aggression chase him down. He is going to run you are bigger. Then take your arm and run around him in a circle, tap him with your hand till he goes down to the ground and submits to you. If he doesn't learn to be nice, get rid of him, you shouldn't risk anyone getting hurt from your rooster.