Attached rooster?

[cassn]

I have read a lot of posts about different rooster behaviors but I didn't see any that covered this. Does anyone else have a problem with their rooster being super attached to them? He's fine around our immediate family, but if anyone else comes over to visit and interacts with me he tries to attack them. I work from home and he watches me work all day. He comes running to see me any time I am outside (which is admittedly adorable with his fluffy feathery legs). No one else in my family can pick him up or touch him unless he's in the coop at night but he will let me pick him up anytime. Some of the hens are being transitioned in the next few weeks into the coop full time and he's done well with them, but even when they're getting some time outside to acclimate to the weather he will still spend most of his time watching me. I love how gentle and calm he has been with the hens and I do love that he's my buddy and all, but I'm not thrilled at him attacking anyone who is unfamiliar and interacts with me.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Oh this is very common with roosters. Many times they will see their handlers/owners as higher in the pecking order or just have trust in them, but will attack any other people that come near their territory.

The roosters main job, aside from mating with the hens, is to protect his flock of hens. And in his eyes, everyone is a potential thread to him and his harem of hens.

Not all roosters are like this and some roosters attack everyone INCLUDING their handlers/owners. Your rooster obviously respects you, trusts you or sees you as higher than he is in the pecking order and wouldn't dare attack you.

Be careful with roosters like this. They can hurt someone, especially little kids. The spurs are incredibly sharp and can do grave damage. You might consider removing his spurs if you plan on keeping him so he can't hurt anyone with his spurs.

Enjoy your sweet boy!! Sure is nice to have a rooster you can trust to turn your back on.

 

[BBQJOE]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Oh this is very common with roosters. Many times they will see their handlers/owners as higher in the pecking order or just have trust in them, but will attack any other people that come near their territory.

The roosters main job, aside from mating with the hens, is to protect his flock of hens. And in his eyes, everyone is a potential thread to him and his harem of hens.

Not all roosters are like this and some roosters attack everyone INCLUDING their handlers/owners. Your rooster obviously respects you, trusts you or sees you as higher than he is in the pecking order and wouldn't dare attack you.

Be careful with roosters like this. They can hurt someone, especially little kids. The spurs are incredibly sharp and can do grave damage. You might consider removing his spurs if you plan on keeping him so he can't hurt anyone with his spurs.

Enjoy your sweet boy!! Sure is nice to have a rooster you can trust to turn your back on.

I have had three flocks over the years. It's never happened, but If a rooster ever attacks me, there will be a very serious pecking order redo, or a severe slapdown, or beheading.
I have known people who owned cats that have attacked them, and other animals as well. I will have no such nonsense.

 

[JanetMarie]

He sounds like a good boy. We had a buff Orpington rooster who had his own flock, but because of some health problems he slept in the house every night on his blanket, after eating a plate of grapes. Some roosters do become very special pets.

 

[cassn]

He was rehomed with us and wasn't as attached to the previous owners. He's been very attached to me ever since his second day with us when I pulled the shovel out and dug up worms for him. He tried to go after my husband one day so the next day I sat next to my husband as he hand fed him some raisins so he was reassured by that and he hasn't gone after him again. Maybe I should try that again when others come over? He acts more like my dogs than the hens and follows me everywhere that I go when I'm outside. He crows nonstop when I leave so I don't want to be doing anything wrong and making me his only friend!

 

[aart]

It's not unusual for him to know you're OK and other people might not be.....
...but he should be staying with then hens while ranging, not following you around.

IMO, any cockbird that attacks any human should probably be invited to dinner.

 

[JanetMarie]

That sounds like a good idea, to let others give him treats. In my chicken area I don't let other people around my birds much, because of bio-security, and my chickens are not for other people's entertainment, or petting zoo, or whatever.

 

[JanetMarie]

Also need to add that letting others give him treats can be a bad idea also. If it were me, I would just let my own family give him the treats, and leave all other people out of it.

 

[cassn]

It's not unusual for him to know you're OK and other people might not be.....
...but he should be staying with then hens while ranging, not following you around.

IMO, any cockbird that attacks any human should probably be invited to dinner.

The hens are not free ranging yet like he is. They have a penned in area that they are in until they are more acclimated to the cold and can go into the coop. He does get really excited to see them and has followed me into the basement when I bring them in, but he will often go back and forth between his spot by my window where he can see me and where his girls are. But if I come outside, he comes running to me. We don't have many people come to visit because of how far out we live, so its not like there are tons of people circulating in and out that it would be like a petting zoo. I'm talking about 2-3 people that visit regularly and I don't want them attacked. There are only a few other people that come to visit and thats more sporadic. My family, as in those of us that live in the house here are the only ones who have ever physically handled the rooster or chickens at this point. He wasn't handled a lot before we got him, so I didn't know if that's part of why he's reacting the way he is. He is a very sweet boy and I just want the few folks that we do come visit to see that and not end up attacking again. Thankfully when he's attacked he's been putting himself in between me and whoever he's going over and since I'm in close proximity I've been able to scoop him up before it was anything more significant

 

[Mrs. K]

I am very surprised at most of the above answers.

And you have not mentioned how old he is, but truthfully, I think this is the darling turning into the nightmare. Many times first time chicken owners try and raise roosters like puppies or kittens. If you are nice to them, they grow up to be nice to people. Chickens have a different mindset. They equate fear with respect and there is no real neutral area, either you are on top of the pecking order, or below (and respectful) in the pecking order. They do not want to be equals.

Truthfully, I think he thinks of you as HIS flock. He has no other hens. When you pick him up, place him on your lap, he is taking that as submission to him.

I agree with BBQJoe, and AART - I think that his aggressiveness will grow, and the list of people he attacks will grow. If you have children under the age of 6, I strongly recommend that you cull him. If your household is all adults, and you can pen him up when others are around, maybe you could wait and see.

Technically, he has given you several warnings.

Mrs K