Attack of the Rooster

[JP62]

Yesterday afternoon after leaving the coop to take in a bag of food, I was met outside the door by our Buff Orpington roo who promptly attacked my leg. (He was out free ranging with all the hens) I kicked him aside but he got up and came at me again. This time he landed about 3 feet further than where he landed before. I figured that was the end of it until he thought he would give it another try, so again, another boot. I started up the path to the house and sure enough, here he comes again. He is either a very slow learner or he really thinks he can kick my butt. We have two roosters one of which will be going away very soon (the Americauna) has attacked our 3 year old daughter, so the buff, who had not been a problem until yesterday was the lucky one to stay, but now I think they both might be stew real soon. I'm not sure what I did to piss him off since he has never done this before but I don't think he will be getting any nicer in the future. I wanted a rooster around, but I was wondering if 23 hens would be better with or without a rooster around. Are there any benefits of having a rooster other than to fertilize eggs.

 

[jaboo81]

If they are free roaming the rooster will give the hens some sort of proctection. But if they keep attacking I would be eating me some rooster.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Try grabbing him up by the feet and hang him there until he calms down. Put and carry him under you arm like a food ball for about 15 minutes and then put him down and if he does it again repeat.

Rooster-Red I believe has a wonderful page on how to handle mean roos. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2588-Roo_behavior

 

[JP62]

No way to easily catch him when he is out. I have tried before. All of our hens are as tame as the cats. You can pick them up anytime, hold them and pet them, they follow us around like puppy dogs, but the roosters are wild and faaaaaast, and now..... mean. But I doubt they can out run a bullet. I don't have the time to try and reform a juvenile delinquent rooster. If he can't play nice then he will be gone. I would eat him today if my wife and kids were not so kind hearted.

 

[kelidei]

Quote:
I have a Blue Andy that is my resident terrorist. I could never catch him either--- now I just let him come at me and I grab him as he starts his kung fu deal--- It's pretty easy to grab legs when he does that. He has improved since I have been doing the football carry thing. I just wait till he settles down and then I put him down. Especially with all the winter clothes now he can't do a thing to hurt me--- so I also ignore him a lot. That works too.

 

[TomKat]

Roosters have a lot to offer provided you keep your roo to hen ratio high (they fancy themselves as pimps). A rooster will die defending his girls against predators. Even if you keep your flock in a run, the roo is still cheap security against predators and egg stealers. Then there is always the entertainment factor in watching the rooster dance. I would swear my roo thinks he's at a 70s disco. When a rooster attacks he is NOT being mean, he IS being a rooster. Like most animals, they too can sense fear. If you become afraid of your roo, you have fallen below him in the flock's pecking order. Better to grab him and restrain him. He will learn he doesn't like the consequences of attacking you. Come on people, these are birds we are talking about, not rabid stray dogs or wild boars. No need to shoot him. I understand if you raise your birds for food, but to decide he is food because he can get the better of you, come on. I hate to say it, but if you have a rooster older than a year and he has never been aggressive toward you, then he may not defend the flock when needed. The link cited earlier on rooster behavior is a good one and has good advice on how to address bad behavior.

 

[dacdeihl]

I had a problem roo and he was culled. I left the nicer one and now three months after he is starting to get agressive. He actually didn't mature unitl right after the others were gone. I think he was the bottom of the roo pecking order. But anyways, I have tried the kbooting in the chest and that has worked. I have also gone on the offensive but chasing him. That's works really well. My husband thinks I'm nuts, but it works. I have also chaught it with much chasing and layed him down on his back on the ground and held him there. He hated that. Now I have a hard time catching him. Just don't run or be affraid or that will lead to more attacks.

 

[kelidei]

Quote:
I can vouch for this--- Now instead of letting him "bully" me I "bully" him. If he starts charging I step towards him and stamp my foot. I kick him if necessary (not so much anymore) and grab him and make him do "chores" with me under my arm until he settles down. Things are way better. I can even sit in the run with the girls and he doesn't harass me anymore.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Having had dealt with my share of "bratty" roosters, I can tell you that establishing yourself as the alpha rooster makes a world if difference! Similar to Rooster Red's page (that Attack Chicken kindly posted a link to) as well as Gritsar's Rooster Reform page (highly recommended!), I've had to show a few roos who's boss. I have found that holding their beak if they bite, is helpful! Not letting them mate in front of you...well that is debatable. I think it works on some roos and not others. It worked great on a Delaware roo that I had. Holding mean roos is interesting. They have to most irritated look on their face!

Another helpful tip....if you give them treats, don't let the roos eat until you say they can. The alpha roo gets to eat with the girls and he keeps the other roos away until he think the girls are mostly done. Since you are the new alpha roo, they aren't allowed to eat until afterwards. This is something you can do with your daughter with you, which may help establish her above the roosters (while having your protection). For example, she can give the hens treats while you keep the roos away for her and the hens.

Why keep them? Well, if you are in an area that is safe from predators and you don't care about fertilized eggs, then really there isn't a reason to keep 'em. In my area, we are fairly safe from predators, but have the occasional hawk that flies over (luckily we have mostly ravens!!). We have 2 roos and 28 hens. When they free range, our roos keep everyone safe (mainly my alpha roo...the other roo is a panty-waste, but he tries to be brave, so we keep him). My alpha roo will call all the girls under the trees and they won't come out until he gives the all clear. If too many girls are doing the egg call in the coop, he will start doing the egg call back and investigate the nests to make sure all "his" girls are ok. Both of our roos will call the girls over to any treats they find as well (not that that is all too important given then have a feeder, but it's their instinct).

 

[justplainbatty]

I use rooster body language-you know how alpha roo roosts above all others, flaps wings, shoves out chest and looks down with one eye as if to challenge... well if roo comes at you-do the same, my agressive roo stopped attacking when I used his language to put him in line. I would never kill a roo for being a roo.