Attack Rooster

jamieg

In the Brooder
9 Years
Apr 20, 2010
45
0
32
Chili, Wisconsin
One problem I've been having is my rooster loves to chase after my wife and two daughters (15 & 9). The girls can't stand Rocky the rooster but dad kind of likes him. Our 11 chickens (RIR, NH & Buff) free range quite a bit and they are afraid to go outside when I'm not around. Rocky never bothers me and i told the girls to stand up to him but that doesn't seem to work. Otherwise he is a great rooster so having him for supper is not an option.
 
Some will tell you that he can be rehabbed. I however,do not think so.I would never fully trust a rooster that ever flogged a human. The damage a rooster can do is nothing to be reckoned with. I know how hard it is to get rid of a rooster you like,but IMO that is all you can do to be sure your family doesn't get hurt.A rooster misbehaving is as bad as a dog that chases and bites.Also,if he ever goes after and hurts someone not in your immediate family...you can be sued.
As for him being a "great" rooster? What do you mean by that? JC,if he flogs your family...the hens are afraid of him( or did you mean your family is afraid?)....what does he do to deserve your affections?
If it is your family that is afraid...they have good reason.
 
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Some will tell you to kill or rehome the rooster, which is certainly on the table, but it is a poor place to start.

First of all, do you know how to handle a rooster? Roosters need to know they are not Alpha Rooster when you or your wife or your daughters are around.

To do this, the humans must establish dominance. The simplest way is to follow the rooster around at a speed walk for an extended time. Think about how you would feel if a black SUV followed you everywhere for 10 minutes as you tried to shake it off.

Read more about rooster hazing here. You should also make sure his spurs are removed.

That said, some roosters are just ornery to the core. Outplacement or freezer camp are sensible options at that point.

Also, if there is a chance that a small child will come into contact with the aggressive rooster, then culling is the first best option to limit risk.
 
I will probably get blasted for this but.... I take a more violent approach and then follow it up with some strong intimidation on my next visit. But that does not help you with your wife and kids getting bullied unless they are up to the same challenge. Most of all do not turn your back, it is a chicken after all. Good luck.
 
Most roosters cannot be rehabbed after mating age, sorry. You can try and you should try, but from experience, once they start (post-hormones, that is) they usually will continue being human aggressive. A rooster does not have to be human aggressive to be protective of his hens--one that is stupid enough to attack the person who feeds and waters is one whose genes I do not want reproduced. Too many awesome and intelligent roosters out there to put up with being attacked and wasting your time on one who isn't very bright.
 
I've never been able to reform a rooster of any aggressive behavior. I've had to get rid of several over the years. Some received pretty nice homes, others became someone else's dinner. The worst ones only went after me for a while, and yes, I tried very hard to assert myself. I never turned my back. Well, things changed when one of the boys started going after my 5 year old brother and drew blood in his leg. After that, my family was starting to fear leaving the safety of the house. So I had to make the sacrifice, even though I had a thing for this cockerel.

I do not agree with any methods of physical violence. Roosters are chickens. Animals. This is what they do. But we are capable of hurting them alot more easily than they are of some of us. If a rooster cannot be rehabbed the normal ways, they cannot at all.

Options are very limited. In my flock's younger age, it killed me to get rid of any birds. They were pets with names. But things start to look different after a while...If you want a rooster that won't attack, it'll be trial and error. Sometimes you have to get rid of the problem and wait for a new boy to come along. That's what I did. I had terrible roos in my flock until I found Rocky (My Rocky is nice, lol), who didn't exactly have a loving home. He does today. Now I have the best rooster I ever had guarding my layers.

As for my Silkies...well, sometimes that fiestiness comes in handy. I like my roos for different reasons. I don't breed mine so I'm not worried about bad behavior passing on in bloodlines. Crix is locked away most of the time, but I keep a warning close by.

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Good luck.
 
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If supper is not an option and you can't get him to not attack your family or guests then get rid of him. I have had good roosters before but family and friends come before a good rooster.
 
We got a grown roo a few weeks ago and I sometimes walk/chase after him and tower over him trying to boss him.Hoping I am not making him into a wimp roo,because mine has hawks he needs to fight...not just doing the ladies all day! He has been so good not attacking us humans,but if he ever does I know I will get rid of him. I could never relax knowing he might attack me or the kids.

I would try the various things mentioned here on BYC,but accept the loss if he continues attacking your family.

Jack Sparrow.....
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X 2 And if you plan on hatching some eggs remember that like begets like. Human aggressive roosters should be removed from the gene pool.
 

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