Aggression has a genetic basis. It is not "either- nor", but runs along the continuum from very mild to extremely aggressive. What is confusing is that environment also plays a part. For example, a rooster with mild genetic predisposition may well never attack anybody if raised by a hen or not so "tame".. yet this very same rooster, if raised very tame has a much higher chance of attacking people. This is why there always will be conflicting opinions on "nature vs nuture" and "will never be cured vs. can be cured".
A mild rooster can be easily discouraged by ANY tactic(kicking, picking up, water jet etc) that is done immediately. This is also why people disagree on tactics.. when what really works is the behavior is "distrupted" and the rooster will be put off from it.
However.. roosters with medium or high aggression tendencies will not be easily put off.. either they will keep coming back, again and again.. or a tactic will seem to work.. only to have the rooster charge again a certain time period later. Those really cannot be trusted, particularly the "highs"- it's just too in their nature to BE aggressive and so when they think there's an opening.. off they go.
The several things above is why nobody will ever agree on the causes or cures and there will be strongly held opinions.
In your case.. if this is a RIR from a hatchery or production lines, that's a real red flag for a potentially a "hard case". Production birds are selected and bred on basis of production.. ONLY. Things like personality or temparment are unimportant. So if the stock happens to have aggressive genetics in it.. this can be carried along in the breeding. Or possibly in some production lines, traits for high production happen to be either closely linked to or is associated with high aggression in roosters. So there are lines of production RIR which are very notorious for highly aggressive roosters. Note: lines. Not breed. More proof of genetic basis for aggression.
5 months is pretty early for this kind of strong aggression. But can be typical of cockerels from "high aggression" lines. If there are young kids(you do have a 4 year old..) or a rooster is not needed for breeding.. it would be best to cull him and not have to worry about it.
As for feeling attached.. this is very very understandable.. but then again a rooster certainly can do a fair amount of hurt on an adult and a very severe one on a small child. Their faces and heads just are too easily within a standard sized roo's kicking reach.
A mild rooster can be easily discouraged by ANY tactic(kicking, picking up, water jet etc) that is done immediately. This is also why people disagree on tactics.. when what really works is the behavior is "distrupted" and the rooster will be put off from it.
However.. roosters with medium or high aggression tendencies will not be easily put off.. either they will keep coming back, again and again.. or a tactic will seem to work.. only to have the rooster charge again a certain time period later. Those really cannot be trusted, particularly the "highs"- it's just too in their nature to BE aggressive and so when they think there's an opening.. off they go.
The several things above is why nobody will ever agree on the causes or cures and there will be strongly held opinions.
In your case.. if this is a RIR from a hatchery or production lines, that's a real red flag for a potentially a "hard case". Production birds are selected and bred on basis of production.. ONLY. Things like personality or temparment are unimportant. So if the stock happens to have aggressive genetics in it.. this can be carried along in the breeding. Or possibly in some production lines, traits for high production happen to be either closely linked to or is associated with high aggression in roosters. So there are lines of production RIR which are very notorious for highly aggressive roosters. Note: lines. Not breed. More proof of genetic basis for aggression.
5 months is pretty early for this kind of strong aggression. But can be typical of cockerels from "high aggression" lines. If there are young kids(you do have a 4 year old..) or a rooster is not needed for breeding.. it would be best to cull him and not have to worry about it.
As for feeling attached.. this is very very understandable.. but then again a rooster certainly can do a fair amount of hurt on an adult and a very severe one on a small child. Their faces and heads just are too easily within a standard sized roo's kicking reach.
