attacking rooster?

[sumpenny]

My rooster has taken to charging me. It used to be only when I would get especially close to the hens, but now he chases me down. I clap my hands to try to scare him, but its starting to freak me out.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

It's interesting, there's another similar post in the "Managing Your Flock" section. I'll tell you the same thing I tell everyone -- only the very best roosters deserve to be kept! For every roo being kept as a breeder, flock husband or pet there are 9 others destined for dinner. Do yourself and another rooster a favor & get rid of this attacking rooster & liberate a more mannerly one from the dinner table. I will only keep well-behaved roosters. No one should have to live in fear of their rooster.

 

[mypicklebird]

Yes, why keep him if he is mean? He will likely hurt you soon when you turn your back. You don't want the mean genes, and you don't want yourself or your visitors to be injured. Get a nice roo, there are many that would like to live with your hens instead of being eaten/culled because they are male. Be sure to get one from a reputable source and quarantine too.

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[dickies chics]

I agree i had two cochin roosters that became mean, they made a nice soup.

 

[PatS]

My roo is on probation after challenging me then scratching me on the back of a leg. I kicked at him and chased him across the yard. He is giving me a wide berth now. When he is in my immediate area I chase him a little. I really want fertile eggs come spring, so I'm hoping it works out. But I'm ordering a killing cone just in case.

 

[calichix]

I only had one rooster that ever attacked me. Then I had another two were lovely boys, but very territorial. They would attack any other human that came in to my backyard, except for me. I had to give one boy away to a local breeder because he attacked my dad and I was afraid he would take someone else out. The other one had to go my friend who had more hens so I figured that might help.

Believe it or not, the rooster that attacked me was a teeny tiny little bantam, but he was getting increasingly devilish and took to waiting until my back was turned to attack me. He was tough and drew blood and I could not stop this behavior.

It is unfortunate that some boys get like this (conversely I had a huge black Astralorp Roo who looked about as mean as a rooster can get, but was as gentle and loving as a lamb ---kept him forever.)

When a rooster starts this behavior of attacking there really is no way to break him of that, and as the other poster said, if it is freaking you out, time for the roo to go to another pasture.

Good luck.

 

[elrod]

I wanted fertile eggs, but I have small kids around. A mean Rooster must go! Once mean always mean

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I would not keep a mean Roo. I would not give him to anyone else to deal with either, sorry, but I would still feel responsible if he hurt someone.
I would have to send him to freezer Camp.

I have several Roos that were raised together. My favorite Roo is a Light Brahma (Smarty), I knew he was a roo by his size before he was 6 weeks old. Smarty is more than twice the size of my 19 month old hens. He is alittle stand offish, and only trys to charge when I have a hen in hand and she is squaking loudly! Smarty runs up to me...but it is the hen, he pecks! lol
Smarty started to crow around the middle of September. Funniest thing I ever heard!
My other Roos have not even crowed yet. They range in age from 26-28 weeks (4.2-5 months).

 

[magentamomma]

my roos charged me once and then i beat the *** out of him and chased him atround the yard a couple of times. Then I spent the next several days talking to him and hand feeding him, and peting him when he was roosting. He hasn't bothered any one since although he occasionally gives me the chicken stink eye, I just keep my stick handy. My banty has gone after 2 people, never me and never badly, but he is on probation too.

 

[JestersEye]

Don't give up on a young roo too soon! Our big Orp rooster used to be awful! He used to attack me every time I had to go into the pen, and left bruises all over my legs. I took the advice about picking him up and carrying him around with me, and he gradually became more respectful. I also taught my husband to do the same thing, because he was still acting aggressively towards him and our two teenaged sons. The combination of "gentleness" training and allowing him the time to fully mature seems to have done the trick. He hasn't attacked any of us at all during the last couple of months, and acts much calmer and friendlier toward the whole family, even when we have to disturb them while they're roosting.

I used to think he was hopeless, but I'm now very happy having him around to protect the flock. I wonder if roosters go through an aggressive stage when they first come into their hormones, but might calm down somewhat after they finish maturing (kind of like teenaged boys). Frost has turned out to be a nice roo, after all, but will probably always need us to reinforce his training with regular attention. Fighting back only added to his aggressive tendencies, even though it seems natural to "fight fire with fire". Turns out that only created a larger blaze! Take the high road and use a "gentler" method that stops the fight before it really begins... It really does work!