[b]EMERGENCY! Survived Beating... Head Trauma[/b]

[dragonlair]

I've been lucky as I've only had 1 mean roo that couldn't be changed. The other one I had changed his mind about attacking humans when I held him upside down until he calmed down and then turned him loose again. He he attacked again, i would pick him up and hold him upside down until he relaxed. It only took a couple of times before he decided to back down to humans. He would still attack other animals if he thought they were going to hurt his girls, so it didn't break his spirit, it just taught him who the top chicken is.

 

[earnhardtlvr]

so sorry u r having to go thru this.

 

[tgperg]

I raise Dominiques and the roosters can be quite aggressive. My rooster Pac was just an awesome little sweetheart until he reached sexual maturity. Then he started to challenge me. If I was out caring for the flock he would drag one wing on the ground and then come at me. The first time it happened I was in the final stages of introducing a new hen to the flock. She was a rescue chicken who'd broken a leg and had JUST gotten out of her cast. She'd been where they could see her, but not reach her for a few weeks, and I'd finally put her right out on the lawn with them. Pac went to check her out and was going to mate with her, and I shooed him off her because I didn't think she was healed enough for that. Pac did NOT like me telling him he couldn't have the hen he wanted and came at me. I was shocked and didn't know what to do. It happened again that afternoon but I had the broom with me and I sort of just swept him aside. That night when they all went to roost, I picked Pac up and carried him snuggled in my arms. I turned him upside down. I rubbed his belly. I took a hold of his beak and gently turned his head from side to side. I took him in the house and both kids petted him. I scratched up under his wings, I handled his feet. I rubbed his comb. Finally (and I know it sounds gross, but please understand I was trying chicken psychology!) I set him on the table and held his back down with one hand while I rubbed him kind of firmly under his tail feathers for a good long while. After that I snuggled him for about another half hour then I took him out and put him on the roost. For the next few days I would not let Pac even look at one of the hens while I was out there. If he did, I swished the broom at him. Any time he tried to crow in my presence I would swish the broom at him. I would pick up any of the hens and pet them and give them treats right in front of him. When I threw treats down for the hens, I would stand there and guard them so Pac couldn't get any. if he tried for the treats, I swished the broom at him. After a few days of that, I let up and just ignored him when I was out there. It took him a few more weeks to crow in front of me, or to try to mate the hens where I could see. He has never again challenged me in any way. In fact, I can't even WALK outside without him running up to me and clucking looking for treats. He eats out of my hand and even my sons (3 and 6) can feed him with their hands.

Basically what I did was reinforce to Pac that he is the beta roo and I am the alpha. The alpha roo gets the choice of hens and the choice of food. The beta roo does not mate in front of the alpha. The beta roo does not crow in front of the alpha. The beta roo either gets out of the alpha's way or hunkers down and lets the alpha do whatever he wants to. In rooster talk, I put Pac in his place in the flock. We now have a very, very peaceful, placid, calm and friendly rooster that doesn't bother us in any way but still takes good care of his girls.

Edit: I forgot to say earlier that about two or three times a week when I'm putting the chickens up at night I scoop Pac up in my arms and hold him for a couple of minutes in the coop and ruffle his feathers under his chin. He hates it, but he tolerates it and I think it's just a gentle little reminder that he is NOT in charge here.

Best of luck with your rooster. If he makes it and you decide to keep him, whoever is going to be doing most of the care needs to be the one in charge. If you are caring for the flock, and your husband is the one your rooster respects, then heaven help you if you turn your back on him when you're alone. When all's said and done, he's just a rooster. You have opposable thumbs and he doesn't. Get some good gloves, a long sleeved shirt and long pants and catch him and do what you gotta do to reinforce in his little pea brain who's in charge. It's easier to catch him at night when he's on the roost.

Traci

 

[Elite Silkies]

You shouldn't feel bad at all. If I had one gash my leg open, I'd be having me a nice bowl of chicken and dumplings. Maybe............ my birds are silkies and not sure I want black chicken in my dumplings

Roosters can get very mean and cause a lot of damage to a person.

I don't recommend tylenol, but you can take one regular aspirin and dissolve it in some hot water, then add to one gallon of water. This will help him out alot. If he is still eating and you can get him to drink some the water with aspirin in it, then he might pull out of this.

It is possible to have some brain damage, if he was hit hard enough, but only time will tell.

 

[Kansaseq]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I've had several roos, and a couple were aggressive. I did try to 're-train' them by holding them, carrying them around, etc, to show my dominance. It didn't work. One was re-homed on CL (with FULL disclosure as to his temperament and aggression) and the other became a delicious soup. My current roos are very non-aggressive. In fact, MOST of my roos have been non-aggressive. I simply won't put up with a mean one, and have to watch my back every time I free range or go out to care for the birds. Honestly, I would cull him, as hard as that may be for you to do. Letting him heal and then having to do the deed later on will only make it harder on you and your husband.

 

[lovemyprettybirds]

Hello there:

EVERYBIRDY makes mistakes now and then, it's just that many don't freely admit it, so don't let the critics get you down. It's a shame you're going through this. You've received some good advice in this thread. I have several Asil and Shamo game cocks and believe me, they have definitely taught me a thing or two about rooster management. But, I've also learned that with proper handling, they can be very enjoyable pets. Although, they are definitely not the best choice of pet for everyone! And this is true for all roosters, not just the games. It's just their nature to get aggressive at times. Tgperg gave some excellent advice on rooster psychology, although, I have never actually rubbed under their tail, HA HA! Still, I think that would definitely drive the truth about who the boss is into their little brain.

Believe it or not, one of my Shamo roosters is my sweetest pet. I can pick him up anytime I want without getting pecked, bitten or flogged, and he lets me rub under his wings, his earlobes, wattles and comb etc. I'm pretty sure he likes it because he always comes up to me when he sees me, and I always pick him up and hug him for a minute or longer. Of course, they aren't all this way, but a lot of mine are nearly that tame. And none of them flog me because I pay attention to the least little act of aggression and respond accordingly. By that, I mean that if they try to mate with a hen in front of me I stop them immediately, if they come at me with the wing dance I pick them up and either hug and pet them or hang them upside down etc.

So, if he survives his injuries you may be able to make a really nice pet out of him. On the other hand, if you decide to make stew out of him it's your prerogative and I hope you don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it.

By the way, I didn't mean to give the impression that all of my roosters walk around together in one big happy flock. I have to keep them separated from each other in their own areas. Also, I wouldn't want a child to walk up to any of them although, my young nieces and nephews hold most of them regularly (under very close supervision). Finally, as wonderful as chickens are, humans are still more wonderful (although, some people cause me to doubt that at times). Hang in there, and I hope you and your husband are OK!!!

 

[BenAnnaMama]

How is the rooster doing anyway?? Did he make it?