Bad Roo - bye, bye Stewy!

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

Well, I was waiting for this to happen. My 23 week old SLW rooster just flew at my head. He's been eyeing me for weeks, crowing whenever I'm in sight, calling the predator call to the flock when I walk in the yard, etc. I thought we had worked it out. I've been trying to distract him with scratch when he gets spun up. He's been pretty good with the hens but tonight he was mating with a hen and it looked like he broke quite a few feathers on her back. So once he walked away I picked her up to look at her and he flew straight at my head (it's the first time I've actually seen him successfully mate).

Anyone here want to try to convince me to give him another try? I'm not against sending him to freezer camp (we already processed ducks this year) but he was so good looking and pretty good with the flock.

He's my first roo but I'm not going to have an animal flying at my head.

Did I do something wrong?

How do I find a good roo?

 

[DanceswLabs]

I have a roo named Stewy too. He is a 6 month old white leghorn, and he cannot be trusted. In spite of that, I kind of like him. He is great with the hens. He rarely goes after me, because I will run him down and pick him up....he hates that. However, he torments my daughters and even my husband. I tried some of the things you can find in this forum for working with a mean roo, but I am afraid that even if I get all of my family to learn how to handle him, he will go after the UPS man or my daughter's friends. I think our Stewy will be leaving, but I am not giving up on having a good roo.

 

[txcarl1258]

Sounds like its freezer time for Stewy! You didn't do anything wrong some roos are just born nasty. You also do not want him passing on his aggressive traits to his offspring. I have had many roos throughout my life and only a handful were mean. I don't put up with them for a second. They can inflict some serious damage especially if he is flying at your face. I would try again with a new roo and see how it goes. For some reason I have heard that White Leghorn roos are the worst! I have never had one so I cannot speak to this.

 

[wildeflowers]

Stewy. LOL

This is one of the reasons that I worked with my roo from the day we figured out he was a rooster. I have little kids and I can't have an animal be dangerous. That said, I also teach my kids how to protect themselves and never let their guard down.

Our neighbor has a roo that sadly sound much like yours, and he's been attacking one of their kids, and I almost think it's too late for him. I can't say what I would do if I were in your position. I do believe roosters can be taught that people are not acceptable targets, but I think it helps to teach them this super early, like with any other animal. I can tell you I would never tolerate that behavior from a rooster, and I would make sure I showed him dominance that very second. I hope you did that. If he's good with the girls, he might be worth trying to work with, but my guess is it will take a lot of work and constant vigilance and consistency.

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

Thanks for your responses!

I've been trying to work with him - I walk through him all the time (make him move out of my way). I have held him once (since this started). I can't catch that darn bird. He constantly gets out of my reach. The only time I could hold him lately is when my DH and I cornered him so I could grab him. I also work full time and travel for my job so I don't have a lot of time to tame him.

Boo.

I think I might look for a speckled sussex or buff orpington or australorp roo.

BTW, he got the name Stewy when he was less than a month old. He was the only chick giving me the stink eye from the brooder. I just guessed it was a roo!!

 

[stilldeb]

I have two roos, one black Cochin Frizzle and one Partridge Silkie and they are both goofy chickens that are spoiled rotten and would never do anything mean. Guess it's the breeds. Freddy (the Frizzle) will answer me (with a 'ba-gawk') when I call him and flap his wings and come running (cuz he ain't flyin' with those wings) and Harry (aka 'big fat chicken') the Silkie will also come when he is called because he always wants mealworms and always thinks I'm hiding them in my pockets. (also not gettin off the ground with that big puff-butt!) Both of them have been sleeping in the nesting boxes, though, which I thought was a bit odd. Everybody else sleeps on the roosts, and there the boys are sleeping (and prolifically pooping!) in the nesting boxes.

deb g

 

[ray2310]

I was in the same position you are in several months ago. We ate him....

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

this is what i do with a roo, I'd like to keep. and not stew

I 've just found this one, dunk him in a bucket of cold water, It was an accident with this one. I've got a Butterscotch Booted roo I need for breeding, but he has an ATTITUDE, if you get my meaning. his pen is next door to the rain water barrel, and he drew blood, so i dunked him twice fast, he didn't even get soaked just a little damp. he has not gone after anyone since. and that was more than 8 weeks ago. I've been play tag with this one for over a year. i have used this method on a few other young roo's so far it has worked every time

But what i used to do is 3 tries

1 carry him around and hold on
2 solitary lock up for 3 days
3 stock pot

 

[gryeyes]

I had to pick up and carry my EE roo for the first time today, after he flogged one of my ankles. He's never done that before, so it startled me. He's been a great rooster thus far, but he's only a year old today.

I carried him for about 20 minutes, and he didn't struggle, just looked around at things from a higher angle as we walked around the yard. Then I sat in a chair, put him on his back and stroked his tummy. He struggled for about 10 seconds, then began to slowly close his eyes. And snap them open right away, as if he was fighting the urge to relax even further. (He wasn't tense as I was carrying him.)

I think he's reacting to being the dominant rooster over a flock that keeps getting larger... he's gotten very protective of the youngsters I just let out of their integration coop. Plus some of the other girls - bantams - are now getting brave enough to join the main flock as they wander into the front yard. But of course I really don't know. Whatever the reason, I am gonna have to be working with him for a while.

He's a BIG rooster, and very proud.

 

[FinsUp]

First off - we have no rooster. That being said - they are animals - we are people. They need to fit into our lifestyle. Just the facts. We have hens - most are very sweet - none have been mean to us. There are soooooo many roosters in need of a home because of city ordinances that are very nice but can't be kept because they crow.

My advice - freezer camp for Stewy and rescue a sweeter rooster in need of a home.

Like I said, I have no roosters, just what I would do. Have you seen SpeckledHens BR roo - a snuggler and a beauty! It is possible.