Bad Rooster?

[mamajo]

My Rooster, Nugget, has turned into a total menace. He is mean and hard to handle. When my husband is around he behaves himself, but when it's just me, he is unruly. Will this behavior ever calm down? During live interviews at the county fair, a mother of one of the 4H kids told me that the only thing I could do it bye a hatchet. I don't want to get rid of him, because he is a beautiful rooster and I know I don't have to worry about my hens with him around. However, he jumps up and grabs me nearly ever time I go out to collect the eggs, to feed them, to change their water, even when he is on one side of the fence and I'm on the other side.

Any thoughts??

 

[sourland]

You must find a way to convince him that you are the boss. Many threads on site about rooster readjustment.

For me scooping such roosters up in a fishing net and carrying them around has been somewhat successful. The hatchet is a surefire guarantee and should be used if children are a part of the equation.

 

[sarahc511]

i would bring water with me like a water gun and soak him if her goes for you it will soon put it out of him and is much better than using a stick or anything that might hurt him, =]

 

[mamajo]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll try the water gun first. The grandkids just don't understand why we can't go inside to give the chickens bread crums anymore, but i'm just not really trusting Nugget to behave.

 

[bj taylor]

i'm pretty new to chickens, but i've learned from my german shepherds about dominance. if you don't demonstrate dominance, they will - those are the ONLY two choices they live by.

my roosters are young (i have 3 too many at this time). the biggest is a big boy indeed. he's always assessing me, looking to see if he can take me on.
because of that i deliberately spend more time in the run. i walk around doing my chores, looking the flock over, & just being there. i walk directly at him & make him move out of my way or get stepped on. if he tries to mount a hen near me, i shove him off with my foot.

if he jumped at me or on me, i would make it one of the worst experiences of his life. i would make it sooooo not worth his while even if i had a few battle marks for my efforts - whatever it took,i would make sure he knew i won the battle - not him. he probably will always look for a new opportunty to get you, so be prepared to react anytime he attacks (an old straw broom makes a good equalizer).

you have to think like a creature in the animal kingdom.

forget trying to be "friends". he won't understand that & will only see it as weakness.

i hope my words aren't too harsh. i just don't think having a violent rooster that makes you miserable is worth while.

good luck

 

[sarahc511]

you could also clip his spurs only take the very tip off if he is using them as a weapon

 

[jak2002003]

I think its just in his nature. Try chasing him around a lot to make him afraid of you and stay away from you. I would never recommend hitting him or kicking him as I have heard people say before.

I have Japanese Bantams and many many roosters. Normally all my hens raise their own chicks from hatching. and they are all very nice and friendly and will let me pick them up and fuss them.

However, I decided to incubate some eggs in an incubator and raise some chicks myself for fun. There were 2 roosters and 4 hens. The 2 roosters that I raised were both NASTY when they matured. The hens were the most friendly chickens I ever had, but the roosters were the most aggressive!

I think it is because they had NO FEAR of me and knew I would not hurt them. The ones raised by the hens had natural fear of people and they understand they are chickens. I will keep using my broody hens form now on!

 

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

I've had a few roosters. I always just culled the bad ones. It's one thing for a rooster to attack a perceived threat, but a chick you raised should know you are not a threat. I've always had more than one though so I could afford to get rid of the bad eggs as it were. I had one rooster though that no matter how much I tried intimidating him he would still charge right at me - he ended up meeting the ax before he even finished growing out because he was so mean. Some roosters are just more aggressive than others.

 

[sourland]

I've had a few roosters. I always just culled the bad ones. It's one thing for a rooster to attack a perceived threat, but a chick you raised should know you are not a threat. I've always had more than one though so I could afford to get rid of the bad eggs as it were. I had one rooster though that no matter how much I tried intimidating him he would still charge right at me - he ended up meeting the ax before he even finished growing out because he was so mean. Some roosters are just more aggressive than others.

X and since like most frequently begets like, their sons are just as bad.