Bantam Cochin Rooster attacks, what to do

[sherrib0401]

My Splash Bantam Cochin rooster (Candy) will run an attack my feet whenever I come in his pen. He also came out of nowhere and attacked me today while he was free ranging. He is 4 months old and is really adorable. If he were a standard rooster he would have been culled right away. He doesn't frighten me and mostly makes me laugh because he thinks he is really tough. My 10-year old daughter loves him and he doesn't attack her. Usually I pick him up and carry him around when he attacks. Anyone have any ideas on how to stop this behavior.

 

[kltrett175]

Kick him

 

[centrarchid]

Stay in his physical space, even follow him without chasing. Do not try to strike or grab him. Avoid looking directly at him. If you feel comfortable, then sit down at his level and let him flog you until his heart is content but ignore him. Do not recoil from his attacks and do not give him food immediately after he attacks. If you have to sit down with a good book and read to him even showing him the pictures as that will provide him opportunities to expend himself. At his age of four months he is not defending anything so he is not likely to target your face.

 

[theoldchick]

You can't really stop it but you can control it. Remember when he gets older he may attack your 10 year old child. And if you have smaller children be very cautious. The fact that he's adorable does not make his behavior more acceptable. Keep him in his place and he will eventually decrease his attacks but don't turn your back on him.

 

[centrarchid]

You can reliably correct. You can also prevent this from happening by changing how you interact with your birds.

 

[sherrib0401]

Thank you for your advice. I will have to try sitting with him more and see if that helps. I have sat with him before and when I have he will sit in my lap. Most of my chickens are very friendly so I think I am doing alright with them, but occasionally there is that one and I think Candy is it. If it gets worse I'll have to cull him. I don't normally allow any aggression towards me or my family from my chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

Thank you for your advice.  I will have to try sitting with him more and see if that helps.  I have sat with him before and when I have he will sit in my lap.    Most of my chickens are very friendly so I think I am doing alright with them, but occasionally there is that one and I think Candy is it.  If it gets worse I'll have to cull him.  I don't normally allow any aggression towards me or my family from my chickens.

The close contact is not a problem. The problem is when learns he can get something by engaging in behaviors you interpret as aggression. Sometime aggression is real but effort to stop stimulating it and not giving a behavioral response.

 

[sherrib0401]

I think I get what you are saying. He is attacking me because he knows I'll give him attention then which is what he wants. Is that what you are meaning? If I ignore him he will figure out he doesn't get attention when he attacks so he will stop.

 

[centrarchid]

Correct.

 

[sherrib0401]

Thank you for that advice. I'll have to try that strategy.