Big mean rooster keeps biting me

[EllaTheQueen6]

Hi, I have a rooster, 4 month old australorp, so he's still a baby but he's starting to show aggresion, he bites me if I get near him, not just a little peck but full on chomping down on me as hard as he can. I wanna know if there's a way to stop this. I doubt there is, but if there is it would be appreciated. I have a skin disease so it itches and takes longer to heal when he bites me. Please and thank you.

 

[FrostRanger]

You can try pecking him back but honestly I'd cull him especially since you have a condition that makes wounds take longer to heal. He's likely to only get worse anyways

 

[EllaTheQueen6]

You can try pecking him back but honestly I'd cull him especially since you have a condition that makes wounds take longer to heal. He's likely to only get worse anyways

I'm unfortunately too attached to him so I'd rather take the bites than get rid of him, but I will try being mean to him back

 

[Sc_chickengirl]

I have different roosters I use for breeding that show aggression. Most get better with time or will learn. I've tried a few different things but I find these most affective.
1. Pick them up when they come at you, hold them tight and put your hand over their face and eyes pressing the other side against you. They will often start clicking their beak against your hand and I take this as a sign of submission. I honestly think this embarrasses and humbles the rooster and reminds him of his place. Set him down and he'll probably either give you a wing flap, may just run back to his hens or may try to attack again (only one rooster has attacked me right away again)
2. Isolation. Put him in a small cage all by himself for a few weeks or until he stops showing aggression. Pull him out frequently to give him attention.

 

[FrostRanger]

I'm unfortunately too attached to him so I'd rather take the bites than get rid of him, but I will try being mean to him back

Keep in mind that rooster attacks (although he's still a cockerel and not a rooster yet) can do a surprising amount of damage if they get a good hit in. He might not be doing much damage now but he is likely to get worse as he gets older. We had a case last year where a rooster sent someone's little sister to the hospital twice before he was finally culled. You also have to consider the possibility of him attacking someone else. No one likes culling birds but keeping aggressive roos is a dangerous game

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Put him in a pot with some red wine.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Seriously if he's showing aggression at 4 weeks this is a major red flag. Don't think he can't hurt you because he's "just a bird." If you're having a hard time healing from his beak, think what his claws and spurs will do to you later, when he's out scratching in dirt full of chicken poop. Those scratches and wounds take a long time to heal and can go septic. A rooster can fly up and use his beak, claws and spurs at your face and eyes. I had one beak me so hard in the knee I fell down - I was in my late 60's but I'm no wimp. He really hurt me. Even their wings can be surprisingly painful. I could go on, but I strongly suggest you attach yourself to a different bird and be more realistc about this one. He won't get better, he's mean and aggressive and he'll hurt somebody. You, most likely.

 

[SamLockwood]

Hi, I have a rooster, 4 month old australorp, so he's still a baby but he's starting to show aggresion, he bites me if I get near him, not just a little peck but full on chomping down on me as hard as he can. I wanna know if there's a way to stop this. I doubt there is, but if there is it would be appreciated. I have a skin disease so it itches and takes longer to heal when he bites me. Please and thank you.

As others noted, 4 months is old and showing aggression isn't a good sign. Normally their hormones don't really kick in hard for another couple of months.

In general, I never put up with any chicken that (roo or hen) that's too free with their beak around me. Come up with some consistent routine to show your disapproval. What I do is shake my head and say "no sir": the exact body language and sounds don't really matter, just use the same position, tone, and cadence every time so they know that when you make the sound / gesture you're not amused by them. If they persist in pecking or just getting too much into my personal space I'll gently but firmly move them out of my personal space with the bottom of my foot. If he wants to kick or peck the bottom of my foot let him have at it as long as he backs off.

If he's really beeing a jerk, sometimes you'll have to move him a bit more firmly. One time I had a hen walk up behind me and for no reason at all she pecked me hard right in the calf, without even turning I put my foot under her and launched her a couple feet away from me. She never put a beak on me again.

Another time I had a rooster run up to me and peck me hard on the tip of my middle finger. My reflex was to yell "WHAT THE ****, DUDE!" He ran off like Colonel Sanders himself was on his heels and never did anyting like that again.

You never want to take a pose where you're leaning forward and staring into their eyes. For one thing, you're putting your face that much closer into beak or spur range. For another, it's a mirror of a rooster's "challenge" pose which is a prelude to a fight.

Also learn their body language and tones. Roosters will growl or even make a sort of croaking roar (like a miniature death-metal singer) when they spot a threat or don't like something someoby is doing. If they make what people mistakenly call the "egg-laying song" (it's really an escort or distress call), that's a warning sign, too. A rooster making any of those sounds in relation to your presence or activities is NOT happy with you.

They also will do this weird head-shake when they're upset by something, it sort of looks like they're simultaneously shaking their head "no" and head-banging to a rock song.

Other behaviors you want to watch out for is stalking you, staring at you intently from a hiding place, or if he tries to herd or chase you: one version of the "rooster dance" is they'll do this weird sidways shuffle at you to try to get you to move in a particular direction. Other times they'll walk up to you and try to chest-bump you or stamp their foot at you, trying to get you to run. Again, never move for him, make him move for you.

Other forms of posturing include snappng their wings loudly, or repeatedly crowing at you. A lot of times the above beaviors get ignored or accidentally encouraged, which leads to their aggression escalating.

Another option for modling Rooster behavior is simple bribery: give him some extra treats to distract him before he gets aggressive, especially if he's aggressive because you're colleting eggs or refilling the feeders.

Note that all bets are off if he starts full-on attacking you: hackles raised and repeatedly flogging, kicking, and pecking you. There's no rehabbing that kind of crazy.

Another thing to note, even if you train him out of this now, likely he will always be "touchy." If you've got small children, a lot of visitors, or yappy, high-strung dogs you will have some serious problems with him anyway. One of my current roosters I would not have kept if I had kids because he's rather high-strung and over-protective and little kids would push every one if his crazy-buttons.

 

[EllaTheQueen6]

As others noted, 4 months is old and showing aggression isn't a good sign. Normally their hormones don't really kick in hard for another couple of months.

In general, I never put up with any chicken that (roo or hen) that's too free with their beak around me. Come up with some consistent routine to show your disapproval. What I do is shake my head and say "no sir": the exact body language and sounds don't really matter, just use the same position, tone, and cadence every time so they know that when you make the sound / gesture you're not amused by them. If they persist in pecking or just getting too much into my personal space I'll gently but firmly move them out of my personal space with the bottom of my foot. If he wants to kick or peck the bottom of my foot let him have at it as long as he backs off.

If he's really beeing a jerk, sometimes you'll have to move him a bit more firmly. One time I had a hen walk up behind me and for no reason at all she pecked me hard right in the calf, without even turning I put my foot under her and launched her a couple feet away from me. She never put a beak on me again.

Another time I had a rooster run up to me and peck me hard on the tip of my middle finger. My reflex was to yell "WHAT THE ****, DUDE!" He ran off like Colonel Sanders himself was on his heels and never did anyting like that again.

You never want to take a pose where you're leaning forward and staring into their eyes. For one thing, you're putting your face that much closer into beak or spur range. For another, it's a mirror of a rooster's "challenge" pose which is a prelude to a fight.

Also learn their body language and tones. Roosters will growl or even make a sort of croaking roar (like a miniature death-metal singer) when they spot a threat or don't like something someoby is doing. If they make what people mistakenly call the "egg-laying song" (it's really an escort or distress call), that's a warning sign, too. A rooster making any of those sounds in relation to your presence or activities is NOT happy with you.

They also will do this weird head-shake when they're upset by something, it sort of looks like they're simultaneously shaking their head "no" and head-banging to a rock song.

Other behaviors you want to watch out for is stalking you, staring at you intently from a hiding place, or if he tries to herd or chase you: one version of the "rooster dance" is they'll do this weird sidways shuffle at you to try to get you to move in a particular direction. Other times they'll walk up to you and try to chest-bump you or stamp their foot at you, trying to get you to run. Again, never move for him, make him move for you.

Other forms of posturing include snappng their wings loudly, or repeatedly crowing at you. A lot of times the above beaviors get ignored or accidentally encouraged, which leads to their aggression escalating.

Another option for modling Rooster behavior is simple bribery: give him some extra treats to distract him before he gets aggressive, especially if he's aggressive because you're colleting eggs or refilling the feeders.

Note that all bets are off if he starts full-on attacking you: hackles raised and repeatedly flogging, kicking, and pecking you. There's no rehabbing that kind of crazy.

Another thing to note, even if you train him out of this now, likely he will always be "touchy." If you've got small children, a lot of visitors, or yappy, high-strung dogs you will have some serious problems with him anyway. One of my current roosters I would not have kept if I had kids because he's rather high-strung and over-protective and little kids would push every one if his crazy-buttons.

Yeah right now he's just biting and I can probably get him out of it since he started not even a week ago, I honestly think it may be more stress rather than hormones, and I would genuinely think about culling him but I'm the only one really going into the cage, and there are no children in our household, so I'm not too worried about that. This particular rooster used to genuinely come up to cuddle me which is why I think it's stress (Probably from moving outside permanently), so I'm just gonna work to get him out of the aggresive behavior for now.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

genuinely come up to cuddle me which is why I think it's stress

There is NO excuse or reason or justification for a rooster, hen, dog, horse, person or elephant to BITE you. You're just making excuses for him so you can continue to put up with it. The cuddliest cockerels are usually the worst offenders.. why? Because your cuddling taught him not to respect you. Good luck but don't say we didn't warn you. You came here to ask the opinions and a advice of experienced chicken-keepers. It's up to you whether you choose to listen and learn.