Bipolar Rooster???

[lunaticfishboy]

This little bugger is my rooster, Zuko.

And he has some questionable mood swings.

For the past few months, he’s been becoming aggressive towards ME, his caretaker, thats raised him from a 2 day old chick. He would always be okay with me picking him up, a little skittish but still let me pick him up.

Now, he seems like he always wants to pick a fight with me any time he’s near me. I would be minding my own business, cutting up worms to feed them, and he’d come over and start jumping and pecking and karate kicking my boots and knees.

So whenever he does that, I try to play along with him, and start jumping around him as well, stamping my feet, and I would very quickly pick him up, and start cuddling him, scratching his neck and face, and he immediately goes soft like a teddy bear, lets me touch his waddles, comb, beak, and even his feet. And when I put him back down he goes mean again. And then I pick him up to cuddle again, put him down, and mean again, and so on.

I’m starting to think I taught him “Be an a**hole, and then you get cuddles” .

Any thoughts? He’s such a silly boy, I don’t hate him at all but he’s so confusing!!!

 

[abpatchy]

He probably sees you as his equal... like another rooster. Roosters fight. That's why he is fighting you. That is the danger of becoming close to a rooster.
You can either live with these attacks or invite him for dinner. I just invited a rooster for dinner this morning. He was attacking me too. Very protective of his girls. Not that I ever did something to them though. I tried to teach him by picking him up.. or holding him down like a dominant rooster would. It didn't help much, only for a short time.

 

[McChooky]

This is a good video on how to "tame" him.

 

[McChooky]

He probably sees you as his equal... like another rooster. Roosters fight. That's why he is fighting you. That is the danger of becoming close to a rooster.
You can either live with these attacks or invite him for dinner. I just invited a rooster for dinner this morning. He was attacking me too. Very protective of his girls. Not that I ever did something to them though. I tried to teach him by picking him up.. or holding him down like a dominant rooster would. It didn't help much, only for a short time.

My rooster started flying up at me feet first and stopped as quick as he started after I started holding him down . He goes in the run now when I enter the extension and stays until I leave. I'll do it as many times as it takes to keep him humble.

 

[australorpia]

This is a good video on how to "tame" him.

I would be the champion of hold downs like he did above. My australorp easily forgets and gets back at it. He only gets feisty when I enter the coop and reach for the hens or him. When I seperated him in a dog cage, he only pecked me once and after that he wouldn't do it anymore and would let me handle him and pick him up just fine. It has to do with his job of protecting the hens.

 

[McChooky]

I would be the champion of hold downs like he did above. My australorp easily forgets and gets back at it. He only gets feisty when I enter the coop and reach for the hens or him. When I seperated him in a dog cage, he only pecked me once and after that he wouldn't do it anymore and would let me handle him and pick him up just fine. It has to do with his job of protecting the hens.

My rooster runs when I try to catch him.

 

[australorpia]

Great job Mr. Snoopy. What is your point? My rooster is young and his behavour changes literally every month.

 

[McChooky]

Some put them in the soup pot or try to "tame" them like is done in the video. Aggression will only increase until you are forced to do one of the two. Far better to train a rooster to keep his distance than have one chase after you. Roosters aren't well known for being cuddly and friendly farm animals.

 

[Chicken poppy]

He probably sees you as his equal... like another rooster. Roosters fight. That's why he is fighting you. That is the danger of becoming close to a rooster.
You can either live with these attacks or invite him for dinner. I just invited a rooster for dinner this morning. He was attacking me too. Very protective of his girls. Not that I ever did something to them though. I tried to teach him by picking him up.. or holding him down like a dominant rooster would. It didn't help much, only for a short time.

Thats so nice of you. Did he enjoy this meal?

 

[raingarden]

I never pick them up and if a chicken jumps at me the reflex reaction is to kick it. That seems to work too. I haven't killed one by kicking yet. Probably not a good way to cull or euthanize.