Catching a wild rooster

[LauraSac]

We have a 3-hen maximum in our city, and no roosters allowed. As a result, people dump roosters. We've had one in our neighborhood for a couple years at least. He's becoming very aggressive and has killed a couple hens in the past few weeks. One neighbor was outside with her hens and he flew down and attacked one. Fortunately, she was able to fight him off, but he clearly doesn't mind if humans are around. He roosts high in trees, and has proven very hard to catch. Animal control will take him if he can be caught, but catching him has been a challenge. Any suggestions?

 

[lightchick]

You could put some chicken feed in a trap and try that.
I can't think of anything else other then chasing him with a net.

 

[centrarchid]

We have a 3-hen maximum in our city, and no roosters allowed. As a result, people dump roosters. We've had one in our neighborhood for a couple years at least. He's becoming very aggressive and has killed a couple hens in the past few weeks. One neighbor was outside with her hens and he flew down and attacked one. Fortunately, she was able to fight him off, but he clearly doesn't mind if humans are around. He roosts high in trees, and has proven very hard to catch. Animal control will take him if he can be caught, but catching him has been a challenge. Any suggestions?

Something is not right here. Are you certain rooster is killer? If yes, then show a picture of him.

 

[lightchick]

Something is not right here. Are you certain rooster is killer? If yes, then show a picture of him.

Yeah, I've never heard of a rooster killing hens. I've heard of them killing other roosters but I think that must be one messed up rooster for him to be killing hens.
Could you get a pic?

 

[LauraSac]

Something is not right here. Are you certain rooster is killer? If yes, then show a picture of him.

He hasn't come into my yard. My girls are young and haven't free ranged yet. I was suspicious, too, and thought it was probably a hawk until he flew in and attacked a hen while my neighbor was BBQing in her backyard. Then Sunday, it was a different neighbor who saw him attack her hen. I've only seen him trees while walking my dog. I hear him all the time, but he hangs out a couple blocks from my house in a fire alley. The two houses that have lost hens live on opposite sides of the alley.

 

[LauraSac]

I might be able to get a picture of the rooster, but my neighbors are probably not going to take a picture while he's attacking their hens. Actually, I don't think they're letting them free range anymore. One has been trying to catch him with a net for a while.

 

[lightchick]

He hasn't come into my yard. My girls are young and haven't free ranged yet. I was suspicious, too, and thought it was probably a hawk until he flew in and attacked a hen while my neighbor was BBQing in her backyard. Then Sunday, it was a different neighbor who saw him attack her hen. I've only seen him trees while walking my dog. I hear him all the time, but he hangs out a couple blocks from my house in a fire alley. The two houses that have lost hens live on opposite sides of the alley.

Weird, never heard of anything like that happening before.
You could put traps out with bait but I don't know how else you'll catch him.
What are you going to do with him when you catch him?

 

[LauraSac]

Weird, never heard of anything like that happening before.
You could put traps out with bait but I don't know how else you'll catch him.
What are you going to do with him when you catch him?

I feel bad for my neighbors. When you can only have 3, it's a big deal to lose one. The city shelter said they'd find a home for it. We have a couple farm animal sanctuaries in the region. If he's that aggressive, he probably can't go to a farm. He's like a feral cat. He is gorgeous and people feed him, but he's not tame at all.

 

[centrarchid]

Problem is very, very unlikely to be a rooster. Picture needed to proceed further.

 

[LauraSac]

My neighbor said she'd try to get a picture, but she said it pecked her hen's head to death. He also pecked her eyes out in the process. Everybody has seen (and heard) this rooster. I can't imagine she wouldn't know a rooster from a hawk.