Cockerel Keeps Attacking Me!

[ChocolateWingTheRooster]

My bantam rooster had an attitude. I would gently hold him down and bop him on the head with my finger. Kind of like a chicken would do to another chicken. I had to do this several times. He eventually caught on that I was the top in the pecking order and stopped. Don't know if this would work with a bigger chicken though.

He is a large one, but I'll try it...

 

[aart]

About 5 months, they were hatched in may; they are all the same age the rest are pullets; yes, except the Easter Eggers, they don't like me; I was trying to get Leopard the Easter Egger in the pen because she escaped.

Ahhh.....so he's new to his hormones.
And you've regularly held him so 'familiarity breeds contempt' applies.
He perceived you as threat by touching the pullet.
Gonna be a hard nut to crack....may be too late to instill the human attitude needed to manage a cockerel.
Lavender, sticks, nets, holding bird upside down by leg are all folly.
Best of luck to you.

 

[SueT]

There comes a tipping point--where one begins to resent this creature one loved. And at some point, the prospect of inviting him to dinner will gradually seem more and more attractive (or at least the prospect of getting rid of him in some fashion, after which humans and the rest of the flock will be able to breathe a collective sigh of relief and wonder what took so long!)

 

[WallyBirdie]

I love him, but today he poofed up, pecked and flew at me! Usually I can just hold him like a cat, but he was just being a jerk today! Anyone know how to calm him down?

You don't need to kill your bird.
Mine got hormonal and had some nasty behavior but it can be worked out! Like teenagers, they get tough and cocky and rude and maybe mean, but they CAN calm down. It just takes time and a little work.
Get him and hold him (unless you are worried he might hurt you- DO NOT get injured). Hold him. Carry him around. Use your fingers to poke/peck him to let him know you don't like his behavior.
If he keeps being bad, crate him for a few hours. (Chicken jail.)
It could take days or longer.
But it CAN help.

 

[Folly's place]

Or, wait until you, or worse yet, a visitor, gets injured.
Mary

 

[ChocolateWingTheRooster]

If I had a dollar.......

?

 

[AllenK RGV]

?

For every time this topic comes up.

 

[ChocolateWingTheRooster]

Or, wait until you, or worse yet, a visitor, gets injured.
Mary

He has pecked hard at me before...

 

[ChocolateWingTheRooster]

For every time this topic comes up.

Ooohhh sorry about that...

 

[ChocolateWingTheRooster]

You don't need to kill your bird.
Mine got hormonal and had some nasty behavior but it can be worked out! Like teenagers, they get tough and cocky and rude and maybe mean, but they CAN calm down. It just takes time and a little work.
Get him and hold him (unless you are worried he might hurt you- DO NOT get injured). Hold him. Carry him around. Use your fingers to poke/peck him to let him know you don't like his behavior.
If he keeps being bad, crate him for a few hours. (Chicken jail.)
It could take days or longer.
But it CAN help.

Ooh, I carry him daily... this my work for him, he never struggles when I carry him!