Cockerel rushing my wife

[Nannette114]

Hi Im really glad you posted this question as I regularly have problems with our Rooster. He is a huge Broiler called Jesus and goes for me quite regularly. My husband says he's 'just being a cockerel' but I'm scared of him now and I'd love to see the advice you get. I'll have a read of the article too!
Good luck with it, let us know how you resolve it.

 

[Shirley531]

My rooster Napoleon does that to everyone but my father and me. I have these boots that he ignores, but any other shoe-especially pink crocs-totally sets him off. I keep him for hawk and predator protection though.

My roo - Colin - had a thing about my red Crocs!

 

[Abriana]

Thats funny! I can just see it in his eyes he is so mad at the crocs. He also hates black boots. I walked in the pen wearing some and looked at me like, "Oh, it's you. Hey." and then he saw the boots and was like, "Wait a minute," stood up really straight and then would not stop attacking them.

 

[brucifer]

My roosters know that I am the top roo. When I get upstarts, and I do, I have a long thin stick that I use to smack the offender. Then I get between him and the hens and the food. I will chase him, and when I catch him, I hold his legs firmly, pinch the back of his neck, and hold it awhile. I ingrain into his brain that he has access to hens and food if and when I allow it, and he will be dominated if he violates my restrictions. That being said, if you have a rooster who is too much of a problem or who is tormenting family members, it's usually best to cull him from the flock. Don't let any rooster keep you from enjoying your other birds.

 

[Abriana]

You pinch him? I dont' think whacking with a stick or pinching are effective ways to teach him whose boss, it sounds mean. I think you should just chase him and then hold him awhile, or hook your boot under his chest and lift. It doesn't hurt him and he will soon learn to respect the boot. I agree that he should know that has access to the hens and food when you say he does, but i don't agree that you should show him that in a mean way.

 

[brucifer]

If you want to keep roosters, then you need to exhibit the same behaviors that roosters exhibit when confronting other roosters. Pinching the back of the neck is one thing they do. Good luck keeping an aggressive rooster away from food or hens if you play nice with him. I love my birds, but I use methods that work when I need to. I know they may seem mean or harsh to some folks, but I would much rather apply some tough love and keep a rooster I have invested in than cull him.

 

[Abriana]

Okay, now i see your point. I agree with the 'tough love' rather than culling. thanks for clarifying!

 

[CrowHollowFarm]

I agree with the stick if you really want to keep him. You have to establish dominance just as another rooster would. You aren't going to hurt him anymore than another roosters sharp spurs would. Although those traits have been proven to be hereditary in animals.

 

[brucifer]

Okay, now i see your point. I agree with the 'tough love' rather than culling. thanks for clarifying!

Thanks. Also, just to clarify, I wish all roosters were nice and that I didn't have to intervene because I don't like having to put a rooster in his place. In fact, what is really disturbing to me is when I have a sweet cockerel that I hatched from a hatching egg turn into an aggressive rooster, but I like for my family to enjoy all of our birds (I have over 80.), so I do what is necessary; however, only when I absolutely need to do so.

Also, once a rooster is trained, when he gets out of line, all I have to do is pick up the stick, and he quickly remembers.

 

[Abriana]

My rooster Napoleon, who is also my avatar, was very sweet as chick. I would put him inside my coat and sit in a chair or do household things and he would fall asleep with his head on my chest. Now he wants to kill me. And i'm always thinking, "I feed you, i house you, i love you even though you want to tear up my leg, i let you out at the crack of dawn, i lock you up as soon as you go in, and you still want to rip me up," I was so disapointed when he turned out aggressive.