Cull him, or wait for protection?

[CoopsNPoops]

My 14 month old EE Roo has became pretty aggressive this Spring. He has a flock of 14 hens. He is constantly in attack mode. I have my bluff in on him with a rake now, but my children are targets. Weather is warming up so naturally my 3 and 4 year old want to play outside on their trampoline and stuff. Obviously they can't comfortably with him and he has to go. What is the best way to cull him? I'm very seriously considering a shotgun at the moment, I'm so sick of him. Problem is, my flock is 100% free range and and are only go in their coop to lay and roost. Im affraid my hens will be vulnerable to predators without his protection. We are on a 40 acre pasture farm and we have alot of coyotes. Should i maybe build them a run instead of free range, without his protection? Im not sure how much "protection" he does anyways since i keep his spurs and nails trimmed short to keep my kids from serious injuries. Even though he cant do much damage, it still dont stop him from attacking and it still dont keep my kids from being stalked, tortured, and terrified. Or just leave the hens free range and hope the predators stay clear. Id HATE to have them penned up, but id also hate to lose them as their egg production is a business. The hens well being is the priority, my mind is made up that Rusty has to go.. Opinions? Thoughts? Advice?

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Your rooster does not mean to attack you he is trying to protect his flock he sees you as a threat to his flock you should not cull him from trying to protect his flock he is a rooster and an animals he cant think right he does not have a brain like a human to think logically. You should be happy that he is trying to protect his hens. I would keep him separate in a dog crate for a day I would hold him and carry him often to.

His lack of human interaction is not the issue. I have hand raised these birds from day old chicks. He has been interacted with and handled plenty. He didnt become aggressive until recently. I understand that he is a rooster and thats his instincts, however, he will not come before my childrens safety and sanity. They have first priority in their yard, not him. Not culling him isn't the question and i dont think isolating him in a crate by himself is fair to him nor do i believe it would help. He don't need a time out. The question is how is the most humane way to do it, and do i need to pen the rest of them up to keep them safe, or continue to let them free range and hope for the best.

 

[MissE]

I would not have a dangerous rooster around children. I have posted this many times, but to repeat, I know a little girl who needed her face stitched up after being attacked by a rooster.

Either cull him, or if you really want to keep him, build a secure run. If he were mine, he'd be dinner. There are too many nice roosters to justify keeping a jerk.

I would not recommend rehoming him unless you make it very clear what he is like and your full understanding that whomever takes him may be planning on Sunday dinner.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Also, putting them all in a run (including him) will not be an option either. That does not fix the problem, only masks it. My children and i will still be vulnerable to attacks and injury upon gathering eggs or feeding/watering. The hens are lovely, tame, and well mannered so the kids enjoy interacting with them, as do the hens enjoy it. Rusty has made that impossible now. I dont blame him for simply being a roo and doing his job. Not at all. However, it dont and wont work for our family. Which is exactly why i never intended on a rooster in the flock to begin with. The plan was strictly hens. Rusty was meant to be a hen but i made the poor decision to keep him because he grew on me. I gave him the benefit of a doubt because initially he was well behaved.

 

[CaroleW]

You have to make your own decision. I had to cull my rooster last year that I hand raised because I couldn't turn my back on him. Consider that a rooster who is human aggressive can cause serious injury to you and, even worse, to your children.

I found a really good tempered rooster from a nearby breeder. My new rooster sounds the alarm for the flock just as well as the mean rooster did and I can work around him in peace and even enjoy his company.

 

[LaFleche]

Im affraid my hens will be vulnerable to predators without his protection.

A rooster that is constantly stalking and attacking his humans is not protecting his hens while doing so, because his focus is on how to get at the humans.

You could just grab him from the roost at night, carry him outside and chop his head off with an axe or meat chopper. That would be the fastest way.

Seriously, he would not have survived the day he went after children, whether my own or the neighbour's.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

I would not have a dangerous rooster around children. I have posted this many times, but to repeat, I know a little girl who needed her face stitched up after being attacked by a rooster.

Either cull him, or if you really want to keep him, build a secure run. If he were mine, he'd be dinner. There are too many nice roosters to justify keeping a jerk.

I would not recommend rehoming him unless you make it very clear what he is like and your full understanding that whomever takes him may be planning on Sunday dinner.

Yes, no, i would never rehome a dangerous animal. He will provide my family a dinner before that. I don't necessarily want to keep him and i dont want to isolate him or mask the problem. An i didn't mean literally the most humane way to cull him, just a good

A rooster that is constantly stalking and attacking his humans is not protecting his hens while doing so, because his focus is on how to get at the humans.

True. They could all be way out in the field and when he notices we are out in the yard, here he comes running, leaving the hens vulnerable. It seems more of a territorial issue than a protection issue.

 

[LaFleche]

hey could all be way out in the field and when he notices we are out in the yard, here he comes running, leaving the hens vulnerable. It seems more of a territorial issue than a protection issue.

This often happens when the rooster is raised with all the same age chickens and no elders to teach him manners.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

This often happens when the rooster is raised with all the same age chickens and no elders to teach him manners.

Yea, that crossed my mind. He had noone or nothing to show him his place until it was to late.

 

[LaFleche]

Do you have someone to help you with taking him from the roost and butchering?