Dealing with my young roosters

[Wetzlersmith]

Do you have any insight about how my lone rooster will TEND to act now that he is alone? I'm new to chickens and the very first two I get both end up roosters. The mean one has been relocated which leaves this one with no hens to watch over, just a male and female duck of the same age. He has shown no aggression YET, but he did deliberately walk straight toward me when I picked up my duck yesterday (one of the acts that the other rooster attacked over). I quickly put him down. Then he also started to chase my daughter after she ran through the yard. I yelled at her to stop and he did too. I have to admit I'm gun shy now because of how mean the other one was. I have to be able to pick my male duck up as he is trying to assert himself and that was one of the solutions I read on here, but I can't do that if the rooster is not going to like it. sigh..........

 

[donrae]

Who cares what that rooster likes? Is he the boss, or are you?

If you have a child small enough to run from a rooster, I'd suggest you rehome the rooster.

When the rooster "walked straight toward" you when you picked up the duck, you should have walked right into him, forcing him to yield to you. Instead, you yielded to him, giving him a little bit of control over you.

Roosters take an assertive personality, and can for some take the enjoyment out of keeping chickens. I'm getting that feeling from you. You didn't want a rooster in the first place, just because you got one by accident doesn't obligate you to keep it for the rest of it's life. You say he's shown no signs of aggression, but he's chased your child. If he would have been close enough he would have flogged her and she'd have some nice wounds down the back of her legs.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with Donrae, start over. Roosters are a crap shoot for even experienced poultiers. Some are mean, some are not.

Don't keep him, get rid of him. His actions are TELLING you as loud as he can speak, that he is becoming aggressive and will continue to become more aggressive. With no hens to be with, he really has no function.

Mrs K