Desperately seeking advice for a flogging issue, please help! Thanks! :)

[JDodd121]

This is 'Remi', (Short for Remington) He is about a year old and I'm not sure what breed he is other than to say he is a Bantam. (If anyone has any guesses, I'd be delighted to hear them as well as advice on the issue as hand here, lol. ) My daughters and I have raised him from a chick and love him dearly. However, He has begun to flog, which of course has caused my daughters to fear him. My husband and I WILL NOT keep a flogging rooster and constantly fear our girls safety but really don't want to have to part with this little guy. I've read that hand feeding can help, which we've been doing, but need to know what other steps, if any, can be taken. We are certainly willing to do whatever necessary to keep him in the family, if we can get the flogging to stop. Thanks so much. God Bless.

 

[skymama65]

I'm sorry, but I have no idea what flogging is, but I had to say that that is a truly beautiful rooster! Should be on the show circuit, whatever breed hi is!

 

[JDodd121]

Thanks! We think so too! Though I wouldn't have any idea where to start to show him, lol. Flogging is a synonym for whip and thrash, commonly used referring to when a rooster (essentially) attacks.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would not hand feed this bad boy. He is having some serious issues with dominance... he wants to dominate all members of his flock, and that includes you and your children. It's your job to give him a reality check. You can not be his "friend". You have to be his master. This is accomplished by speaking to him in chicken speak. When you walk among your flock, never go around him. Walk through him. Make him get out of your way. Carry a small stick about 3 - 4' long. Use it as a guiding tool to encourage him to move along in what ever direction you want him to go. Give him several lessons/day where you guide him around, guide him away from the food while the hens eat, guide him in/out of the coop. Basically, you TELL HIM WHERE HE CAN AND CAN"T GO, and WHEN HE CAN EAT. This is what a dominant roo does to his underlings. You need to be the dominant roo, as do your children. If he does not heed this training, step it up a notch. Grab him by the scruff of the neck, and hold his head down to the ground. Hold him there until he stops struggling, then continue to hold him down. When you let go, he should stay frozen there for a bit. If he doesn't, continue to hold him down until he does. Alternately, you can pick him up, and hold him in one arm, while using the other hand to hold his head down below his chest. Continue this hold until he submits and keeps his head down willingly. Again, this is what a dominant roo does. If your children are old enough to do the stick training, have them do that with your supervision. I'd give him a week or two of training, and see how it goes. If he becomes submissive to all humans, I'd allow him to stay. If after a couple of weeks working with him, he still shows human aggressive tendencies, I'd put him in the soup pot. I don't lay claim to any of these teaching methods, but want to give credit to all the excellent mentors on BYC who have offered these and other methods.

 

[gawildlife]

Dad always said that's what feet are for. Not exactly PC but I think Dad could've had a career kicking field goals.

 

[appps]

If you and the rest of your family (as it has to be an all or none thing) are very determined I started a thread about a year and a half ago and our own resident chicken whisperer (he quietens roosters regularly) gave some fantastic tips and links to his blog.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...succeeded-in-retraining-an-aggressive-rooster

Our neighbour complained so we never completed it but what I did find was me training only curbed the behaviour round me. He still attacked the kids so for it to work everyone has to train him and it is hard work and you have to be dedicated.

If you are not prepared to put the work in its a loosing battle and personally one I think that if you have kids you need to decide up front if you are prepared to complete. They are dangerous to have with kids and can inflict, even bantams, wounds requiring stitches (my sil still has noticible scars from a rooster attack at 3) so after reading decide which path you are prepared to take. You can't half train him.

 

[canesisters]

I hate to be "that person" but .....

My first roo - raised from a chick - nursed through several chick-ills - etc.

About the time he turned 4months old he started to give me 'the eye'.
Surely not MY boy!! I had done all the right things to raise a 'good roo'.
By the time he was 7months old I was well along on trying all the things that are supposed to train a 'bad roo'.
By the time he was a year old I no longer enjoyed spending any time with my chickens. I carried a weapon with me when I entered to feed/water and never just hung out with them anymore.
By the time he was about 14months old I broke a rake (yes... a RAKE) trying to get him off of me.
He went to the next swap meet with 'MEAN ROO' on his cage.
A week later everyone - me and the hens - were much more relaxed and beginning to enjoy time together again.
I was foolish enough to let one of the hens hatch out 4 eggs from him. His 2 sons were just like him - but Jersey Giant sized. By the time they were 5 months old they were dangerous.
His 2 daughters have his same nasty personalilty - but lay chocolate (marans) eggs - so they will stay as long as they lay....
There ARE good roos out there.
There is not enough room in any coop for a mean one...


sorry...

 

[CrazyTalk]

I would not hand feed this bad boy. He is having some serious issues with dominance... he wants to dominate all members of his flock, and that includes you and your children. It's your job to give him a reality check. You can not be his "friend". You have to be his master. This is accomplished by speaking to him in chicken speak. When you walk among your flock, never go around him. Walk through him. Make him get out of your way. Carry a small stick about 3 - 4' long. Use it as a guiding tool to encourage him to move along in what ever direction you want him to go. Give him several lessons/day where you guide him around, guide him away from the food while the hens eat, guide him in/out of the coop. Basically, you TELL HIM WHERE HE CAN AND CAN"T GO, and WHEN HE CAN EAT. This is what a dominant roo does to his underlings. You need to be the dominant roo, as do your children. If he does not heed this training, step it up a notch. Grab him by the scruff of the neck, and hold his head down to the ground. Hold him there until he stops struggling, then continue to hold him down. When you let go, he should stay frozen there for a bit. If he doesn't, continue to hold him down until he does. Alternately, you can pick him up, and hold him in one arm, while using the other hand to hold his head down below his chest. Continue this hold until he submits and keeps his head down willingly. Again, this is what a dominant roo does. If your children are old enough to do the stick training, have them do that with your supervision. I'd give him a week or two of training, and see how it goes. If he becomes submissive to all humans, I'd allow him to stay. If after a couple of weeks working with him, he still shows human aggressive tendencies, I'd put him in the soup pot. I don't lay claim to any of these teaching methods, but want to give credit to all the excellent mentors on BYC who have offered these and other methods.

People suggest this sort of stuff all the time - it never actually works though. You can train a rooster to be afraid of you, but eventually he's going to attack someone hes not afraid of. It may be you, or one of your daughters, or one of their friends.

You can set yourself as the dominant roo, but that doesn't make your family or friends above him on the pecking order - absolutely everyone who comes into your yard is going to need to dominate the rooster. You now have an animal that is a dangerous time bomb.

You don't want to be the top roo - you want to not be a chicken. You want to be outside the pecking order. At this point, it's too late - he already sees you as a threat. Do the right thing, put the bird down, and get a rooster from a line that isn't people aggressive.

 

[lazy gardener]

I can tell you that it has worked like a charm with my young roo. I have not had to resort to pinning him to the ground, but several months back, he was getting a bit full of himself, giving me the stink eye, and chased my 8 y.o. once b/c she squealed and ran away from him. A few "herding" lessons and he has been the perfect gentleman. And no he is not a bit afraid of me. He comes around for treats, visits with me, but knows where the line in the sand is drawn. He does not approach strangers, but checks them out very carefully. I agree that it won't work with every roo. If it doesn't, after a short training period, I recommend a very hot bath. But, don't categorically say that it doesn't work, and that it instills fear in the animal.

 

[JDodd121]

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate the tips and advice. And my family and I are definitely willing to put forth whatever effort necessary to make it work. He's not doing it all the time yet and still manages to do well some days, just not every day which is why I want to nip it in the bud now before he really gets used to doing it. Being a Banty, he is really only a threat to the ankles, lol given his small stature but even as such, the behavior is just obviously not something we plan to tolerate. I read that the hand feeding is supposed to let him know that We're not fellow Roo's that need to be dominated, but If that's not going to help matters, we can certainly stop doing it. I'd hoped to get him trained in a way that carrying a big stick wasn't necessary, lol ... but again, willing to do whatever is needed. I will read the links posted and again appreciate all the great feedback. Really appreciate you guys, thank you!