Evil Rooster

[LilyD]

So I am not the type of person to kill indiscriminately. I usually need a really good reason. Once a chicken becomes a member of the flock whether they are a rooster or a hen they are there for life not just for a little while. Last year I added a new 6 month old rooster to my flock because my old rooster was having trouble keeping up. The old rooster took the new one in line and taught him the ropes and everything settled down and was peaceful again for a while. In December we had a thaw and the ice fell off the roof of our house and killed my old rooster making the new one top rooster all of a sudden. His attitude totally changed and all at once he began trying to go after my legs when I went out to feed each day. I used the same methods I had used with our other roosters and tried to school him so he would understand that wasn't a good idea and toyed with the idea of processing him but kept putting it off. He would do it once and then be good for a while so maybe he was a slower learner and just needed more time and work. I kept trying. Well today I went out to feed my chicks and turkey poults who are in the greenhouse outside. The adult chickens usually will follow me which isn't a problem I have a ton of girls who would love to be "Momma" to all the babies I have and they are very curious about them. I figured no problem right. One of the turkey poults had gotten loose from the pen and I bent to scoop it up as I headed in the door and that's when it happened.....

That rooster jumped up at my face attempting to spur me. My reflexes saved me and I got my hand up in time so he spurred my hand instead. He hit the area between my thumb and pointer finger and his spur went into my palm at least and inch if not more. I threw him off and tried to get the door closed to the green house so I could go take care of it and he came at me three more times, each time jumping towards my upper body and trying to do as much damage as possible.

The last time I caught him and he now sits in a dog crate in the barn and tomorrow I will rectify a poor decision I made earlier. Never again will I keep a rooster who shows any signs of being mean. There are two many wonderful ones out there and keeping a mean rooster is a bad idea. I often have kids playing in the yard and if it had been them rather than me he could have gotten them in the eye or the temple and done some serious damage. Never again!!

**As an aside just for a laugh I realized after I got back from putting the rooster in the dog crate that I didn't get the door quite closed for the greenhouse and at least 20 of the chicks/poults had made their escape and were being whisked away by the hens to various parts of the yard. They saw me coming and tried to get the chicks hurrying faster so they could stash them away where I couldn't find them. Even though my hand was throbbing and bleeding everywhere I had to laugh it was just too funny.

 

[sigsauersean]

thats crazy, I have had a few big rir that were aggressive, they would flog strangers it all and chocked that up to them being protective, he would be on the dinner plate if he was mine or been traded very rapidly.

Hope your wounds heel up well

 

[K9Dave]

thats crazy, I have had a few big rir that were aggressive, they would flog strangers it all and chocked that up to them being protective, he would be on the dinner plate if he was mine or been traded very rapidly.

Hope your wounds heel up well

Were they "real" RIR? I'm learning that my RIR are actually Production Reds. They're supposed to be way more aggressive. Thinking about breeding and only breeding or something. The true RIR are very very dark red. Almost blackish. Maybe this is why? Just a thought.

 

[sigsauersean]

Were they "real" RIR? I'm learning that my RIR are actually Production Reds. They're supposed to be way more aggressive. Thinking about breeding and only breeding or something. The true RIR are very very dark red. Almost blackish. Maybe this is why? Just a thought.

I dont know to be honest, these were RIR from Murray McMurray several years back, they were gorgeous birds and were fine with me since I had raised them from chicks they didn't mess with me, but anybody else that went near them you could watch them raise their hackles up and they be on you like flies on stink. I got some RIR chicks earlier this year from our local coop and they dont seem to be as deep of red as my existing RIR but they are still pretty young so I dont know either, the tamest chickens I have ever had were Brahma, I had a couple, one of which was a rooster and when I would bend over to gather eggs he would jump on shoulder on his own and nestle into my neck, but I also raised him by himself so I guess that had a lot to do with it as well

 

[K9Dave]

I dont know to be honest, these were RIR from Murray McMurray several years back, they were gorgeous birds and were fine with me since I had raised them from chicks they didn't mess with me, but anybody else that went near them you could watch them raise their hackles up and they be on you like flies on stink. I got some RIR chicks earlier this year from our local coop and they dont seem to be as deep of red as my existing RIR but they are still pretty young so I dont know either, the tamest chickens I have ever had were Brahma, I had a couple, one of which was a rooster and when I would bend over to gather eggs he would jump on shoulder on his own and nestle into my neck, but I also raised him by himself so I guess that had a lot to do with it as well

I have a brahma Pullet maybe 9 weeks old now. She was scared to death of me for a while there as I held them all every day. She finally calmed down about being touched and is fine now. Not overly affectionate or anything. I have these 2 White ones with some black freckles that are super nice. One I call "Girlfriend" cause when she was little she would just sit in my lap and adore my face. Looking at all angles and always wanted to be around me. I can throw food now even and she would rather mess with me and get the food later. Ha

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The last time I caught him and he now sits in a dog crate in the barn and tomorrow I will rectify a poor decision I made earlier. Never again will I keep a rooster who shows any signs of being mean. There are two many wonderful ones out there and keeping a mean rooster is a bad idea. I often have kids playing in the yard and if it had been them rather than me he could have gotten them in the eye or the temple and done some serious damage. Never again!!

You have a dangerous animal on your property. He will not outgrow this, and his aggressive genes will be passed to any offspring. You're doing exactly the right thing for the right reasons. I know it's hard, but sometimes the right thing is hard.

We have a "two strikes" policy. The first sign of aggression from a cockerel--and I mean walking "tall" up to me (especially my back) or raising his hackles at me, NOT attacking--and he gets chased around the yard with me flapping my arms and squawking like an idiot until I've run him off his feet or caught up to him and "pecked" him hard. The second time... he doesn't see another sunrise. I also get 6+ males any time I'm intending to keep one or two, and we make soup out of the boys that are more aggressive and/or have bad conformation. You're right, so many calm, non-aggressive boys are killed every day that it's bad policy to keep an aggressive one; there are other birds out there that deserve a happy home.

MMM birds are closer to true RIR than many hatchery birds, but aren't quite there. They have a very nice dark color, but the body shape is wrong and the tail is wrong. They have bright green tail feathers instead of black. My rooster Bruce was a MMM RIR, and he was a great flock rooster that never put a foot wrong, so I don't think there's anything inherently aggressive about MMM's RIRs.

 

[LilyD]

I dont know to be honest, these were RIR from Murray McMurray several years back, they were gorgeous birds and were fine with me since I had raised them from chicks they didn't mess with me, but anybody else that went near them you could watch them raise their hackles up and they be on you like flies on stink. I got some RIR chicks earlier this year from our local coop and they dont seem to be as deep of red as my existing RIR but they are still pretty young so I dont know either, the tamest chickens I have ever had were Brahma, I had a couple, one of which was a rooster and when I would bend over to gather eggs he would jump on shoulder on his own and nestle into my neck, but I also raised him by himself so I guess that had a lot to do with it as well

That's half the problem with this rooster. I wasn't the one that raised him from a chick. All the ones I have ever had have never attacked anyone. I usually give them three strikes for bad behavior. After that they are dinner, but the ones I raise are all super nice and love being held by people. They will just settle right down and hang out with you for a while. I will never ever again get a rooster that is older from anyone. I will stick with my hand raised chicks. I have 6 rooster chicks that will be 4 weeks old on Friday. I will pick two new roosters from them to keep and raise them by hand.

I have brahmas too and have to agree my brahma rooster is absolutely sweet. I can pick him up and carry him around and he just lays there. This is the first truly evil rooster we have ever had. He will attack anyone not just me. He flat out seems to dislike all humans.

 

[LilyD]

You have a dangerous animal on your property. He will not outgrow this, and his aggressive genes will be passed to any offspring. You're doing exactly the right thing for the right reasons. I know it's hard, but sometimes the right thing is hard.

We have a "two strikes" policy. The first sign of aggression from a cockerel--and I mean walking "tall" up to me (especially my back) or raising his hackles at me, NOT attacking--and he gets chased around the yard with me flapping my arms and squawking like an idiot until I've run him off his feet or caught up to him and "pecked" him hard. The second time... he doesn't see another sunrise. I also get 6+ males any time I'm intending to keep one or two, and we make soup out of the boys that are more aggressive and/or have bad conformation. You're right, so many calm, non-aggressive boys are killed every day that it's bad policy to keep an aggressive one; there are other birds out there that deserve a happy home.

MMM birds are closer to true RIR than many hatchery birds, but aren't quite there. They have a very nice dark color, but the body shape is wrong and the tail is wrong. They have bright green tail feathers instead of black. My rooster Bruce was a MMM RIR, and he was a great flock rooster that never put a foot wrong, so I don't think there's anything inherently aggressive about MMM's RIRs.

That is usually my policy too. This one was given to me and was pretty good for the most part but would pick fights with my other roosters. With my other rooster around he never would do anything like this and was totally fine but a little standoffish. I figured he wasn't used to being picked up a lot since I didn't raise him so just let him be the way he was. Once my older rooster died and he was the only rooster for that coop he got a major complex and started going after me or anyone else. He even went after my horse one day when she was out eating. The only reason he got more than 3 strikes was because it was winter and I didn't want to process in the house since our water spigot didn't work outside. Now that spring is here and it's not freezing at night I can set up my processing station and he will be chicken and dumplings before he knows it.

 

[sigsauersean]

I was thinking about trying to get a rooster from someone as well but will really have to rethink I guess, I got all pullets from the coop, I hope at least, and was wanting at least one nice rooster, I may wait till next spring or see if I can get some chicks locally, may have to get another brahma, love the buff brahmas.

Anyway, hope your wounds heel up quick, he would be on the dinner plate for sure though, eat him just out of spite if for no other reason

 

[donrae]

Funny, you talking about getting a rooster from somewhere else and them being raised different than you raise yours. I'm having the same kind of situation, only opposite behavior. I got a 8ish month old Ameraucana cockerel, and he's just a little too comfortable being around me, for my comfort! I've also raised lots of roosters, and prefer them to keep a respectful distance from me. I don't handle birds, etc and my roosters usually stay a good 5+ feet away from me. This new guy is pretty happy being about 2 feet away from me, and it kinda freaks me out! He's never, ever once made ANY smallest sign of aggression at all, but it still makes me not pleased to have him so close. I know, a problem others wish they had, right? And I'm complaining about it....

Hope your hand is good, be sure it's cleansed well and keep a good eye on it. And enjoy your dinner!