Have to cull my rooster

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Handling a roos like that is tough, they all tend to take care of the ladies though. If i had some prize winning roo that was aggressive to kids I would give a kid a stick and five dollars for every smack he landed. Otherwise, here comes the machette. How you handle your birds doesn't make them mean, they were born to it, some have to learn that my hands around your neck and my knee in your back is going to happen if you attack me, then I'm going to drag you by the feet with your head bumping along the ground, to your own private cell. They don't forget it, but they tend to recognise a newcomer pretty quick and go after them...now, do you want to be sued for your roo going after a visitor?

 

[wingstone]

White Leghorn, I know they are skittish in the first place, but he is a beautiful bird.......If it helps, I got him from a school hatch and they got the eggs from hy-line hatchery.

 

[jak2002003]

Why don't you remove his spurs? Its easy to do.....search on You Tube. Maybe you will feel safer them.

 

[Firefighter Chick]

I just made a post similar to this. My roo kicked my two year old son in the face last night. I culled the roo immediately after that. Go ahead and cull yours. Don't take a risk of hurting your grandkids. I feel torn up afterwards but it was the right thing to do.

 

[mtnviewfarms]

Hi Wingstone - we just went through a similar experience. We had two Roos that we raised together with the baby pullets since they were all a day old - all are Plymouth Barred Rocks. At first we thought Rocky Roo was just 'curious' about us
but several months ago he began routinely attacking and spurring my husband during feeding/watering time. My husband
did his brand of 'training' with Rocky who seemed to 'back off' for a few days but then he would jump him again as soon
as his back was turned. The number one Roo, Giblet, is a wonderful bird - great temperment, great with 'his girls' and he
even chases and flogs Rocky when he trys to or does attack my husband.

Although Rocky never did attack me I was always leary of him and took a broom into the coop with me just in case he attacked and I never let him out of my sight
while I was in the coop - stressful experience that was
really 'getting old' if you know what I mean!

A few weeks ago when DH came in and told me of yet 'another Rocky Roo attack' I had had it and told him to call the
Mexican man who lives in the trailer park nearby who has asked if we had any birds for sale previously. DH brought him
up to the house that afternoon and he caught Rocky and took him home with him. I asked the man what he planned to do
with him and he replied with a huge smile, "We eat him tonight - he'll be great in stew!".

We both felt sad about how it all turned out for Rocky but I do feel better after reading the replys you have received here.

Now that Rocky's been history for several weeks the flock has 'gotten over the trauma of his absence' and laying has
returned to 'normal' levels and amazingly the entire flock has a totally different 'vibe' going on - much calmer, more relaxed and less stress. The remaining 'head Roo Giblet' seems more content as well. DH and I also are enjoying the
flock much more now that we don't have to 'get in quick and get right out' as we did previously to avoid an attack.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Hi Wingstone - we just went through a similar experience. We had two Roos that we raised together with the baby pullets since they were all a day old - all are Plymouth Barred Rocks. At first we thought Rocky Roo was just 'curious' about us
but several months ago he began routinely attacking and spurring my husband during feeding/watering time. My husband
did his brand of 'training' with Rocky who seemed to 'back off' for a few days but then he would jump him again as soon
as his back was turned. The number one Roo, Giblet, is a wonderful bird - great temperment, great with 'his girls' and he
even chases and flogs Rocky when he trys to or does attack my husband.

Although Rocky never did attack me I was always leary of him and took a broom into the coop with me just in case he attacked and I never let him out of my sight
while I was in the coop - stressful experience that was
really 'getting old' if you know what I mean!

A few weeks ago when DH came in and told me of yet 'another Rocky Roo attack' I had had it and told him to call the
Mexican man who lives in the trailer park nearby who has asked if we had any birds for sale previously. DH brought him
up to the house that afternoon and he caught Rocky and took him home with him. I asked the man what he planned to do
with him and he replied with a huge smile, "We eat him tonight - he'll be great in stew!".

We both felt sad about how it all turned out for Rocky but I do feel better after reading the replys you have received here.

Now that Rocky's been history for several weeks the flock has 'gotten over the trauma of his absence' and laying has
returned to 'normal' levels and amazingly the entire flock has a totally different 'vibe' going on - much calmer, more relaxed and less stress. The remaining 'head Roo Giblet' seems more content as well. DH and I also are enjoying the
flock much more now that we don't have to 'get in quick and get right out' as we did previously to avoid an attack.

Glad it all turned out for the best and everyone is happier these days. Sorry the roo turned out the way he did though. It makes me wonder too. I think I just might have three buff orpington roos on my hands. One is very gentle and loves to be held. A true baby doll at this point. The other is skiddish as can be. He will run away if you just look in his direction. The third however 'also the biggest' is not mean but comes up and flaps his wings very close to you and then scratches his feet at the ground. He will then back off and go about his business. He keeps a very close eyes when we're around the girls. Makes us wonder if this might become a future problem? Humm,

Only time will tell. They are still probably 2-3 months from reaching sexual maturity.

 

[Wisher1000]

Someone on BYC mentioned always feeding treats to the roo first. I don't remember who, but I think there might be something to that. I did that inadvertently with my alpha roo and he is WONDERFUL! Once I read that feeding the treats to the roo and letting him share with the girls first helped his temperment, I kept it up and I think it has made a difference. He is respectful, and never once has made aggressive moves toward anyone. I caught a hen today in the coop as everyone else had already gone to roost. The hen screamed and the alpha roo came running. He stopped when he saw it was me that had the hen and went back to the roost. I don't think the roo sees me as anything other than a provider of food and I am in his eyes in no way a threat. He is funny about the treats, too. He hurries to me and waits patiently. He will take them out of my hand and give them to the hens with his beak. He really likes it when I scatter a little grain in front of him and he calls all the hens to him. Then I scatter the rest around him in a cirlce and the hens surround him. He stands so tall and crows loudly. It makes him the King! LOL!

 

[FlaRocky]

Like others have said on here. Process him and enjoy. You are not enjoying you flock now with having to watch your back for an attack. You can always find another great roo with no dominant tendencies. You will never forgive yourself if he attacks one of the grandkids. And you don't want to not see them because they don't want to see Grandma and Grandpa because of THAT MEAN OLE ROOSTER!!!!

BTW, I have a bachelor band of roos at my place, 9 of them turned out 24-7. They are all of good temperment, but if and when 1 slips up it is off to freezer camp for him. NO EXCEPTIONS.....

I have a good friend with 4 small kids and I will not risk them. To me having a mean roo is like having a fear biting dog that you cannot get thru the fear with training. Also would you let the kids go outside with a stallion that could get loose. A Rooster is just a smaller version of male intact breeding stock trying to protect his females from instinct. Like other male livestock he must yield to mankind and training to be allowed to breed.


Sorry I was on a soapbox,

Maye

 

[Sumatra503]

The thing with agressive roos is that the temperment is hereditary. Agression is a trait that gets passed on to the offspring and you will always have a line of agressive roos.

Another thing I will add is that you NEVER kick, swat, swing a broom at, or any other form of agression toward an agressive rooster! All of these actions are seen as a challenge by the roo and he will then think you are wanting him to fight with you. This only makes him more and more likely to attack you.

A simple, though not always permanant, solution is to spray the rooster with water whenever he appraoches you. Even if he approaches you without anything agressive. Use a water pistol, spray bottle, or even better, the garden hose. Be sure you spray him straight in the face and do it multiple times or until he backs way from you. Most any chicken hates to be sprayed in the face and they will almost always back off. Do this every time you go into the en and he even looks at you.

The point of this is for him associate people with getting squirted. Sounds mean, but it works and he will likely avoid you.

Even if this solution works he may still be unpredictable and may still attack the grand kids.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

In taming roosters, it's best using the same techniques used to tame any animal. Spend lots of time with them from a very early age. Let them first learn to eat out of your hand. Be consistent in management of their coop, food, water, egg collection. Be consistent in all of your behavior around them. Avoid sudden movement and unnecessary noise. Be mindful of how your actions could be perceived as threatening to them

.Roosters and other animals become aggressive towards people because they fear you pose a threat in some way. We must gain their trust. The more predictable your behavior is, the less suspicious they will be. The more you are linked with delivery of favorite food, the more they will trust you. Also, avoid picking up the hens when a rooster is present, because this may be perceived as threatening.

Hitting them, or showing any other kind of aggressiveness towards roosters tells them you want to do battle them. You might be able to convince them that you are higher on the pecking order, but that won't necessarily stop them from trying to fight you at some future date

.Rather than telling them you want to be the top rooster, tell them instead that you are NOT a chicken. Let them see instead, through your behavior, that you are harmless and that you are a provider of food and water.

But just remember, you might be able to make him respect YOU, but that does not mean he'll respect someone half your size! All chickens in the end are livestock....period. Animals can be very dangerous. If you don't have the heart to get rid of the rooster at least catch him and remove those spurs.

if none of this helps and you are still left with an aggressive rooster, make chicken soup!