He finally did it, Roo bit me. Now what?

[clairabean]

I was messing with his favourite girl, though.

One of my chickens is old. She doesn't lay, is fat and lives a good geriatric life. A week ago she has been having problems with her poop and I have been washing her behind off. Today I went to catch her in the coop and all the girls starting freaking out. As I was holding my old girl, Gingy the Roo- who comes past my knees in height- races over and bites my hand... then races away. He goes to the other side of the coop and lerts out a giant cockadoodledoooooo!!

*sigh*

So do I overlook this and focus on his perfectly acceptable record for the past year or banish him.....? What would you do? Once a biter always a biter? Or just looking out for his girl?

 

[KellyHM]

He's just trying to protect his gal, but in a very scared way. If he were truly being aggressive he would have latched on and spurred you too. I say gie him a freebie for being a good roo and protecting your girls.

 

[terrilhb]

I agree with KellyHM. He thought he was protecting his hens. At least you know he will protect them.

 

[Olive Hill]

FWIW, I pretty much am a hard a** when it comes to roo behavior and even I wouldn't send him to freezer camp over it. I would have given him a 'meet-your-maker moment' then and there, just to make sure he didn't think it was acceptable, but if he's never showed any kind of aggression before and this was only half hearted, I wouldn't consider it a make or break situation.

 

[HorizonSon]

I had an ongoing fight with our one adult roo for a year and a half! I wouldn't free range without a roo and he was the only one we had. Plus, he was a super awesome rooster, as far as fulfilling his duties to the flock. But I still have some faint scars on my shins, lol.

He did recently get dispatched: started free ranging my younger flock and he wasn't having it. He served his purpose. I was really hoping he would adopt them. So we are without a mature roo, for now. My cockerals are only 14 1/2 weeks old. Even the earliest maturing roos aren't truly "flock protecting" worthy until 9~12+ months old. (when they have fully grown spurs).

 

[flightfeather21]

He was only trying to protect the hen. I think he pecked you only because the hens were screaming so he thought you were going to hurt her.

~flightfeather21~