Help, my rooster attacks!

[NWalker87]

I am desperate for some advice! My rooster (approx. 10 months old) has recently started attacking me (specifically just me and not my husband) when I go out to feed him – and I’m the one that does the majority of the feeding/cleaning/watering/egg collecting etc... He has drawn blood twice and I now carry a stick to ward him off. He even chases after me once I am walking away from the hens.

I can fend for myself, but I am mostly concerned about my two female turkeys - he has punctured their waddles and ripped out LOTS of their feathers, and the turkeys literally lay down on the ground and take it. In comparison to the chickens, the turkeys are much more social and seem to enjoy human interaction and contact. I was thinking about getting a young tom, but I’m not sure how that would go over either.

I am not wanting to separate them because they are all free range and roam our property at their leisure…so if needed I will build a confined space. Any other suggestions would be helpful! (The rooster protects the hens amazingly well, so I do not want to re-home him and cooking him is not an option!).

Thanks!

 

[Bone143]

He would have allready been cooked at my house. Mine came after me one time and I kicked him for a loop he took off and hasnt attempted it again to me, he tried my son (7 Years old) but I had allready told him if the rooster does it kick him. He hasnt done it to my son since he got booted either. Now my little girl (6) doesnt want to kick him so after he chased her around the yard a week or so she finally got tired of it and booted him for a loop and now he leaves her alone. Havent had anymore issues with him since honestly. I would say its a dominance thing and he wants to be cock of the walk. I by no means would kick him hard enough to kill him or dismember him but hard enough it knocks him over and makes him realise he just got hit.

 

[joeyfender]

Is it your only mature rooster? If so, sounds like a nice chicken dinner is coming up...

 

[12321]

I'll have to third that advice. Put the beat down on him. 3 strikes and he's done. If he's already damaging your other live stock that can't or won't defend itself.....

Also, don't rehome or sell him to somebody without letting them know that he attacks people. You may be responsible for somebody losing an eye.

 

[Kadjain]

In my experiences he will just get worse with age. Soon all the beatings you issue him wont matter and you will always have to watch your back just to take care of your flock. If you have friends come out to look at your flock they will get nailed by him too. He could end up killing a turkey if they really just lay down and take it. He might be good to "his" hens but there are many roosters who will take care of your hens just as good as him and not attack you when you go out to take care of your flock. Soon you will be so sick of it you will not mind the idea of butchering him. Seriously, it will turn into a nightmare, dealing with him everyday will start to add up and you will frustrate yourself thinking it will get better. If you do rehome him definitely warn the people about him but the same thing will happen to them. Someone will end up butchering him.
Sorry, but I say cull him soon so he does not pass his aggression on.

Here is my first cock. He was beautiful and was great to his hens but would not stop the bad behavior. The look he is giving me here is not a good one.



I even named this picture "A little too close"

 

[Sparrow]

I used to keep a group of 5 large, aggressive roosters. They had no problem with each other, but would go after me IF I wasn't carrying the golden weapon...a broom. I swear before they even got hit by them, they were scared of the appearance of the broom. It had to be a really bad day for them to try to get me with the broom present, and they got sent flying across the pen if they did. If your rooster is attacking your turkeys, and you catch them in the act, give them a good hard wallop and send them flying with the broom. Make sure it isa surprise attack, as the startle factor really helps. If a few times doing this doesn't help, Get him away from those girls. Turkeys are just too sweet to have to put up with that!

 

[roostersandhens]

My only advice is attempt to become his freind dont eat him. Right now he is the mean one. If u eat him ure becoming he mean one.
Good Luck!

 

[joeyfender]

My only advice is attempt to become his freind dont eat him. Right now he is the mean one. If u eat him ure becoming he mean one.
Good Luck!

Meat is the other use of chickens besides eggs...

 

[SA Farm]

Cull him. Nasty roosters do not befriend, especially one that young. He obviously sees you as a threat and since you are the main caretaker of the flock, he has got to go. There are too many wonderful roosters out there that get eaten to put up with an aggressive one when you could provide a good home for a nice one.

 

[bobbi-j]

If you don't want to "re-home" (i.e. dump your problem rooster off on someone else) him or eat him, your only options are to continue to get attacked, have your turkeys injured, and not let any small children come visit your yard or to build a pen for him in which case he won't be out protecting or breeding your hens. If you pen him up, then what's the point of having him? He'd have been eaten a long time ago here. There is no tolerance on our farm for mean roosters. You are not the "mean one" if you eat him. You are being the responsible one. Do you have young kids that come to your place? How about other people? How will you feel if a guest becomes injured by your rooster?