Help! My Rooster tried to attack me!

[Teila]

Hi Teila, thanks for the articles to read. I will read them first thing in the a.m. That rooster just wore my old butt out today!

Your welcome! Enjoy your evening and do not let him stress you out.

If worse comes to worse and he has to go; please do not give him away without warning his new owner, as someone else mentioned, you may be having this experience because his temperament is the reason he was at the auction in the first place.

I know that I could not cull a chicken and in the past, when one of my girls has been at the point of no recovery from severe illness, my Vet has euthanized her for me. Now I am not suggesting you do that with this fella and you may get the upper hand with perseverance, that was just in case you feel that is the best course of action but are not able to do the deed.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Also, I did not read the entirety of this post. There is something called a poultry tie out you can either find on amazon or any southern/redneck feed store(cheaper). I personally have three but kept culling until I had 0 roosters. Now I have no mature fowl as a rescue killed them all. I would wait out the adolescence and see if it is just a hormonal thing this time around, but that is just me. I listened to the bad boys gotta go mantra raising mine and well, not one made it.

On so many occasions I have regretted not having roos too protect my flock, that if I am not concerned with my or others safety I would keep those bozos.

EDIT--from a first year chicken keeper

 

[webbysmeme]

If you are the one that tends the chickens on a daily basis you have two options. You can put the rooster in a separate run and let husband deal with him or GET RID OF HIM! Your choice! I used to have to shield myself with a plastic snow shovel, I'm so glad those days are over and I can enjoy my girls!

I am the main care giver! I'm not ready to give up just yet. It's happened twice now, I feel like I am better prepared for him now. At least, better than before. I know a lot more now. If I don't get scare and forget everything that I've learned on here today.

Your welcome! Enjoy your evening and do not let him stress you out.

If worse comes to worse and he has to go; please do not give him away without warning his new owner, as someone else mentioned, you may be having this experience because his temperament is the reason he was at the auction in the first place.

I know that I could not cull a chicken and in the past, when one of my girls has been at the point of no recovery from severe illness, my Vet has euthanized her for me. Now I am not suggesting you do that with this fella and you may get the upper hand with perseverance, that was just in case you feel that is the best course of action but are not able to do the deed.

Oh,believe me! I will shoot him if he hurts me. I'd feel real terrible afterwards, but I wouldn't be afraid to go visit my girls then. I know that sounded real mean, but he just made me madder than I've been in a long time. And that was a person. I don't think an animal has ever made me this mad. I feel like we will get over our differences. He just has to know I'm momma and he's my boy. Boys always give their momma a little trouble. lol , thanks

 

[AllenK RGV]

I am the main care giver! I'm not ready to give up just yet. It's happened twice now, I feel like I am better prepared for him now. At least, better than before. I know a lot more now. If I don't get scare and forget everything that I've learned on here today.

Oh,believe me! I will shoot him if he hurts me. I'd feel real terrible afterwards, but I wouldn't be afraid to go visit my girls then. I know that sounded real mean, but he just made me madder than I've been in a long time. And that was a person. I don't think an animal has ever made me this mad. I feel like we will get over our differences. He just has to know I'm momma and he's my boy. Boys always give their momma a little trouble. lol , thanks

I know you will know when it is the right time to make a decision.Best wishes!

 

[chickendreams24]

@webbysmeme

Hi there.

I'm so sorry that you are having these troubles now for the help.

It's possible Red may have been triggered by you handling the hen if she squawked. That being said a mature adult rooster should be well adjusted and trust his owner.

How long have you had him?

You said they're locked up for right now which is a good idea. I have noticed in a few of my birds that the cockerals and roosters are more likely to attack when enclosed. Fight or flight they can't run so they fight.

However I agree the majority of his issue is dominance and he probably won't stop testing you.

Now roosters when fighting or attacking people will go for the face or eyes if they can(which is part of why they can be so dangerous for small children). They will flog with the wings which can leave bruises. They will spur and claw. They will also bite. Either biting and twisting to tear skin or even bit and hold on while they kick repeatedly. Don't take aggressive birds lightly and don't let your guard down.

Here we cull for temperament among the very highest things.

Some people asked why you want to keep a rooster if these are your first chickens. Do you plan to breed your flock? I haven't owned RIRs myself but I've heard the roosters have quite the propensity towards aggression.

Since you didn't know roosters were the protectors of their flock I'm curious. Many people keep roosters to protect a free range flock.

Okay I'm going to start at the beginning. Roosters are not for everyone but roosters are wonderful birds! If you get one from the right line raised the right way. It's generally agreed that aggression in roosters is somewhat hereditary.

Our first year we got a golden laced sebright bantam cockeral, a porcelain d'uccle cockeral, and a silver laced Wyandotte cockeral with a number of pullets. The sebright was the sweetest chick but when he hit maturity a switch flipped and he became murderous. He was so bad that if we even tried to handle him at night we had to wear thick leather gloves and he would still hurt us. He would attack and chase us into the house. I wasn't afraid of him but he was relentless. He would attack us when we didn't expect it. He also knew we carried a stick at that point to keep him at a distance from us only using it the push him back when necessary. He really hurt me good one day and wouldn't stop attacking me. My DH2B was across the yard and before he could get to me my little d'uccle cockeral stepped in and fought him off. It was amazing. We finally put that cockeral down. Something wasn't right with him he was unhinged he attacked everything.

Cockerals when they first mature are nuts but he was Hannibal compared to Roseanne's slightly dysfunctional ways. Like I said he was messed up. We also got an oegb cockeral that year too he was okay but mostly indifferent after he matured.

Unfortunately we lost the d'uccle to a freak accident where he broke his neck. The silver laced Wyandotte cockeral geew up and became our roo but developed aggression towards only my Mom and I. He was the perfect rooster in every other way except he was unpredictable and when he felt like fighting he was relentless. He did start getting better but I knew I could never trust him so we planned to cull him. However before we could nature culled him for us. He gave his life just like he should have to protect a broody chick and the flock from a fox. He was our first predator loss. He earned some gratitude for that.

Okay I know people will say if you hit a bird with a stick or kick it or something it's cruel and animal abuse.

Let me just say if you're being attacked you hit it kick it do whatever you have to do. For us though our "chicken stick" as we called it was more about making us feel empowered than actual use. Although it worked a little like a shepherds staff when we needed to round the birds up for bed.

My worry is that Red sounds a little unhinged.

Now one thing we've had good luck with with maturing cockerals that get their panties in a wad and test us is to pick them up in front of the flock gently and calmly and carry them around while you talk to them. If you try this please make sure you do it safely tuck him under your arms like a football with his wings folded and hold his legs in one hand. If you need your husband's help that's okay. Of course don't put an angry bird near your face.

I've also found words(or rather tone) to also be of use. Chickens are actually a lot more intelligent than most people give them credit for. I tell all my birds "no" etc when they're doing something bad and use good words and tones when they're good.

Watch out for him tidbitting to you. That is picking up and putting down things and making the noises he would use to call a hen over to a treat. He may pick something up or may just mock it out to draw you near to attack.

Many people have mentioned making him move for you. Yes a million times yes. Don't move for him. Don't corner him but also don't make a big circle around. Although it sounds like he is very forward about his attacks.

We've raised many many cockerals and roosters since we first began. We've bought and hatched many of our own of multiple breeds. We've been blessed with knowing people with and finding good stock and that has led to us having had very very few people aggressive birds. After our first cockeral that was aggressive we are very careful. We have small nieces nephews and visitors from time to time and want children ourselves in the next few years so we have a very specific way we deal with any cockeral that shows aggression. The first time we pick him up and carry him or chase him if we can't. We'll usually give him 2-3 chances before we slap a cull plan on him and he goes to grow out for meat. Of course it also depends on what he's doing to show aggression.

We generally separate the cockerals from the main flock at maturity anyways because cockerals can overwhelm and be damaging to the hens and pullets. A good mature rooster will keep cockerals in line but even a good rooster will be overwhelmed depending on the numbers he can't watch and keep them all in line.

If he continues to give you problems I hope you'll cull him. A soup pot might be the only way to get through to him.

Also I want to point out that if you guys have your hearts set on owning a rooster there are many many roosters out there that are great gentle ideal birds but there aren't enough homes available so many have to be culled each day. I know we've culled birds that were hard to do because they were so sweet.

We currently have a very large mixed flock we separate only for breeding and keep 8-12 roosters plus cockerals that we grow out for eating and as potential future breeders.

Last year we had approximately 24-30 cockerals and roosters running with the flock with no trouble at all for most of the year. They were separated in the fall when foraging became harder and the cockerals started getting big in their britches. We didn't have too orry about a single one of the cockerals or roosters I might add.

Good luck and keep us up to date

 

[webbysmeme]

Also, I did not read the entirety of this post. There is something called a poultry tie out you can either find on amazon or any southern/redneck feed store(cheaper). I personally have three but kept culling until I had 0 roosters. Now I have no mature fowl as a rescue killed them all. I would wait out the adolescence and see if it is just a hormonal thing this time around, but that is just me. I listened to the bad boys gotta go mantra raising mine and well, not one made it.

On so many occasions I have regretted not having roos too protect my flock, that if I am not concerned with my or others safety I would keep those bozos.

EDIT--from a first year chicken keeper

You killed three chickens in a year What in the world did they do to you? Must've been pretty bad.
See, I didn't even know roosters protect chickens until today! I think that's kinda special. I have no idea how old he is. I think the hens I bought at the same time are to old to lay eggs. Go think. He was in the same auction lot as they were, so I'm probably taking care of all his retirement birds! lol, No, really. I haven't got an egg yet. They have had time to settle in I think. Maybe it's been to cold? Who knows? It's just my kind of luck. But I really like him. He's so big and pretty. The only reason I got a rooster is I love to hear them crow! That is just the sweetest sound there is. Unless of course, he's doing it at you. He's been cussin and bad mouthin me all afternoon. Oh well. Tomorrow's a new day. We'll just hope he's in a better mood. Thanks for your reply. I enjoyed reading your story!

 

[AllenK RGV]

You killed three chickens in a year What in the world did they do to you? Must've been pretty bad.
See, I didn't even know roosters protect chickens until today! I think that's kinda special. I have no idea how old he is. I think the hens I bought at the same time are to old to lay eggs. Go think. He was in the same auction lot as they were, so I'm probably taking care of all his retirement birds! lol, No, really. I haven't got an egg yet. They have had time to settle in I think. Maybe it's been to cold? Who knows? It's just my kind of luck. But I really like him. He's so big and pretty. The only reason I got a rooster is I love to hear them crow! That is just the sweetest sound there is. Unless of course, he's doing it at you. He's been cussin and bad mouthin me all afternoon. Oh well. Tomorrow's a new day. We'll just hope he's in a better mood. Thanks for your reply. I enjoyed reading your story!

I killed 5 not 3, they hit adolescence and started stealth attacking me from behind. I do wish I had waited longer before euthanizing them but received plenty of expert advice on how they were all bad roos. All of my hens probably would not have died last week had I had some roos around.

EDIT--Also why I secretly fantasize about raising Malays.

 

[chickendreams24]

I killed 5 not 3, they hit adolescence and started stealth attacking me from behind. I do wish I had waited longer before euthanizing them but received plenty of expert advice on how they were all bad roos. All of my hens probably would not have died last week had I had some roos around.

Sorry you lost your flock and had to cull all your cockerals.

What breeds were they?
Were they hatchery stock?

If you decide to try again and buy a cockeral as soon as you know gender don't overly handle or baby it.

While I do have a couple mature roosters that love attention and ask for it we use this approach as a little natural fear/respect is good for them to have once they mature. That way they also don't see you as a member of the flock. You're something apart from it. Of course you could talk to a million different people and get a million different answers. We do make a point to be able to handle our cockerals and roosters without stressing them too much (this includes the birds we process to eat as a bird that's stressed when culled will yield lesser quality meat that is tougher).

 

[AllenK RGV]

Sorry you lost your flock and had to cull all your cockerals.

What breeds were they?
Were they hatchery stock?

If you decide to try again and buy a cockeral as soon as you know gender don't overly handle or baby it.

While I do have a couple mature roosters that love attention and ask for it we use this approach as a little natural fear/respect is good for them to have once they mature. That way they also don't see you as a member of the flock. You're something apart from it. Of course you could talk to a million different people and get a million different answers. We do make a point to be able to handle our cockerals and roosters without stressing them too much (this includes the birds we process to eat as a bird that's stressed when culled will yield lesser quality meat that is tougher).

They were a straight run of Standard Black Sumatra from Polk Ohio. Were all being free ranged and awesome at predator avoidance. They trusted our dogs and cat. We rescued a new (dog)one and she turned out not to be chicken safe. I was never a big handler of them as they weren't really pets to me but I think it was my wife's naming them that doomed them. I will admit I did name one. Ususally if it was necessary to handle a chicken I would always pull them from the roost at night. They were just hormonal adolescent/culls.

 

[chickendreams24]

I've never owned sumatra but I believe they're more of a game breed correct?

I would suggest you try out some dual purpose chickens.

Where are you located and what kinds of predators?