@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
Chickendreams24, what a beautiful letter. I can tell that you are a precious human being. Who else in this world would take the time to write such a long informative reply? Thank you so much for doing that for me. I see that you are in Wisconsin, I'm just south of Chicago. I think we will be close friends. Maybe you will sell me some good laying hens and a big pretty well behaved rooster?
The reason I bought a rooster is because I love the sound of the crowing! I have never heard a sound that I enjoy more. Not even music. I think it's the sweetest most relaxing sound there is.
I made the mistake and bought three hens and Mr. Red at an auction a few weeks ago. One of the hens has an eye that won't open and the other eye is cloudy like she is blind. Her sister, I say sister because they are both black with white spots. Anyways, her sister is retarded. She always sits on the side of her food and water dish. No matter how many times I move her. And you may be right about Mr. Red thinking that I am hurting her, she always fusses and cries when I pick her up.
The other hen is Mr. Reds girlfriend I'm thinking. She never leaves his side. Not even when he ran at me today, she ran to. Of course she didn't do it out of meanness, she was just following him. She may be the only one that I get eggs out of. Maybe not. I'm trying to remember all of the questions you ask so I can answer them. I do plan on free ranging one of these days. I can't let them out of the barn because one is blind and the other is retarded. Mr. Red would probably chase cars he's so mean. And if he does the girlfriend will to. I don't know though, she seems to be the only right one of the bunch! lol But, it's been really cold and windy, that's the reason they are in there. They have plenty of room, I put chicken wire up and made a space for them 8'x12'x8' approximately. Today was the first day they could have gone out, it was a nice 72 with a little breeze. But I couldn't get to the black and whites to carry them out. So, they have never been out to peck in the grass and do all the stuff they enjoy. He may have cabin fever, like we do when it's to bad to go outside. If I did let him out, I would never be able to get him back in. I took a switch I cut from a tree in there with me today. Had no intention of using it on him, just shoo him away so I could get my work done. But when he started crowing at me before I even went in, I knew I was going to have to hit him with it. Sure enough, I did. I didn't hurt him, I used a whistle that I think scared him. But after he got over the shock, here he came again! I couldn't believe it. And she was right by his side. We danced around in there for over an hour. When I heard my hubby drive up, I was outta there. I didn't want him to see me in there with my switch. He would've thought that was the funniest thing ever. And I really don't want him making fun of me. He hasn't seen any of this happen. He thinks I don't like Mr. Red. I do like him, I bought him.
My hubby is up now. He goes to work at 3:00ish. I have to get his breakfast cooked and his lunch made. I'll finish this after he leaves or in the a.m.
KH
