HELP Needed...My Rooster REPEATEDLY ATTACKED ME

[User105877]

Have you ever watched roosters interact with each other? They fight! At least till one learns his place. Honestly all this holding down and timeout stuff is typically a waste. Send him flying backyards a couple times and he'll get the idea.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Sometimes it is tough to connect a foot and not fall

 

[theoldchick]

Crockpot therapy. Ain't no reason to keep him and pass on his aggressive genes.

 

[MTKitty]

I've had a bad day, but I will do my utmost to remain patient.

I hope your day got better before it ended.

... Roosters are supposed to be aggressive. It's having some aggression that means they will compete with other roosters and be able to guard their hens and their offspring. What breeding non aggressive roosters, or at least trying to does, is reduces the chances of the natural instincts going forward.

This makes perfect sense against the background of your linked article. Interesting stuff. But that environment in your dissertation is quite different than the one I have my birds in. Our relationship is symbiotic: I provide food, shelter from weather and predators, and health care. The birds provide eggs and the occasional bodily sacrifice.

Their natural instincts are fine. I rely heavily on the chickens recognizing environmental threats such as coyotes, hawks, snowy cold, etc., without me needing to be present in the coop 24/7. I also need the rooster to recognize I am not one of those environmental threats. If we cannot effectively communicate that between us, one of us has to go. And I pay the bills around here. Species-ist? Yup, but that’s the way it goes in my world.

Even large roosters are unlikely to do you any lasting damage when they attack if you wear appropriate clothing and consider carefully if what you do is likely to ellict an aggressive response.

I agree, but why would I waste my time with an animal I have to always be on guard against? As for lasting damage, that depends on the size of the two involved. Children (and quite a few adults) aren’t always aware of how animals communicate. Teach them? Absolutely. Teach them by having an aggressive animal attack them for accidental miscues? Absolutely not.

Breeding any creature for attributes that are mmeant to please humans but in the long term damage the species is just wrong. I don't know how to put it in another way.

Yet, every animal we label domesticated has been selectively bred, to some degree, for human convenience in exchange for levels of care and longevity not normally seen in their wild state.

I understand what you’re saying. I just don’t agree with every aspect of your position.

 

[Geena]

I've had a bad day, but I will do my utmost to remain patient.
I have to ask you why anyone would breed non agressive roosters if not for profit and making them easier to turn into pets?
Roosters are supposed to be aggressive. It's having some aggression that means they will compete with other roosters and be able to guard their hens and their offspring. What breeding non aggressive roosters, or at least trying to does, is reduces the chances of the natural instincts going forward.
I've managed to negotiate with I don't know how many aggressive roosters. They're not stupid creatures. Mostly they are just tryinng to protect their hens or offspring. Why would anyone want to prevent any creature from doing this?

Even large roosters are unlikely to do you any lasting damage when they attack if you wear appropriate clothing and consider carefully if what you do is likely to ellict an aggressive response.

Breeding any creature for attributes that are mmeant to please humans but in the long term damage the species is just wrong. I don't know how to put it in another way.

Sorry about your bad day.

I find it very interesting that you champion aggressive roosters because they are just doing as nature intended, and yet you think it's fine and dandy to shoot a dog for preying on chickens.

That said, I tend to agree with you up to a point. In my experience almost all cockerels are naturally going to show some level of aggression, particularly when they are young and dumb. Personally I mostly deal with them by just not dealing with them. I have all my coops, runs, doors and gates set up in such a way that I can close off any roosters/ cockerels so that I don't have to be in the same space at the same time as them. I do what I need to do and let them do their own thing.

You have to keep in mind that your situation and outlook is somewhat unique. Most of the people here keep chickens as backyard pets, breeding projects and/or like myself raise them for food. They may not have the time, inclination or ability to deal with an aggressive animal on a daily basis. If you look at it from a different perspective, at least these people are trying to give cockerels the opportunity to have a good life, that's a whole heck of a lot better than being macerated at hatch.

 

[3KillerBs]

Although we arrogant humans find their aggressive behavior unacceptable, it's how they are supposed to behave and we are the ones disturbing nature.

Except that this is not "nature" out in the wild.

This is a livestock animal who needs to be able to accept and deal with the fact that people come and go in the coop and run and who needs to have enough sense to not attack the giant who brings food.

In the wild an animal that senselessly attacks a much larger animal who was merely passing through generally dies of that aggression sooner or later.

 

[MTKitty]

It's important to try to understand rooster psychology if you're going to have them. In all likelihood, you are provoking the attacks without realizing it. Remember, you are invading their domain.

Well, actually, my domain. My house, my rules.

... He perceives you as a threat, gets that shot of adrenaline and does what he's hardwired to do. When you pick the hens up, he thinks you are going to harm them. Those are his mates and his responsibility to protect and you are a threat.

I am not a threat. I am the Bringer of Food, Water, and Treats. If he can’t figure that out when we’ve been interacting since he emerged from his egg, then I will respect him all the way to the stew pot.

We probably disagree less than the above sounds like. I talk to my birds a lot. Explain chores, fuss when they get underfoot, tell them to knock off puffing up at my shoes. Let them know when offering food by hand that “pink things are fingers” and stop when the finger bites are no longer accidental.

I like my chickens, but they are here for a purpose. That purpose does not include attacks on me because I happen to be in the enclosure.

 

[Hannahnic14]

This cockerel isn't going to reform, he is who he wants to be. Human aggression is genetic, and then somewhat influenced by management.
I too used to try to change this behavior, and nothing really works, not for long, and not for every different person involved. Don't wait to be really injured, hate going out there, or worse, having a visitor or child hurt.
There are many polite roosters, and he won't ever fit that description.
And @Hannahnic14 , do you realize how close that puncture wound is to your jugular vein?!!
Mary

Unfortunately yes....he's going to freezer camp here in a few weeks. I tried to hand feed him today and he about took my finger off!

 

[Shadrach]

I wonder if any of you would be kind enough to provide some reputable studies or research on how human aggressive genes in male chickens are passed down a blood line.
I and a few others have had aggressive roosters breed and none of their male offspring showed any signs of human aggression.
There are some actions on the part of the human keeper that are liable to produce an aggressive reaction in cockerels and roosters.
I've dealt briefly with some of them in this article.
Just for the record. I have done my utmost to research for studies that indicate that a human aggressive male chicken will produce human aggressive male offspring. I have yet to find a single study and as far as I can tell, this myth is yet one more that is perpetuated on forums with absolutely no evidence to confirm it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[Shadrach]

There would seem to be a bit of a verification problem here. Given that those in this thread who believe, or even suspect that human aggression in male chickens is an inherited trait and given that many who believe this kill a rooster apprently that shows signs of human aggression, the chances for the "it is inherited" camp of proving their point seems pretty remote given in that dead roosters can't produce offspring to test the theory out.

On the other hand, on this thread, DobieLover and I have both had human aggressive roosters who, with some patience, work and an understanding of what may trigger such aggression, have not only reduced their aggressive behaviour to a manageable level but have also produced some real sweethearts as offspring.