Help w/ rooster issue

[sstarfish]

Not sure if this is the right forum or not (I figured Chicken Behavior....) but here goes.

I have 2 Javas (a roo and a hen). Actually, we also have 8 chicks from them that I incubated (for the first time... go me!!) but they are still not in w/ the big guys. We have a coop for the 2 adults, but no yard. They only free range.

Here's the problem: Dude, the roo, is becoming a jerk. He was a great roo for the first year, but lately he's been just a touch aggressive w/ my kids (ages 6, 4, and 2). He doesn't run after them, but if he's around and they walk close, he'll flap at them and scare them So now, it's either the kids get to play outside of the chickens do.

For the past 2 days, I've been letting the hen out by herself all day, and then later on in the evening when the kids are inside for dinner and bed, I'll let Dude out for a bit. I'm just having trouble letting the hen out and not the rooster. I'm okay w/ this system (especially when the other pullets join her) and I plan on keeping Dude so I can continue breeding, but how do I keep him in all day and let just the girls out? Do I need to build a small coop/run just for him alone?

Suggestions?

 

[FireTigeris]

Why breed a mean roo?

But he's just over a year he's coming full into his hormones.

You have the choices of continuing like you are, training him, or removing him.

You likely hatched out more boys, maybe like him, maybe nicer, maybe meaner...

There are many links about 'training' roos... I use the confinement method- smaller confinement then you are doing, then I remove the 'problem'

Good Luck.

 

[sstarfish]

Well, I don't consider him mean. He's significantly nicer/calmer than the other 2 roos we had, and my sister in law just got rid of her mean rooster of the same breed. I'll have to look into the training methods

 

[Rosebonsai]

Hahahahaha!!! Just bumped into you! Small world. Would you believe that the roo who had a bone to pick with your sil, is our sweetie boy? Lol! Maybe they had the terrible time of dealing with his teenager issues. But he actually lets my big boy carry him around like a baby. . He's the one Roo we decided to keep since he's the nicest. Did you boy calm down for you?? Is this what's in store when our kids get older!?