hit a nerve

[caulichicken]

Hi. So I have this rooster that is getting more and more aggressive. If I wear black pants he will run at me and attack. I have been dealing with it by reminding him who is boss with my boot. Normally I walk in slowly not making any sudden movements and that works well enough unless I am wearing black pants and then he runs at me when I lift my leg to get out of the room (I have a bit of a "fence" blocking the doorway). This afternoon I went to collect eggs and as I was leaving he ran at me and I deflected him (straight in the chest but not a lot of force). He came at me again and my second attempt to deflect him landed as a glancing blow (also not a lot of force). He dropped like a stone on his butt, legs out in front and his wings splayed out and then his head fell forward. He folded in half and at first I though he was dead. His legs started to shake and his feet contracted. Then he popped up like nothing was wrong. So my question is, did I literally hit a nerve? He walked away much subdued and just stood there. Then he moved his head a bit but still stood still. The other hens were being slightly aggressive towards him so he walked away and was clucking (usually he crows and crows and crows). I left after 5 minutes but I wonder if I will find him dead in the morning. Has something similar (the dropping like a stone part) happened to anyone else?

 

[WishingStar]

My uncle did that with a white gallon bucket. The rooster ran at him and he popped it in the head. The rooster instantly dropped into the grass and didn't move. My uncle had had enough of the attitude at that point and when I asked what happened, he shouted back "I f***ing killed it" and continued into the coop to collect eggs. The rooster got up, super shakily, and lived a good while after that. He was terrified of white buckets, though, after his near death experience.

 

[Mrs. K]

No loss if you do. Everyone has a right to protect themselves. Once I saw a yearling bull dropped by a wack in just the right spot. It can happen. If this does not change his ways, cull him. The black pants is just an excuse, soon it will be any color.