Horrible Rooster Behavior, How Do I Get It To STOP?!?!

[koakritters]

I've got a 4 month old rooster who's turned into a little monster!!! He's one I incubated and then raised in my room, pretty much on my shoulder for the first 2 months of his life, and now he's gone mad on me. He'll be great one day, but then the next he turns on anyone who is around, he reaches through the bars of his pen and attacks feet, hands, legs, anything he can get a hold of! You go in and he charges at you and bites so hard that he's left a gash and bruise on my wrist. How can I get him to stop? I'll get after him with a broom or anything i've got with me and push him back, and then I can grab him and he's back to his sweet old self and will fall asleep on his back in my arms, so I know there is still some good left in him. I really don't want to have to give him up, but he's around children, and I can't have him continue doing this...

I don't want to have to turn him into dinner either.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

It sounds like even though you don't want to, you know what you have to do.

 

[tinychicky]

probably he doesn't like something you are wearing (new shoes, loose pants, anything) try sitting down next to him and offer him food, then while he's eating show him your feet, hands and evenually face, touch all over his face, always under his eye. that's very importent touch over his eye and it's a threat, under his eye says 'i love you'. with roosters it's always better that they think of you as one of the hens which they'll always love and protect unconditionally, than another rooster that, while tolerated, will always be seen as somewhat of a threat. good luck!

 

[Sorin]

Unfortunately many have said the same thing as you, that their pet rooster turned mean when they reched adulthood. Here is a link that may help you http://www.motherearthnews.com/happy-homesteader/help-for-agressive-roosters.aspx

I have used this technique with my own and others roosters with good success. The key is to get him to associate people as a food source and not competition. Keep in mind though, while some roosters can be rehabilitated, sometimes there is no fixing them. Good luck!

 

[Tenmore]

Ckicken soup our th BBQ I know how you feel I have a 18 week old BSL beautiful bird that is turning mean Bit my arm drew blood and went after my 6 year old all in the same day nothing before nothing since bad day maybe but dont think so. I think just a glimpse of what s to come from him....good luck

 

[allpeepedout]

Newbie here. My 19 wk BR roo went through a phase of sudden aggression about 3-4 weeks ago. I used (and am VERY thankful for) the rooster-wrangling techniques described on BYC on many other threads (pushing roo down into squat position until relaxed, carrying around, slowly stalking, pushing him out of my way using an object), alternating with the Mother Earth article suggesting you have a choice to not play in their rooster games, not to react in a threatening way, etc. Have never been violent toward him.

The last couple of weeks we have turned a corner and he is being extremely good. I pick him up 2-3 times every day and pet his back (he slinks away) but am also respectful of him and don't dominate him unnecessary. I enter his space several times a day and sometimes will just step to the side and observe, ignore him, go about my business, and put attention on hens, etc. I'm also the treat machine.

I know he is far from mature, but so far so good, and the techiniques seem to have made the difference. Do some research and good luck! Seems like they often are just naturally protecting the girls and testing the pecking order, including people.

 

[sourland]

Sadly enough very frequently the more the pet the worse the behavior. It's generally a better practice to treat your roosters like chickens and make pets of your hens. He regards you as an equal flockmate and is trying to subordinate you. He needs to learn that you are BOSS not a member of the flock. How you do that is up to you.

 

[hcppam]

Quote:
Read the article Sorin linked, worth a try, I have a EE Roo not full grown yet been trying to find him a home (Zoning) never a problem with him, yesterday I picked up my sweet BO hen and she was making happy sounds, all of a sudden Bramble the roo appeared, now I've heard of stink eye but that was the first time I saw it...he kept eying me then her and getting closer and then he got right up to me and pecked my bare leg, not to hard, I let it go, he did it again, a bit harder, I let it go, the third time a good peck and I swatted at him and he moved away, i looked at my leg hoping there was a mole or something that he thought was edible nothing. I am convinced he was not happy with me being close to BO Rosie who puts him in his place all the time...so I read this and went out and caught him, put him on my lap and just loved on him and he fell asleep for a few then jumped down and for a brief second looked like his hackles came up and than walked away. I will try giving him his space if he gets rowdy and see how it gos, I don't what to be fighting a rooster and hurting it.

 

[hcppam]

One more thing, I read quit a lot here any time there is a problem with poultry the answer is freezer camp, some of us are inclined to try to work it out, if we can.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Agree, 110%.

Also, the part about "then I can grab him and he's back to his sweet old self and will fall asleep on his back in my arms". IMHO, he's not going back to his sweet self, he's submitting or admitting defeat. He'd do the same thing if another, more alpha rooster chased and caught him. Basically playing dead.