How can I stop my rooster from being such a bully to me and my girls!

[SimonRooster]

My rooster is getting pretty aggressive and often gives me nips on the arm when I am near him. When he is around the girls he is a big broot, is mean to certain hens, and can be really aggressive. Is there a way I can teach him to be a better boy and act nice?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

How old is this rooster?

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

I suggest you put him in "solitary confinement" for a couple or few days. Just separate him from the hens and provide him food and water. I recommend making him separate from the hens but still able to see them. I had the same problem with my rooster, so I cornered him off in a part of the coop so that he could still see the hens. He began to get mad that he couldn't get to his hens, and apparently realized that if he was bad to my girls, he'd be away from them. I had to separate him a few times before he was finally much better, but now he's one of the best roosters I've had.

 

[SimonRooster]

First question: He is about 3 months away from being a year old
Second: He has been in solitary confinement and does not seem to have gotten better.

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

At that age his hormones should be settling down. It''s not proven, but maybe a last effort would be giving him garlic? I swear by it for my flock. I had this extremely aggressive hen once who would NEVER leave any other chicken to a moment's peace, and then one day I fed them some scrambled eggs with garlic it it. The very next day she was much calmer. There was no other change in their life besides that garlic.

Another trick is picking him up and holding him upside down and gently tapping his beak/head every time he does this. It helps to teach him that you are the ruler, not him.

If he continues to do this to you and your hens, then he may have to pay a visit to freezer camp. Some roosters are just like that. I've encountered success and failure with all these tactics, but there's always a chance for success.

What breed is your rooster?

 

[SimonRooster]

Garlic? Hummmm, I will have to give that a try.
He is a very handsome speckled sussex

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

I don't think that Speckled Sussex are among the most violent rooster breeds, so maybe yours is one of the few. Anyways, I hope he gets nicer.

 

[Folly's place]

I've had several SS cockrels, and a couple of them were polite, but some turned into real jerks. If you aren't winning the behavior alteration challenge, that's just who he is. I agree, they are stunningly beautiful, BUT still, a bad boy isn't worth having. Mary

 

[centrarchid]

Something I am observing with my free-range flocks that have discrete territories like in nature.

This time of year at the beginning of the breeding season the males are particularly riled up. At less than a year of age the male is not fully mature may be trying to pursue a breeding option typically realized by wild jungle fowl not able to hold onto a harem. To pull this option off, the male must be quick and aggressive with the females before the harem master can run him off. Such a male will compete with harem masters by forcibly breeding their hens. It is right now the benefits for such behavior are maximal and so the young males are giving it everything they have to improve the odds they are the father of some eggs hatching early in the year. These males are also prone to act like bucks in rut attacking other animals. Same roosters next year will be more likely to pursue the more stately harem master route and not so inclined to force themselves on hens even though they will treat younger rooster with extreme prejudice.

 

[Blooie]

Our Speckled Sussex is in sollitary - in the freezer. The first time he got aggressive toward a couple of the hens, he got a reprieve but he was watched closely. Then he came after me one morning - and by mid afternoon he was chilling in the refrigerator. I know that a lot of people have very successfully rehabilitated nasty roosters, and I'm very glad that it all worked out for them. But around Oleo Acres aggression = gone. I have three beloved grandkids - two live across the street and one lives two blocks down. The littlest one is 3 and Kendra's been in her wheelchair since she was 9 months old. One of the others is her sister Katie and their cousin, Evan. Katie is 9 and Evan is also 9. They are my chicken sitters when we go out of town, which we do frequently for Ken's fraternity. I need those kids to be totally comfortable out there. I need Kendra to be safe enjoying the yard in her chair even when the chickens are out foraging. I don't want any of them getting hurt, naturally, but I also don't want the older two to become afraid to work out in the coop and run. They love to come over and help gather eggs, feeding and watering, and they don't even mind cleaning the poop board. But that wouldn't last two minutes if they had reason to fear the chickens. I figure even if I had worked with Speckles and "trained" him not to be aggressive toward me, there was still no guarantee that he'd apply what he'd learned to the kids.

Lots of people have friendly roosters. If I want a rooster in my flock, I'm willing to wait until that kind of roo comes my way.