How Do You Handle A Nasty Rooster?

[KaylorFarms]

How do you all handle a nasty rooster? I know you can't kick them or chase them because they take it as a challenge, but I was just wondering what you all do

 

[TwinkleCake]

You let them go in an empty field and drive away!

 

[KaylorFarms]

You let them go in an empty field and drive away!

Lol! I'll put that on my poll!

 

[igorsMistress]

I'm the boss. I chase him around just because I feel like it. Swat his bottom with a switch or a fly swatter. Sprayed him with the hose once or twice. Won't let him on the picnic table when I'm out there. I'm not afraid to turn my back, but I keep an eye on him.

No mating allowed when I'm there either.

If it ever doesn't work out, it'll be freezer camp. So far so good, he's 6 months old and no attacks, but he was thinking about going after a grandson the other day.

 

[KaylorFarms]

I'm the boss. I chase him around just because I feel like it. Swat his bottom with a switch or a fly swatter. Sprayed him with the hose once or twice. Won't let him on the picnic table when I'm out there. I'm not afraid to turn my back, but I keep an eye on him.

No mating allowed when I'm there either.

If it ever doesn't work out, it'll be freezer camp. So far so good, he's 6 months old and no attacks, but he was thinking about going after a grandson the other day.

Agree!

 

[Dmontgomery]

Depends on what you call nasty...
A couple years ago we had a BIG rooster that actually attacked and killed 2 other roosters while out free ranging. He tried to kill another one, but my wife grabbed up the victim to protect it. The rooster then attacked my wife. He died of lead poisoning soon after.
Last spring we hatched out 8 roosters, with a flock of 25 hens. By winter they weren't getting along with anybody, so we gave 6 away a couple weeks before Mardi Gras for "chicken runs".
Last month we rehomed another one to a friend just starting out her first flock. He had horrible mating technique and was damaging the hens backs.
So it all depends on the level of nasty. Don't pawn off a behavior problem to somebody else, unless you warn them. Chicken and sausage gumbo is delicious, even in summer!

 

[BantyChooks]

You let them go in an empty field and drive away!

Please don't do that. The chicken dies a less than ideal death just because you don't feel like culling him. I've had people abandon chickens near my property---IMO it's a cowardly thing to do, once you take on the responsibility of owning chickens you need to either kill it yourself or give them to someone else that knows what they're taking. Just saying.

 

[BantyChooks]

I don't have trouble with nasty cockbirds or cockerels in general. I believe most times it's a management issue that sparks it in the first place.

I had a bad cockbird once. Mea culpa due to handling methods. I sold him with full disclosure that he was mean and tasted like chicken. At the time, I neither had tools nor the knowledge on how to butcher, hence the reason I sold him.

If there's a next time, it will end up in my freezer.

 

[centrarchid]

I really do not like these pointless discussions that bring out not being nice to your charges as something fun or a show of dominion.

Poll by line of options is skewed.

1. Cull them.
2. Give them away.
3. Keep them.
4. De-spur them.
5. Let them go in a empty field and drive away.
6. None of the above.

The options of cull, give away, and abandon (legal term when you get in trouble for doing such) are all examples of culling, aka removing from flock. As used in options above "culling" means only killing. That is inaccurate and feeds into confusion many have with terminology concerning animal care taking / husbandry.

 

[igorsMistress]

I don't think it's a simple matter of being mean for fun or dominance. It's a valid question, we all have our own way of dealing with it. Those roosters all have different personalities too, and one method obviously doesn't work for all of them

I would rather have a wary rooster running in the yard than a mean one kept in a cage.