How to manage a rude rooster?

[Nickpicsss]

Hello all! Back with more questions! We had MANY roosters out of our straight run chickens (8 out of 17) and we lost a few ones when younger and I was able to find homes for the rest. We kept 1, he was from one our first batches of chicks from locals. He’s an olive egger/BCM cross and seemed to be sweet/tolerant of us. He’s now 22weeks old (hatched 3/3/25) and attacked me while I was feeding the flock treats out of a cup. I felt a peck to my hand and thought one of them missed the cup, but then the next peck was intentional from him and he drew blood from my hand. I tried to shoo him away, so he grabbed my pants and kicked my leg which scratched me/drew blood as well (thank goodness he doesn’t have spurs yet lol). So I gave him a swift kick to the chest and dominantly walked him out to the woodline after he shook it off and stopped puffing up. But now I can’t help but think he’s stalking me when I go out there now. I have 2 kids (2.5yo & 15m old) that I do NOT want to risk that happening to - it definitely hurt in the moment and I do not want my kids to be scared of the chickens.

A couple of my hens just started laying (they’re all around 16-23 weeks old) and he’s starting his rooster duties. Trying to mount them (the older hens are squatting, but the younger ones still run away and he doesn’t seem to try again on them at that moment), he also shows them treats, etc. Is it just the adolescent hormones raging or is he just going to be a jerk? What is an appropriate way to show dominance to see if that will put him in place with humans? I said he can have 3 chances with me, but 0 with my kids. If he even puffs up near them, he’s going to freezer camp.

I don’t need a rooster, I just figured he was handsome & nice in the beginning. I wouldn’t mind letting a broody hen hatch eggs if it ever happened and also figured he could be a good protector for our 11 hens since we do let them free range our fenced back yard most days if home. It was just so unexpected in the moment because he’s let us handle him plenty. Not sure if it was because 2 of the laying hens were eating out of the same cup with him and he got defensive? I’m a first time chicken owner, so I’d like to learn as much as I can! There’s so many different opinions online and I’d rather have a bit more constructive advice than the randoms on Facebook lol thank you!!

 

[nuthatched]

He certainly is handsome.
How have you raised him until now?
He needs to go, especially with small children around, if he'll attack you, he will 100% go after them.

 

[EggzactlyRight]

He is very handsome!

I personally don't think it's worth risking another injury. Sure, he may calm down as he ages, it's not impossible, but there's absolutely no guarantee - he might even become worse, and with young children in the picture I don't think he deserves to stay.

You said you don't need a rooster, so I think it'd best to re-home him or make something tasty out of him. If later on you decide you want to let your hens hatch eggs or just want to have a rooster anyway it shouldn't be too difficult to find one that is not only sweet to his ladies but humans as well. ​

 

[Folly's place]

He's become a dangerous liability for you, and can seriously injure your children! Get him gone, ASAP, preferably as dinner for either your family or some other family.
If you do try to rehome him, full disclosure is necessary, and having him injure another child? Terrible thought!
Even if you can convince him not to attack you (very doubtful) he will stalk and attack any other humans, and can cause very serious injuries to small people especially.
Mary

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Hello all! Back with more questions! We had MANY roosters out of our straight run chickens (8 out of 17) and we lost a few ones when younger and I was able to find homes for the rest. We kept 1, he was from one our first batches of chicks from locals. He’s an olive egger/BCM cross and seemed to be sweet/tolerant of us. He’s now 22weeks old (hatched 3/3/25) and attacked me while I was feeding the flock treats out of a cup. I felt a peck to my hand and thought one of them missed the cup, but then the next peck was intentional from him and he drew blood from my hand. I tried to shoo him away, so he grabbed my pants and kicked my leg which scratched me/drew blood as well (thank goodness he doesn’t have spurs yet lol). So I gave him a swift kick to the chest and dominantly walked him out to the woodline after he shook it off and stopped puffing up. But now I can’t help but think he’s stalking me when I go out there now. I have 2 kids (2.5yo & 15m old) that I do NOT want to risk that happening to - it definitely hurt in the moment and I do not want my kids to be scared of the chickens.

A couple of my hens just started laying (they’re all around 16-23 weeks old) and he’s starting his rooster duties. Trying to mount them (the older hens are squatting, but the younger ones still run away and he doesn’t seem to try again on them at that moment), he also shows them treats, etc. Is it just the adolescent hormones raging or is he just going to be a jerk? What is an appropriate way to show dominance to see if that will put him in place with humans? I said he can have 3 chances with me, but 0 with my kids. If he even puffs up near them, he’s going to freezer camp.

I don’t need a rooster, I just figured he was handsome & nice in the beginning. I wouldn’t mind letting a broody hen hatch eggs if it ever happened and also figured he could be a good protector for our 11 hens since we do let them free range our fenced back yard most days if home. It was just so unexpected in the moment because he’s let us handle him plenty. Not sure if it was because 2 of the laying hens were eating out of the same cup with him and he got defensive? I’m a first time chicken owner, so I’d like to learn as much as I can! There’s so many different opinions online and I’d rather have a bit more constructive advice than the randoms on Facebook lol thank you!!View attachment 4182426

This is a great reference - please give it a read! https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

In the meantime, my concern is your children. They shouldn't be outside unless he is in a secure pen that he can't bust out of. Being frightened is the least issue. More to the point is being injured, blinded, ...

 

[Mrs. K]

he will 100% go after them.

He has already give you a warning. Thank God, he attacked you and not them. At those ages they will be nearly eye level. If he flys at them and hits them in the head, a lot of times the child will fall, wailing and flapping their arms, which the rooster will take as a fight. A child can be scratched and bitten in the face. Some people have life long scars. Not worth it. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of people, especially kids.

Tonight, put him in a dog kennel, and dispatch him. If you can't, ask around, someone will do it for you. If you can't eat it, bury him.

This website is full of stories of where the darling became the nightmare. There really is no going back. Maybe you can train them before they become aggressive, but afterwards it does not work.

Mrs K

 

[Nickpicsss]

thank you all for your replies! Ugh, I am just not ready to cull a chicken yet. I will probably have my husband or neighbor do it for me. I’ve done research previously and did see the broomstick method which seems to be the best. But then now I’ll have to do research on potentially dressing a chicken too! They are 100% secured in a run & coop - I have to open the doors to let them free range. And we typically don’t go outside when they are free ranging (thankfully since this behavior randomly started).

I have a feeling I think it was from food aggression (idk if chickens can have that but I know dogs and cats can haha). But it was while him and the 2 laying hens were eating out of the same cup I was holding. And today when I was feeding their feeders, I usually let them eat out of one before I put the lid on to keep them busy and he was really guarding the food and ate SO much! And would squawk at the hens when & if they got too close to him. Needless to say, he’s a jerk regardless and will be dispatched! Any other recommendations/resources for culling (other than broomstick method) and dressing a chicken would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Nickpicsss]

This is a great reference - please give it a read! https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

In the meantime, my concern is your children. They shouldn't be outside unless he is in a secure pen that he can't bust out of. Being frightened is the least issue. More to the point is being injured, blinded, ...

Thank you so much for the link! This is a fantastic learning platform, I am just not familiar enough yet to navigate certain info! Haha

Also, he is fully secured in the coop & run! We also don’t go outside when they are free ranging (thankfully). I already had enough time rehoming all my other roosters, I’m sure no one would want ones that’s already MEAN!

 

[FarmerGirl101]

If you do decide in the future that you want to have a rooster, aim for getting a breed of chicken that is known for being calmer. While it won't guarantee that the rooster isn't aggressive, I've found far better success in getting rooster from a calmer breed.

There are likely some good videos online for dressing a chicken. I also tend to stay away from the culling side of chickens so I'm not too familiar. I usually get a family member to do that for me.