How to manage a rude rooster?

[C Siena]

I did not like the first time I culled...nor the second, nor the third but I did it and needed to prove to myself I could. Also it needed to be done. I use a Cone. I also removed the skin w/feathers as it was easier and faster for me.
I will be culling one probably tomorrow and another later in the week. Do I like it? No, Do they need to go? Yes. They are 15 weeks today and both have been trying to mount the girls in the past week and they don't like it. Only a couple of times each but enough for me to say Enough. Also the senior, went after one today as he was trying to mount a young one. They will soon be causing tension in the flock (if not beginning already) and have to go, which for me, makes it easier to cull.

Don't take a chance. His new name is Stew.

 

[C Siena]

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, ...

Great article. I think most people who have a rooster/cockerel should read it.

 

[jbj25]

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

Yes, he looks tasty

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I hate it when people say things like that. Like it's always the human's fault. Yeah right. You're well rid of him, and it was NOT your fault!

I get what you’re saying but dogs will pick up on fear and react as well. I had a dog like that. I wouldn’t say it was the fearful peoples’ fault but it didn’t help an already bad situation. With dogs people are more likely to try to rehab them (my dog had to see a trainer). Even horses pick up on fear and it effects their behavior and can be more dangerous than roosters but also more expensive

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My GC got a serious injury to her leg by a dog she didn't even see as she was walking down a road. She certainly didn't fear it, she didn't even know it was there until it came barrelling out from nowhere and tried to rip her leg off. Some dogs are just vicious.

 

[Altairsky]

I get what you’re saying but dogs will pick up on fear and react as well. I had a dog like that. I wouldn’t say it was the fearful peoples’ fault but it didn’t help an already bad situation. With dogs people are more likely to try to rehab them (my dog had to see a trainer). Even horses pick up on fear and it effects their behavior and can be more dangerous than roosters but also more expensive

This.
All potentially aggressive animals pick up on fear.
Roosters, dogs, horses, cows, hogs... It's a fact. Animals will most likely attack those who show weakness, and fear is what shows weakness the most. Heck, even humans do: my self defense trainer says that human aggressors pick fights with whoever shows the most weakness. He says "if you don't want to be a victim, don't act and don't look like a victim"
It's a reinforcement circle, aggression causes fear, which causes more aggression which causes more fear. Since an animal is an animal, and humans can reason, humans are the only ones that can break this circle by deciding to not have fear.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

While I'll concede that bullies attack the weak, a lot of aggression happens even when fear is not a factor. Just watch the news.

 

[Folly's place]

Blaming the victim, not better. And fear is a reasonable response, often life saving, not something to blame.
Horses, dogs, and humans all have more 'brains' than any chicken!
Mary

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Horses, dogs, and humans all have more 'brains' than any chicken!

Sure but we’re talking about instinct, not brains. I don’t trust any animal to think through a situation rationally. I can though so I know that since I am wary of horses I don’t deal with them any more than absolutely necessary. If I became afraid of my rooster I would have to suss out whether that was a reaction to his behavior (cull him) or something I was bringing into the situation and unintentionally expressing with my body language. In which case rehoming him would be an option. I don’t think anyone in this situation was right or wrong nor was anyone a “victim” or an “aggressor.” If the rooster lives a long happy life with someone who is not afraid of him then her insight is worth considering.

 

[Folly's place]

I was talking about trainability, and agree that someone happy to work around a difficult rooster can certainly do that. (Same with difficult individuals of other species.)
It's also totally reasonable to decide what behaviors a person will decide to deal with. And children's safety is most important!
Mary