I hate my rooster!

[Navi723]

Yeah, yeah, I get it, he's a rooster, he's protecting his girls, doing his job, etc. But I hate him. I hate having to fight him just to get in the pen to give them fresh water, or toss treats, etc. I love my girls and I just want to go out, sit among them, feed them from my hand, and he's ruining it! I just went in for a few minutes this morning to get the waterer and ended up fighting him off for five minutes. I don't enjoy this, and if I can convince my husband to do it for me (he wants to keep him), we'll be enjoying some rooster noodle stew. Dang blasted rooster. Ugh!

 

[BlazeJester]

Some people use dominant tactics with success. I've heard about pinning him to the ground grabbing the back of his neck with a thumb and forefinger to assert dominance, using a stick... I'd personally use the 50/50 white vinegar/water I use for my cats. Puts a sting in the eye but is harmless. Don't know if it would bother a chicken though... and if he's really a type A personality, he'd probably make better stew anyway.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I eat mean roosters. Unfortunately, at the moment I have 7 extra really nice roosters and I can't bring myself to have them butchered. Too bad you're not closer, we could trade.

 

[Navi723]

It's frustrating that I chose Buff Orpingtons because they were supposed to be gentle. The hens are great, but the 13 cockerels were all monsters. We butchered 12, and kept the nicest one, only he's become Mr. Hyde. I pinned him down this morning, but he was even more ferocious than usual. I have no interest in being on guard around my hens. Not to mention fearing my little girls are going to out there and get their eyes jabbed out. I don't know how anybody can tolerate these monsters. Hopefully my husband will do the deed and we can try again in the Spring for a nicer roo.

 

[branston]

I have two roos in my main flock and one is the King (or he thought so) and would fly at me every time I went near the hens. I thought one day "this is ridiculous! I AM NOT scared of a chicken!" So I chased him down, growled liked a chicken only much louder, tapped him on the head and he ran like the wind with me right behind him for a good 5 minutes! He knows I'm the top chicken now and leaves me well alone. Never had a problem with the other roo. Just chase him down and show him you're the boss. My kids chase my roos down now too if they come at them

 

[pek]

Quote:
i had one like that and one day i went out and he was a perfect angel; cluck and cooed at me. turns out the hen with him pulled a few tail feathers out, all their pride seams to be in the tail. he was gentler than the hen for a few months until the tail grew back. you could try plucking a few feathers from his tail

 

[theoldchick]

Harbor Tools sells this handy little grabber that is perfect for snatching fractious fowl. You can snatch 'em by the leg. Snatch 'em by the neck. Pin him down by the back of his head. The device is cheap, too, at $2.99.

Get you one and go after that rooster like no tomorrow. Show that rooster you are the boss. I will warn you though, if he fights you real hard you can snap his neck. At the very least you can push him around with the grabber and keep him out of your space.

 

[RedIII]

Sounds to me like it's time to get a new rooster. I can understand if they think they need to get an attitude once in a while, maybe, but every day would be annoying. I took care of a roo one time that got it into his head to come at me while I was taking care of the water for the girls. I was surprised enough that I used a, um, rather unorthodox method of dealing with him..................that is, I punted that sucker across the coop.............He was fine, but he stayed away from me for a while.

I guess it's in their blood to try to be dominant (jerks) My uncle had a rooster that was very docile and shy while an alpha rooster was around. However, as soon as the other bird was butchered, he grew an ego and turned pretty nasty.

 

[BrattishTaz]

All 13 of the roosters you've had were evil? Have you ever had one that was not mean? How old is this problem roo?

 

[Attila the Hen]

I am no pro. I have only ever had one rooster and he is now about 18 months old. When he first arrived he was at least 6 months old and wanted to get into it with me. I did what was suggested and haven't had a problem with him since. At dusk I would pick him up and put him on my lap and tell him he was beautiful etc. I think he really hated it and after a few weeks of that he has never challenged at all. Actually, I have a hen who wants to challenge me and bite me!!
Back to the rooster. He challenges my husband who carries a stick around with him. I suggested he feed the rooster treats and I think that has helped alot. He seems less aggressive with him. the rooster and 100 lb alpha dog also had to sort themselves out and have done successfully.
He's actually a sweet rooster--more gentle than the girls in eating treats but I would not risk having a stranger out there with him unsupervised. I know he is a protective alpha creature.