I have a flock of "bachelor" roosters that I free range with no problems...usually. The bachelors come in handy in case I want to switch out one male for another in one of my established pens. Things are really pretty good. There are no females to cause any fighting between the males and they all get along well. We have 35 acres for them to free range and they stay mostly in our 2 cleared acres and about 1 acre of the closeby woods.
During the winter time my guineas attacked one of the bantam Mottled Cochin roosters and I had brought him into the main house to take care of him. He was in and out of here within 2 days, I think. Well Pesky has lost all respect for me, I believe, due to the way I cared for him. He's more of an annoyance than anything. He does what I call a "Kung Fu chicken" move on me, flinging himself in the air at me but because he's so small he never really connects and I bat him away. He IS fearless though.
All the other roosters have respected my position in the flock though and they move out of my way, realize that I'm the one that feeds them, etc. That was until a few weeks ago. One of the Jersey Giants, Mr. Handsome, decided to take a flying leap at me, connecting with the back of my knees. This is NOT a small chicken! Nor is he a full grown Jersey Giant, he's about 9 months old. But he's heavy and could do some damage. I grabbed a plastic rake and chased him and he took off into the woods.
No more problems from Mr. Handsome. Two days ago, a bantam Black Rosecomb, Squirt, a teeny tiny rooster comes running at me. It was almost comical because he's about knee high to an ant! He started dancing around me and I roared at him and told him to go away, I wasn't afraid of him and he ran. Okay no problem.
Today....I go outside to help hubby move some coops into some new runs. Immediately Pesky comes running at me and flings himself at me with no warning. I raised my foot, pushed him backwards, he lands in some weeds and he runs. 30 seconds later, Mr Handsome comes running at me and I picked up my walking stick and swung it and he stood there just looking at me. Now that darned Squirt comes at me from behind and spurs me in the back of the leg.
I'm under attack by 3 of the darn bachelors. Hubby moves in to help and I have to say that I'm more than a little annoyed because I want them to see ME as a threat. I think it's culling time. I won't be attacked on my own property, no way, no how.
The entire time I was trying to help move these coops, my 9 year old grandson had to stand there with my walking stick keeping the three of them away from ME because they kept trying to attack me from behind. Now I'm not a small person in any way. They don't attack my husband and they don't attack my 9 year old grandson...only me.
And it will be ME doing the culling. Sorry boys....
Laurie
During the winter time my guineas attacked one of the bantam Mottled Cochin roosters and I had brought him into the main house to take care of him. He was in and out of here within 2 days, I think. Well Pesky has lost all respect for me, I believe, due to the way I cared for him. He's more of an annoyance than anything. He does what I call a "Kung Fu chicken" move on me, flinging himself in the air at me but because he's so small he never really connects and I bat him away. He IS fearless though.
All the other roosters have respected my position in the flock though and they move out of my way, realize that I'm the one that feeds them, etc. That was until a few weeks ago. One of the Jersey Giants, Mr. Handsome, decided to take a flying leap at me, connecting with the back of my knees. This is NOT a small chicken! Nor is he a full grown Jersey Giant, he's about 9 months old. But he's heavy and could do some damage. I grabbed a plastic rake and chased him and he took off into the woods.
No more problems from Mr. Handsome. Two days ago, a bantam Black Rosecomb, Squirt, a teeny tiny rooster comes running at me. It was almost comical because he's about knee high to an ant! He started dancing around me and I roared at him and told him to go away, I wasn't afraid of him and he ran. Okay no problem.
Today....I go outside to help hubby move some coops into some new runs. Immediately Pesky comes running at me and flings himself at me with no warning. I raised my foot, pushed him backwards, he lands in some weeds and he runs. 30 seconds later, Mr Handsome comes running at me and I picked up my walking stick and swung it and he stood there just looking at me. Now that darned Squirt comes at me from behind and spurs me in the back of the leg.
I'm under attack by 3 of the darn bachelors. Hubby moves in to help and I have to say that I'm more than a little annoyed because I want them to see ME as a threat. I think it's culling time. I won't be attacked on my own property, no way, no how.
The entire time I was trying to help move these coops, my 9 year old grandson had to stand there with my walking stick keeping the three of them away from ME because they kept trying to attack me from behind. Now I'm not a small person in any way. They don't attack my husband and they don't attack my 9 year old grandson...only me.
And it will be ME doing the culling. Sorry boys....
Laurie
