I'm scared of my rooster and I don't have a reason to be

[Louise adele23]

So I've been raising my first lot of chickens who are going to be a year old in a month but we have a rooster who would always let people pick him up pet him and just be in the same area as he is but one of my other roosters was agressive (we had to re-home in the end) and that made me stop going into the run and spending time with him and the other chickens. We re-homed the agressive rooster so I started to try bond with him again I've been trying for 3 weeks and on the second day he ran at me in a way I've never seen him act before so the rest to the weeks I've been sitting next to the gate of the run feed him and the girls through the fence and I've been to afraid to go into the pen. through the gate hes always making the noise he makes to the girls when he finds a treat to me but when I actually go in the pen he just stares and it makes me feel scared if what he's going to do I'm worried that I ruined my relationship that I had with him in the past sorry for rambling I just want to have a relationship that I had with him back again and stop being scared of him.

some photos from the three weeks below

 

[2 many chickens]

There isn't going to be a realtionship with this one. Most you can do is make him understand you're the boss and stay away from you. No more petting or giving treats, those days are gone.
I made the mistake of petting one of my roo's and spoiling him when he was a baby, he grew up and turned into a psycho. No matter how hard I tried, sticks smacked on the butt, carrying him around, he didn't change.
He still hated me and tried to attack every time I went near him. So off he went.
I have a new roo and I didn't interact with him at all and he stays clear of me. That's what ya want.

 

[SueT]

Trying to make a pet of a rooster leads to aggression. The rooster takes your actions as submissiveness. Make him move out of your space at all times from now on. You may be able to save this relationship.

 

[aart]

and on the second day he ran at me in a way I've never seen him act before

That may be enough of a reason to be afraid.
What did you do when he ran at you?
If you're afraid, he will feel nervous too.

but when I actually go in the pen he just stares and it makes me feel scared if what he's going to do

Just staring is fine. Move slow, walk 'thru' him-not around him, be calm and confident, do what you need to do maybe toss a few treats then leave. Do this a few times a day and he should get used to your presence, and your fear should abate. It takes time and patience and steady nerves. Do not try to handle him or even touch him, you want him to move away from you.

 

[JedJackson]

You should not have to be afraid to go into the coop. Is the rooster acting aggressive toward you? If he is, your best bet is to get rid of him. To be sure, you are going to need to get into that coop. Bring a tennis racket or something similar in case he attacks. Remember, he's only a small fraction of your size and his brain is tiny. You can handle him-- he's just a chicken. You are much, much stronger than him.

If he is not acting aggressive and he runs from you or at least stays out of your way when you go into the coop, then that is a good sign. That means he understands that you are boss and likely will not attack you. If he continues to fear you, you've probably got a keeper.

Don't try to make a pet of him. Let the hens fill that role.

 

[Maugwa]

Wear some good jeans or heavy pants like that in the pen, and real shoes, not flip flops or sandals. Be wary when bent over or crouching, and ready to defend your face, or better yet, don't ever give him the opportunity to get a head shot at you. Always be aware of where he is and what he's doing before you bend over or turn your back. They really are pretty harmless away from your eyes, and will go for your feet or lower legs most of the time, maybe you get a few scratches or pokes, but jeans prevent most of that. When they do charge walk at them and make them give up, act like you just won and run them off. You absolutely can show no fear, or let them know that you are intimidated by him at all. Defend yourself but don't be abusive, or defend yourself so well you injure him. There's a big difference in a "back off" light booting, and a punt. Or a broom smack and a home run. You have to win them all though, and never show fear. Birds are really not so much about who is tuffest as they are about who is the most intimidating, and who is chicken (lol pun intended). If you don't think you can be the most intimidating rooster, you would both be better off rehoming him or making chicken and noodles. Forget about that one being a pet, from now on he just needs to get out of your way and stay back when you are interacting with his girls - he'll be jealous of them around you, but he needs to learn to stay away. If you just want him as a pet, forget it, not that one, not anymore. Roosters are usually not good pets, especially aggressive ones. But if you want him for fertile eggs or watching out for the hens, you HAVE to be the boss. It may take a while to teach him. I had a RIR who used to try me every few days, but after losing every time, he backed off to only getting enough courage to try it every other month or so, but now that I thought he was over that, he tried once again after 6 or 8 months of not coming at me at all. I didn't get any broody hens this Spring, so I ordered chicks and put that rooster in the freezer. Most are not as persistent as that one was, but some are. Don't forget too that for every ornery rooster who becomes soup, there is a vacancy to raise a new rooster into - they all don't get mean.

 

[Mrs. K]

In the op - she talks of having to remove an older rooster. I think that removing a dominant rooster might just be what has cause this rooster to change. I understand Maugwa, and that poster is probably right, however, sometimes I want to wear flip-flops, sometimes I don't want to worry about my back, or about someone else.

I think that is the stink eye that rooster is giving you in the picture, I think he will eventually attack you, and I really think he needs to go.

Mrs K

 

[Maugwa]

In the op - she talks of having to remove an older rooster. I think that removing a dominant rooster might just be what has cause this rooster to change. I understand Maugwa, and that poster is probably right, however, sometimes I want to wear flip-flops, sometimes I don't want to worry about my back, or about someone else.

I think that is the stink eye that rooster is giving you in the picture, I think he will eventually attack you, and I really think he needs to go.

Mrs K

Oh I wear shorts and flip flops often, I didn't mean you couldn't ever, I just wouldn't advise it to a young lady expecting a battle. I think if that rooster attacked her boot a few times, it might curb her fear when it didn't hurt at all. I am sure you are right in that it will attack, my point is that if she's scared, the rooster will know and will attack more often. If she wins, less often. If she doesn't want the battle at all -- soup. It never hurts to stay aware of what's going on around you. I'm betting I could whip any rooster even barefoot and in my underwear, but that's me -- she sounded scared. As long as she's scared of roosters, the more she'll find that intimidate her, maybe all of them. Don't let the roosters train you OP.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, she is scared. That is hard to over come. My point is there was an older (dominant) rooster, that was removed, this one changed. That happens quite often when a dominant rooster if pulled out for whatever reason.

Plus I don't like the eye he is giving her, with her being frightened...well what fun is that?

I think we are agreeing, this boy should go.

MK
ps. I would bet on you in your underwear too!

 

[Maugwa]

I agree, she is scared. That is hard to over come. My point is there was an older (dominant) rooster, that was removed, this one changed. That happens quite often when a dominant rooster if pulled out for whatever reason.

Plus I don't like the eye he is giving her, with her being frightened...well what fun is that?

I think we are agreeing, this boy should go.

MK
ps. I would bet on you in your underwear too!

Yup, the older rooster was removed because it was aggressive, it had her buffaloed, and when it was gone, it was this roosters turn to buffalo her next. I got the point, and agree. I wonder how the third and forth rooster will do? She may need to reconsider why she needs a rooster, or win a few skirmishes and lose her fear.

When I was a little kid a bunch of geese had me buffaloed. They'd chase me all over the corrals and out buildings of our ranch. It was sort of like baseball - I'd watch for an opportunity, then run for the next base. My dad used to laugh, and tell me, "When you quit running from them, they'll quit chasing you". They were nearly as tall as me and there were 20 or more, and I was chicken until I was 7 or so. One day they caught me out in a place with only one safe base, an old hay wagon. I got to it, but was surrounded and no place to run to. They were dedicated and held me there trapped at least an hour. Eventually, I decided to go Clint Eastwood on them and jumped down ready for a show down. I slapped geese till my hands hurt. I think it must of took several slaps per goose before they gave up. They were still really mad, but they were mad 8 or 10 feet away now, and wherever I went, they'd get out of the way. A few tried to sneak up behind me a few times, but I knew it, and I'd turn and they'd get out of reach quick. I've never run from another goose since, or rooster, turkey, etc. I'm more like "bring it, but you're not gonna like it". They know, they read it in your body language or something. Horses are the same way - I don't think you can fool them by faking confidence. If the OP is scared, I predict one rooster after another, roosters that otherwise may not have been so aggressive with someone else, may go bad for her if she's still running. Maybe even the last two. From what I've heard, she's two for two so far. I think she needs to win a battle and get that confident walk, or just raise hens.