Hey there ladychicken&Ducklover, I actually have a suggestion that might work well for you. Like you, I had a rooster who I hand raised who did not get the idea that I was boss for very long even when I caught him and tried to communicate my dominance. Like you I did not raise my birds for meat so culling was not considered. He was in a large aviary with the swans so fortunately he could not follow me around the whole property kicking my butt. At first when this started happening, I made a point of wearing rubber boots and jeans when taking care of the birds. I also carried the feed bucket strategically to block kicks. But finally we devised a net to put over him that I kept near the door. We zip tied avian netting to a little hula hoop, and I would pick it up when I entered. Then when he came at me, I would place the net over him and go about my work. Of course he was miffed, but it did not hurt him, and I just picked the net off him when I was done. The attempted ambushes became less frequent, but I kept the net around. The handsome rooster was killed by a hawk who found a whole in the aviary top netting.
If I recall correctly from a thread you posted, was it your rooster (or cockerel at that time) Phil who alerted your son after you collapsed? That was one of the most amazing chicken stories ever, and I came across it largely by chance more than a month after you had posted. I'm glad the story had a happy ending.
By the way Margalo, just to reassure you some, I do have hand raised roosters who have NEVER been aggressive toward a human. My 3 year old Rascal rooster will pick fights with the hens' rooster across the wire of their run when he is free ranging, but he is a sweet rooster who will likes to be picked up. However, it is true that a rooster's temperament is not fully developed until after he reaches sexual maturity around a year old.
I also want to add, don't wear red around your rooster - it can rile him up.
I forgot to mention that YES, I am the one who collapsed while in the run from n Anaphalaxis ( Sp)? Attack that left me unconscious with a rapidly closing throat.
It indeed was Phil that alerted my son that something was wrong with me..
I make sure I dont wear red out to him, and Its always been either just myself or my son alone in the run, never the 2 of us at the same time.
I bring treats to them because his girls are ALWAYS wanting their mealies or scraps.
It almost seems like Phil NEVER thinks his girls get enough to eat..lol..