Is my flock unhappy?

[Allie3513]

I have this rooster I purchased in February, who is great with the girls.. but hates people, well just about everything except chickens! He runs over the hens to get to me or whoever is near by.
It has gotten to the point that my little cochin bantam rooster basically steps in to defend me at times. (Bantam is attacking the mean rooster when he show signs of aggression or is charging me.)

I tried toting him around, treating him like a hen by making him squat and rubbing him all over until her relaxes.. just about everything you could think of and nothing has helped. I don't even try now because he pecks at any part of me that he can reach, including my face and hands!

Yes I do hate having to watch my back every time I am around him, but at the same time I understand that is his job as a rooster and I know he will protect the hens if necessary.

BUT, with that all said, I've been considering just doing away with him.. I might just start by separating from the flock to see if that calms him down. It seemed to work before, which is how he lost his status as alpha to the bantam when he came down with a respiratory infection.


Since I actually have the other roosters, the Maran (who is super laid back and could care less about the top dog position and the Bantam (who is also laid back, until it comes the aggressive rooster) I don't really need him. I just kept him for breeding, but he may just get replaced.

So any advice? How can you tell if the flock is unhappy?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I have this rooster I purchased in February, who is great with the girls.. but hates people, well just about everything except chickens! He runs over the hens to get to me or whoever is near by.
It has gotten to the point that my little cochin bantam rooster basically steps in to defend me at times. (Bantam is attacking the mean rooster when he show signs of aggression or is charging me.)

I tried toting him around, treating him like a hen by making him squat and rubbing him all over until her relaxes.. just about everything you could think of and nothing has helped. I don't even try now because he pecks at any part of me that he can reach, including my face and hands!

Yes I do hate having to watch my back every time I am around him, but at the same time I understand that is his job as a rooster and I know he will protect the hens if necessary.

BUT, with that all said, I've been considering just doing away with him.. I might just start by separating from the flock to see if that calms him down. It seemed to work before, which is how he lost his status as alpha to the bantam when he came down with a respiratory infection.


Since I actually have the other roosters, the Maran (who is super laid back and could care less about the top dog position and the Bantam (who is also laid back, until it comes the aggressive rooster) I don't really need him. I just kept him for breeding, but he may just get replaced.

So any advice? How can you tell if the flock is unhappy?

The bolded is something to re-read and really think on. A rooster with such aggressive tendencies is not one I would want to be contributing to the genetics of my future generations of birds - so if breeding is the only reason you have him that, to me, would be the first/most prioritized reason to be rid of him.

 

[newmarch2014]

The bolded is something to re-read and really think on. A rooster with such aggressive tendencies is not one I would want to be contributing to the genetics of my future generations of birds - so if breeding is the only reason you have him that, to me, would be the first/most prioritized reason to be rid of him.

x2. Who wants a bully making other bullies? Sweet roosters that are still good roosters for the flock are rampant.

 

[Allie3513]

Thank you!
I guess I just needed to hear it for myself. I hate that I just bought him. I wanted to give him a chance and make sure it wasn't something I was doing or could fix, but looking back now.. I wonder if this is why she sold him in the first place.

Just makes me sad. Now I am tasked with what to do with him. I don't want to make him someones elses problem, but we haven't been very happy with those we have culled ourselves.

 

[newmarch2014]

Personally I have a friend that I trust to be humane that feels comfortable culling. I do not begrudge someone else that is at peace with culling, the world needs those people or we would be overrun with mean roosters.

. But I myself could not do it, thank goodness for people like my friend that do not have that tender of a heart but are still ethical people.