Just how dangerous can a rooster become?

[deerman]

Quote:
I have a scar nest to my right eye... It all happened while gathering eggs... WAAMMMM he hit me.

WOW was he laying eggs.

 

[Poohbear]

Saw their spurs off before they get longer than 1/2". A rooster with NO pointed spurs is just another chicken to humans. If they repeatedly attack a human, EAT THEM! Cutting spurs is just another part of daily maintenance you should do on your flock, just like worming and delousing.

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

Quote:
I've been away since I asked the question. Thanks for all the input!
Follow up: DH says none of the boys has gone after him since we caught up Barney and he carried him around. I actually think it was a confidence booster for DH.
I am working in the barn quite often and have a plastic mucking fork in my hand (cleaning stalls). My chickens free range around the barnyard and tend to hang around, begging, when we are out there. I have used the fork to herd them, or even to knock the roosters off the girls when they get on my nerves. Maybe thats why they never bother me! lol
I will certainly keep in mind what y'all have posted. I will keep those spurs in check, for sure.
Maybe I'll get some of those glue-on claw covers they make for cats. Heehee...

 

[Kansaseq]

I've heard that silkies are supposed to be really sweet birds. A friend gave me a silkie roo a couple of years back, and he was mean! Every time I put the feed dish in the pen, he would attack it, along with my hand. I would roll him, hold him on his back (like an alpha roll with a dog) kick him out of the way, etc. He never stopped. A predator finally took him out.
Leghorn dyed chick that was super needy as a chick got to be questionable as an adult. I would catch him sidling up to me with my back turned, like he was going to attack. I would always be on the lookout for him and walk aggressively towards him when he did that. I think he could have gotten to be dangerous, but he came out of the pen and attacked my pit bull ,and she permanently handled the situation.
My Buff Orpington roo is very sweet in comparison.

A Barred Rock pullet chick I bought a week ago is looking very much like a roo right now. Wonder what the return policy is at the feed store........... and if they are nice roosters.

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

Before I didn't pay much attention to rooster aggression. I changed my mind after seeing a red star hen peck a predator dog's eye out. She doesn't even seem aggressive so I keep a closer watch on roos now.

 

[riderbecky]

Well this is an interesting thread. We, DH and I recently had to cull two roos that were tag-teaming the hens and chasing down hens who had declined to be bred...

Now we only have one left and I immediately noticed how much calmer and peaceful the hens were not being harassed in that way.

The problem we now have is with the remaining roo. He's really good with the hens even starting to woo them instead of just jumping on, however, he's been chasing and scaring my 7 yr old DD who now only goes outside with me or DH. I've started teaching her how to command her space from him with a badminton racket.

She holds it to her side and uses it as an extension of her arm and if the roo comes to close she swings at him until he backs down and then chases him until he leaves her space and goes about his business elsewhere in the yard. This is all done with my supervision! Understand he is a young roo...still a cockeral really and this isn't true aggression so much as him trying to establish his dominance over my DD. I know its possible to correct this behaviour with him as I've repeatedly seen him back down from my hens that took offense to his actions.

I love Wyandottes...fiesty hens. Tickles my femanist spirit.

We've only done a couple of sessions and the treatment has been working great. My DD is gaining in confidence and the roo is learning his place. That said if his aggression persists or escalates I have no problem culling him as well.

 

[Omran]

Well no roosters did not even dare to try to peck on me or my wife, in your case (please don't be mad when I say it ) but you need to beat the rooster and give them some serious lessons, when they see that you guys are in charge they will go the other direction every time they see one of you.

In fact since I started raising chickens I propobly gone through several roosters and finely I decided that I just don't want any of them around my hens, and since I ate the last rooster my hens seem to be more happy, cleaner and thier feather look shiny and beautiful, heck when one of the hens go broody I just go and buy her some fertelized eggs.

Omran.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
Please don't sugguest that anyone ever beat any animal.

 

[riderbecky]

Omran... not sure if your addressing me or someone else and I'm not upset but I do want to clarify that under no circumstances do I take abuse from a chicken. I don't take poop offa my 1700+lbs horses or my 275lb DH, so I'm not about to take poop offa a 10lb roo. Its my DD who is having to deal with low confidence regarding this particular roo. The only reason why I'm even trying this is because I feel that he is redeemable.

Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to get local fertile eggs for my broodies (don't have any yet but still hoping). I know that to keep or cull is a huge issue for many of us here on BYC but I would like to give this guy a chance to change his ways (supervised) before axing him.

Fact is I was just in the coop where I plucked him of the roost and cradled him like a football and baby, playing with his wings legs, feet, hackles...etc finally hanging him upsidedown by his feet for a while. Put him back on the roost where he crouched while I petted him like a cat. I think I'll help DD do some of these activities tomorrow...that'll really help her confidence that she can control him.

 

[rooster-red]

riderbecky check out my page on roo behavior, it might help.
The link is in my sig line.