Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[Florida Bullfrog]

Seems like some of you have knowledge in this area. I had my first experience with something like this recently and would like your takes on it.

I have a 2y.o. american game cock who joined my flock 7 weeks ago. He is the only full grown rooster I have..

The other day, this new guy flew at my legs and slightly wounded my bare knee (above my boots) when I went out to feed them in the morning. I shouted and swore angrily at him and he backed off. I have noticed that since then he will often walk towards me with purpose when I go out, especially in the morning, but he stops and backs off when I stand my ground and speak firmly to him. It's not every time, however; most of the time he is respectful.

Where does this kind of behavior fall in the spectrum for gamecocks? I don't have enough experience to know whether I should be worried, or whether he is just testing boundaries. Or something else.

He does seem very irritable in the mornings, which is when this happened. There are three teenage half-game roosters who seem to be getting on his nerves. Also, the rest of the flock often runs to me, or follows me when they see me headed out. It seems like this new guy joins them in running toward me, and then that kind of triggers his "invader must be chased off" instinct. Is that possible?

How should I categorize his behavior right now? Is it likely to escalate and become dangerous? What is the best way to handle this?

Its not really a “game” rooster thing as much as it is any human-aggressive rooster. If he’s trying to flog you like a rival rooster, it will never end. It will only get worse.

Game roosters aren’t any more human aggressive than any other kind of rooster. If anything, they’re often less so. People who historical kept game roosters for fighting couldn’t afford to have a human-aggressive one. Put blades on its legs as was done when sporting them and a human-aggressive rooster would be deadly to handle.

If you don’t have any kids around, maybe give him a chance to get to know you. He may more be regarding you as an unknown threat than a rival rooster. If he doesn’t get used to you or if its clear he’s treating you like a rival, he’ll have to go. If the previous owner is says its never been a problem and he’s being honest with you, and if risk of serious injury to children is low, you might bet on it being more the former, at least for a couple of weeks. Human aggression usually doesn’t start out of the blue.