MF d’Uccle rooster aggression

[alknoll]

Hi all,

In September, I got 3 bantams from a neighboring farm, two hens and 1 roo. This is my first time having a rooster, and I chose this breed because my neighbor has the same kind and he’s very friendly. They are all 1 year old but have grown up free ranging and I’m guessing not handled a lot so they really want nothing to do with me. But a few times I’ve had to get them from roosting in trees, and they’ve never shown aggression until now.
Two weeks ago, a hawk got one of the hens, and the roo seems perturbed and rightly so. I have been trying to feed him some scratch out of my hand, gently, to try to gain his trust. But this morning when I got too close, he flew up and used both feet to push me away. It didn’t hurt, but it’s the first time he’s done this.

maybe this is a lesson that I need to raise all my own birds from chicks instead of getting started birds.Do I rehome him or keep him? Am I expecting too much from him aka that he be friendly to people?

Thanks in advance

 

[Peaches Lee]

He might just be a little heightened with his responses and you took the brunt of it. I would just give it some time and let him relax after this incident. No need to make a snap decision right now.

 

[Alaskan]

maybe this is a lesson that I need to raise all my own birds from chicks instead of getting started birds.Do I rehome him or keep him?

I have found that human aggression is very much genetic.

If you do NOT have little kids, then there isn't anything wrong with a wait and see.

If there are little kids involved, get rid of him immediately.

In the future, I have found chicks from a 100% human safe male to more likely to end up being good. Not always, but chances are way better.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My experience with Millie Fleur D'uccles is not a good one. Every male I had of them grew to be a very aggressive male. We even had one that attacked the sheriff.

 

[kcan2]

The first two times my then ~8mo old guy came at me was during feeding times.
I think they get excited about the food, so they are even quicker to get offended at those times than normal.

I have since quit hand-feeding, and making sudden movements with food bags/buckets, and making sure my rooster is in a comfortable position (not seperated in any way from his hen) before I bring food into the run. Zero problems.

Shadrach's article helped tremendously.

Roosters can be very special, hopefully things can work out for both of you!

 

[alknoll]

I have found that human aggression is very much genetic.

If you do NOT have little kids, then there isn't anything wrong with a wait and see.

If there are little kids involved, get rid of him immediately.

In the future, I have found chicks from a 100% human safe male to more likely to end up being good. Not always, but chances are way better.

I do have a toddler, but the rooster stays apart from my large fowl flock with his little hen, so I am not that concerned at the present time. Come Spring, that may change, though. I was hoping to hatch some chicks from him and the hen I lost to a hawk, but I'm honestly not sure I care for this breed anymore.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The females are stunning in my opinion, and I'm trying a different variety from a different hatchery in hopes that I don't get a terror bird again.

 

[ZephyrCoveFarms]

I just got a six month old and he is a sweetheart thaf shows no aggression towards me, my six year old son or any of my other bantams or younger birds. He will come to me and let me pet him and hold him. I also have three more two month old cockerels and a pullet and they are all sweeties too. They don’t let the others push them around but are not aggressive to the point that I am worried about it.

 

[Mmanist]

I've have had about 10 MF cockerel, had one super sweet one! The other 9 cockerels was ruthless pricks.

 

[ZephyrCoveFarms]

I've have had about 10 MF cockerel, had one super sweet one! The other 9 cockerels was ruthless pricks.

This made me spit coffee!