my roo bit me, but he didn't see me....is that ok?

[Lisa202]

I'm not sure if him biting me was such a bad thing...I was petting one of the girls from outside in the nest box opening and he must have seen my hand touching her and bit my knuckle drawing some blood. I'm assuming that he was just protecting her and not being aggressive against me. Am I right?

Also, yesterday one of the chickens eggs was all bloody, and to look at the suspected chickens bum, I grabbed her through the nest box to look at her (it was the only way I could catch her). There was quite a commotion with her squawking and all and he was really upset. He ran up to the nest boxes and was making the BA GOK sounds and doing this stomping dance. So, this must have looked like some kind of alien abduction, so that might have been fresh in his mind or now he thinks that evil things come through the nest boxes...who knows, but tonight he was ready.

I grabbed my mini broom and went after him to swat him (couldn't catch him though) just to let him know to watch it. He's only 5 months but he's been coming a little closer to me lately, so I've been waiting for some kind of challenge and I don't know if this was it. I kind of think that it was not, but what do you all think?

 

[ScotianChick]

I had almost this exact problem just recently. My guys are nearly 10 months old and three of them are awful to pick up. My RIR roo Bill has always gotten along with me well. Anyway one day I decided to shoo everyone out of the coop because they were hiding from the snow for three days. The coop is too tiny to live in like that. One of them flipped out when I went in and shooed and Bill jumped up and bit me. We had another altercation a few days later and I chased him a little. Stood between him and the pullets, cornered him a little... etc just to show him he can't bite me for any reason. I swatted him the first time he bit as well. We're fine again, I think he just thought I was hurting his girls because of the noise. Yours did too I suspect. If he bites you again, swat him and chase him a little. If he dances at you, walk at him and stand your ground. That worked for me

 

[TigerLilly]

If you don't pick him up on a regular basis & hold him to let him know who's boss, maybe now would be a good time to start.
After all the stuff I've read on here about aggressive roosters, I decided to take the bull by the horns, so to speak. Did a pre-emptive strike and started holding him, especially when it was clear that he wanted nothing to do with me. He has never shown any aggressive behaviour toward me. He doesn't necessarily LIKE me, but he RESPECTS my a-thor-i-tay!

 

[claud]

He was protecting the hen by being aggressive toward you.
My roo does this too.

 

[vtgirls]

We had one aggressive roo. At first he was the sweetest baby chick and by far the friendliest. As he matured he became aggressive - not if caught off guard - pre-emptive. Like if you walked up to the run he would stick his head out to bite anyone who came by. Other roos and hens were all fine - he was just an evil bugger, he was. He no longer resides here. Your roo sounds more like a backed in the corner, trying to be macho kind of a thing to me. Assert yourself and I think he will back down.

 

[Lisa202]

Quote:
there is no way that I can pick him up. Chasing him only gets all of them excited which could lead to injury.

That's my biggest question...how do you catch your roos?

 

[vtgirls]

By the legs - swoop down and grab em. Or so I'm told. Seen it done a billion times have yet to try it - my current roo is a chatty gentleman who is very well behaved. My former fresh and nasty one was dispatched by a friend....

 

[Lisa202]

Do they generally bite when being picked up and held?

 

[Kansaseq]

My sweet Barnevelder roo bit me once, when I surprised him by reaching in the coop suddenly. I'm pretty sure he didn't know it was me, but I grabbed him and carried him around, anyway. Never had a problem before that, or since.
I have had mean roos, though. Carrying them around did NOT cure them, and they are no longer here.

 

[taprock]

Just don't hold him too close to your face. I have a roo I have to decide to keep or go because he has been acting aggressive recently. I've been doing the holding but got a peck to the face because he was so quick.