My rooster attacks visitors

[JuliaSunshine]

I have 9.5 months old Light Sussex, 9 hens and one rooster. They free range without fence all day.
The rooster is generally calm even though he doesn't let us pet or hold him.
I can walk around him without worrying about being attacked as long as I don't move too fast.
He just kicked my calves once when I was walking somewhat fast while surrounded by the hens.
My husband got kicked in the calves a few times. I don't know if my husband was moving too fast near the chickens or not at that time.
This is all fine but when we have a man visiting us, he gets very agitated.
He crows a lot and charges at the visitor. He even managed to kick the visitor and my husband on several occasions.
I don't know why he attacks my husband not only the visitor.
When that happens, I go after him with a stick shooing him away from my husband and the visitor. He makes a sharp noise but he reluctantly moves away only to sneak up on them whenever he can.
What can I do to train him not to attack visitors?
I don't want to get rid of him as he's good to the hens and very watchful while they're foraging.

 

[junior67]

I have 9.5 months old Light Sussex, 9 hens and one rooster. They free range without fence all day.
The rooster is generally calm even though he doesn't let us pet or hold him.
I can walk around him without worrying about being attacked as long as I don't move too fast.
He just kicked my calves once when I was walking somewhat fast while surrounded by the hens.
My husband got kicked in the calves a few times. I don't know if my husband was moving too fast near the chickens or not at that time.
This is all fine but when we have a man visiting us, he gets very agitated.
He crows a lot and charges at the visitor. He even managed to kick the visitor and my husband on several occasions.
I don't know why he attacks my husband not only the visitor.
When that happens, I go after him with a stick shooing him away from my husband and the visitor. He makes a sharp noise but he reluctantly moves away only to sneak up on them whenever he can.
What can I do to train him not to attack visitors?

Mine don't free range but mine would jump at my husband here and there. What he did was pick him up and hold him while walking around. This seemed to work and show my roo who was the "top roo". If I have someone over that is going in the run with me I pick up my roo first and then have them come in. I hold him for a while and even let them pet him then I can normally put him down and he is ok. Mine does fine with people he knows (my family) but seemed to jump at people he wasn't familiar with (the friend that watches my chickens while I am away, she brings a stick in with her and when she did it often over the summer he seemed to get used to her and was fine but since she hasn't been in a bit sure it will be the same next time she comes to do it). I think he sees the visitors as a predator/someone to worry about so that is why he attacks. I think me holding him when they come in and letting them pet him shows him that I am top "roo" and I say they are fine and then he is fine with them...........

sure others will have more suggestions for you. Oh and mine doesn't really like to be pet or to be picked up but I can pick him up if I need to. But as I said I don't free range so it is a bit easier.....

 

[JuliaSunshine]

Mine don't free range but mine would jump at my husband here and there. What he did was pick him up and hold him while walking around. This seemed to work and show my roo who was the "top roo". If I have someone over that is going in the run with me I pick up my roo first and then have them come in. I hold him for a while and even let them pet him then I can normally put him down and he is ok. Mine does fine with people he knows (my family) but seemed to jump at people he wasn't familiar with (the friend that watches my chickens while I am away, she brings a stick in with her and when she did it often over the summer he seemed to get used to her and was fine but since she hasn't been in a bit sure it will be the same next time she comes to do it). I think he sees the visitors as a predator/someone to worry about so that is why he attacks. I think me holding him when they come in and letting them pet him shows him that I am top "roo" and I say they are fine and then he is fine with them...........

sure others will have more suggestions for you. Oh and mine doesn't really like to be pet or to be picked up but I can pick him up if I need to. But as I said I don't free range so it is a bit easier.....

Thank you. My husband said he would try to lure him in to the coop and do what you suggested. It shouldn't be too difficult to pick him up in the coop. I'm a big scared of picking him up. He pecked my hand once when I was petting him a few months ago. It didn't hurt much but I gave up on the idea of a friendly rooster. It hurt my feelings

 

[junior67]

Thank you. My husband said he would try to lure him in to the coop and do what you suggested. It shouldn't be too difficult to pick him up in the coop. I'm a big scared of picking him up. He pecked my hand once when I was petting him a few months ago. It didn't hurt much but I gave up on the idea of a friendly rooster. It hurt my feelings

I have 1 rooster that is 1 yr old (hatched April 2021) and one that is 6 mo ( hatched July 2022). My older one was the one I mentioned above. He has never done anything to me.. Thankfully.

My 6 mo old bit my finger the other week when I was in there at bedtime and they were just going up to roost. I was petting one of the girls and they walked in front of him and he bit my finger. I just grabbed the back of his neck and held him down. once I let him back up he turned his back to me but hasn't done it since. I was shocked and a bit hurt since I had hatched him and had ZERO thoughts about keeping another roo and he was just so sweet and always was the first to jump up on me for pets etc when he was younger so I kept him. that has been the only thing he has tried though. but now that he is "big" he doesn't let me pet him anymore, little brat. LOL (well ok big brat since he is a Cochin so quite large. LOL)

I think they sense fear and figure they are "bigger" than the one that fears them. I would work with yours and let him know that YOU are top "roo" and not him. it will only get worse if you let him think that he rules you.

 

[raingarden]

When his spurs grow in it will become a serious situation.

 

[3KillerBs]

You either need to confine him, cull him, or, eventually, pay a serious medical bill and/or legal penalties for allowing a known dangerous animal to be free to attack an innocent person.

He's warned you that he's not safe around people. You need to act on that warning the same as you would need to act on having a known vicious dog.

If it's a child that is his eventual victim he'll go for the face and maybe take an eye.

 

[Isadora]

Doesn't sound like him attacking visitors is the only problem.
There are various methods people employed to help remedy an aggressive rooster and they vary from picking up the bird, pushing the bird into the ground to show dominance, separating him from the flock for a short time, et cetera. I've read many stories on here of people attempting to remedy the roosters this way and it seems to have a minimal success rate.
I would definitely not let this bird run free if he is continually attacking the visitor and has jumped at you in your husband. If you're serious about keeping him, you need to be more responsible.
Personally, I would eat him or are we home to someone who would. There's plenty of nice roosters out there who deserve a chance. Chicken keeping is a lot more fun and rewarding if you're not constantly looking over your shoulder.

 

[Mrs. K]

He has just begun. More than likely he will get much worse. Generally speaking, is all one can do for animals, but generally he will become more and more aggressive and eventually even attack you. Generally his attacks will occur more frequently, and become more violent. When that happens, you will like him less and less. You cannot wish them back to when they were nice.

Most of us have been exactly where you are, when the darling became more and more of a nightmare. Most of us, just like you, kept him way too long, letting him ruin our enjoyment of having chickens. The first one is hard to cull. But you and your chickens will relax once it is done. Your enjoyment of your birds will increase dramatically again.

Personally, if I was your guest, I would leave. It amazes me when people think that it is ok for an animal to be aggressive.

 

[Folly's place]

He's dangerous! As already mentioned, he's only going to get worse, and it's a bad situation, for you and any visitors.
Hope you have really good liability insurance! And that your insurance covers poultry, as most home owner's policies, and some estate policies don't.
Mary

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have a scar from a rooster. I vote get rid of him. Chicken soup time. Don't tolerate dangerous animals on your property unless you're ok with him spurring you and your family and confident you can confine him when visitors are coming