My rooster has bitten me!

[Confused123]

So today i was petting my rooster and then it got really aggressive and bit me on the arm. I now have a massive cut. I immediately stood up and grabbed a rake for defence to slowly push it away, and it started attacking that!
What is wrong with my rooster? Should I end his life and have a nice rooster tea? Or is there any way i can stop him from being stupid and stop literally biting the hand that feeds you no pun intended.
help and also what is the best way to treat a rooster bit, i wash it but its pretty deep and really hurts `

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Some roosters are aggressive. I don't pet my roosters so I don't get bitten unless I catch one at night to butcher.

 

[HenHoarder]

Our barred rock roo was a biter and liked to jump you from behind any time you went to collect eggs..... he made an excellent meal in the slow cooker.

We have a fabulous RIR roo who eats from my hand and still protects his ladies like a gentleman. We didn't do anything differently raising one over the other, they just have their own personalities! Good luck!

 

[Mrs. K]

The problem is common many times to new time chicken owners who do not understand chicken society. Add a good dose of hormones, and genetic disposition, and you can have a darling turn into a nightmare that gets worse and worse.

Chickens are not like puppies and kittens, where they if treated nicely when young, they are nice when old. As chicks the roosters are often the delight, they are brave and approach you. They are inquisitive, and will be the first to sit on your lap. People love this. The problem is that the rooster is not afraid of you, and chickens equate fear with respect. The rooster has no fear of you, but as the hormones kick in, he wants you to respect him, and to do so, you need to be a little afraid of him. Hence the attack.

There are people on here who swear that you can retrain a rooster, but there are a lot more failures. Usually what happens is that the rooster gets worse and worse. Roosters tend to attack small children first, then women, then men. They can cause severe damage by clawing, spurring, and flogging. It is no treat to be attacked by a rooster, and a child's face is very vulnerable to damage due to their shorter height.

As mentioned above, I too, do not make pets of my roosters. I don't let them sit on me, I make them get out of my way, and I startle them occasionally, and even chase them a bit. I want them to realize that I am higher in the pecking order. These are things that a flock master will do to rooster chicks being raised up in the flock. Rooster chicks raised in a multi generational flock, have some manners thumped into them that rooster chicks raised in a flock mates only don't get.

Rooster chicks often grow faster than the pullets, they can bully the pullets, this gives them confidence to bully anything it meets that it is not afraid of, including you. Often times, people new to chickens do not recognize the warning signs of attack that he has been giving. If asked, I recommend an all hen flock for a couple of years, until a person gets a little experience. Roosters take some experience.

I recommend culling this rooster, he has given you the warning, and the attacks most probably will get worse.

Mrs K

 

[HenHoarder]

Thank-you for that reply Mrs. K!!

That may have answered my own questions about where I went wrong with the barred rock part of our original flock.... Our RIR was introduced as a second-generation amongst several already grown ladies. He is kind as can be.... but he also knows our orphington hen is the one running the show.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

@Mrs. Kcovered it all quote nicely.

 

[Mrs. K]

Thank you Ol Grey Mare

 

[donrae]

Ditto to Mrs K's post.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes Mrs. K got it right, stop petting those roosters people, we have dogs and cats for that.

 

[GoldenSparrow]

Be careful of your eyes, sometimes they go for them. I would just leave him alone as much as you can. He is seeing you as a threat. Ive had lots of mean ones. I just let them be. its really hard and sometimes impossible to change them. They sure make great protectors for your hens though.