my rooster has gone mean

[morelcabin]

I had one roo go bad on me...chased my 4 year old son across the yard and spurred his legs three times by the time I caught on to what was going on. Needless to say, that roo met the chopping block 5 minutes later....

 

[edster951]

I've got three roos out of my 34 hens.

All three roos are 22-23 weeks old.

As soon as one of them shows aggression to me or my kids, I'll cull him in front of the other roos....and let it be a lesson to them.

Me and my kids are the leaders, not the roos.

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
Are you going to put his head on a little pike in front of the coop?

 

[CUDA]

I have some information on my site HERE about this that can help.

 

[newestchick]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all your advice...particularly Rooster-Red and Cuda, your sites were very informative. I will have to think long and hard if I have the time to spend rehabilitating my rooster or not. It is helpful to get inside his head and see the world from his perspective. I guess you just never know how they will turn out. So many of my friends say they have never had a mean guy, especially an Old English. Oh well! I will keep you posted on the outcome. Thanks again.

 

[steffpeck]

We just got rid of one of our roosters for this exact reason. He has always been very gentle and never a problem and we were outside last Friday and my son (20 months old) was walking around playing in the backyard, and our Barred Rock Roo, jumped at him, hit him with his feet straight in the chest, knocked him to the ground and went after his head. Aiden had 3 huge scratches from his nails that started on the side of his head just above his ears and went towards his eyes and stopped about 1/2 inch from his eye. Thank heavens one of those nails didn't get his eye. It was horrible!! Needless to say he sealed his fate with that move and was culled really fast.

 

[CUDA]

Just so you know steffpeck, at this time of year, anything too close to a roosters hens can set them off, even the most docile ones. I suspect that the size of your small child didn't help the situation any. I don't recommend allowing any child that young around your chickens at this time of year, as it is not safe. They are just too protective of their hens, which is normal behavior, during breeding season. Glad your boy didn't get seriously hurt.

 

[chikndave]

Exactly what I would have said friend. Glad to see you here CUDA.

Steffpeck and newestchick,
Cuda is right about those boys looking after their ladies! Even the most gentle of roosters will "defend" their flock. Even in the off season, if a threat is perceived, eg. sudden movements, strangers, loud noises and "small people" can set a rooster off. If new people are to be around your flock in the near future I would suggest "introducing" them to the fowl. You could have new people come along for several feedings and handling sessions. Have the newcomers talk to the birds, or maybe even whistle during their approach, just to be certain that the birds know who is coming around so that they aren't startled and don't perceive them as a threat.

It may be a bit unorthodox but I have stumbled upon a technique that really seems to help with aggressive behavior.

We have all seen a rooster top a hen right. And we have all seen how a hen acts around a dominate rooster, crouching down to allow him to top her. If you have a rooster that has recently begun biting or trying to spur you, you can carefully, slowly, and deliberately pick up the aggressive bird and carefully force him into a squatting position. keep your hand on his back and apply only enough pressure to keep him down. You then lightly pinch the skin near the back of his neck and pull it back, mimicking how a rooster pulls on a hens head when he mounts her. While you have him like this you slowly move the hand that holds him down back and forth, again mimicking the movement of a rooster mounting a hen.

This seems to "trick" the rooster into thinking that he has been dominated and he will usually submit. It may take several times for him to fully relent. I have found that this works better with the younger roosters and was, by no means, done in a scientific setting.

I hope this helps some.

 

[speedabug]

Should of made that statement clearer sorry. My roosters do it mostly in spring maybe its because they want to sit then.

 

[CUDA]

Yep, they surely get protective of those hens of theirs! Just doing their jobs!