My rooster is always attacking me!!!

[Willowru]

Hey guys! I currently have 9 chickens, 7 hens and 2 roosters but the main rooster won’t stop attacking me when I go outside with them. I feed them every morning and give them treats and fresh fruit a couple times a week and I’m outside most of the time! But I’ll be giving them fruit or going to go get our eggs and he just comes as fast as he can to come and get me! Now he’s not consistent though he’ll do it some times but not all the times but it’s so random and today he really scared me to the point where I couldn’t even move for 5 minutes because I was so scared of him and he was just in front of me not letting me take a step. idk what to do about it! Please help!

I seldom put my "2 cents worth" in, but on this topic, I must. I've always had a rooster and couldn't be any more in love with them. However, he can't be allowed to think he's the one in charge. First, you have to change your fear into a bit of anger that you're being controlled by a smaller, less intelligent life form. You must be persistent and brave while keeping yourself safe. Believe it or not, my rooster; Mr. Burt, steps down the pecking order when I come out. He accepts that I'm higher than him. Now when I'm NOT out there, he struts his stuff like he's king of the world and does a great job protecting my girls and finding tasty morsels for them. He also keeps them warm at night (Ohio gets COLD!) and pretty much keeps the girls together as a flock. I know it may sound unreasonable that I may have changed the instinct or nature of a rooster but his behavior towards me speaks for itself. I can only speak of what I've done and you make your own decisions. Like most roosters, Mr. Burt came at me with beak, spurs and claws. My first thought was "Oh no you don't!! This is unacceptable!!" EVERY time he came at me, I decided he just needed more love. If you fight back-even just to defend yourself-it's on. I would catch him and hold him until he relaxed while I spoke softly to him gently petting him all over. Sometimes to catch him I even got him cornered to pick him up. Whatever it took, I would hold him and softly tell him he's a good boy that just needs more love. After his aggression has subsided, I gently put his feet to the ground and he must walk away, not "escape". I stay put where I put him down (not retreating to show submission) and he chooses to leave. Now if he's feeling feisty, all I have to do is bend down (watch your face!) and I softly ask "Mr. Burt, do you need love?" He's come to associate that this tone of voice means he's gently restrained and he doesn't like it. He walks away from me. He often will yell and grouch at me from a distance, but, HE walks away from ME! By submissing to him, you're reinforcing that HE'S in charge over you. You can't be submissive to him at all. Especially in the beginning, thick coveralls are recommended. I am now very good at catching a rooster flying towards me in attack mode. Eventually he stopped doing that because he doesn't enjoy being held. I suppose the lesson here is that "If you run, he will chase" and his aggression can be diffused with love. It'll be a long, trying process, but so worth it! Please give your rooster a chance to be a "good boy". I hope this encourages you to consider keeping your rooster.

 

[Willowru]

I also want to add that I have one acre in the country. Mr. Burt is my only rooster and together he and I take great care of 5 hens. They're all the same age at about 2 years old.

 

[chickencoop57]

Invite him to dinner

Human aggressive roosters are very tasty.

Lol, I agree!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am not aggressive towards a challenging rooster, I walk through the yard with purpose, never turn my back if I can help it and it he gets close I pick him up and carry him around. Soon he will only come by to be carried around or will avoid me. I never swing a stick, or offer a shoe because that is saying I accept your challenge. I am not on his level.

 

[chickencoop57]

Yeah, I'm definitely on the 'Inviting him to dinner' train. I've personally seen the hurt an aggressive rooster can do to a person and I for one, won't tolerate it! And it's not worth the worry! I have 3 roosters. My main rooster is a pretty Ameraucana. He's a darn good rooster and very docile. And I also have 2 California White roosters. One was an extra in the shipping. They're both 5 months old and very docile, as well, but I don't need 3 roosters. Its to bad you don't live close by, because I would give you my extra.

 

[leslielbk]

Hey guys! I currently have 9 chickens, 7 hens and 2 roosters but the main rooster won’t stop attacking me when I go outside with them. I feed them every morning and give them treats and fresh fruit a couple times a week and I’m outside most of the time! But I’ll be giving them fruit or going to go get our eggs and he just comes as fast as he can to come and get me! Now he’s not consistent though he’ll do it some times but not all the times but it’s so random and today he really scared me to the point where I couldn’t even move for 5 minutes because I was so scared of him and he was just in front of me not letting me take a step. idk what to do about it! Please help!

I'll never have a rooster again. Over the years I've had three flocks, and three roosters. They've always attacked me and they aren't nice to the girls either. The last one I sold on craigslist. If I can help it I'll never have another one. By the way, they don't defend the flock, they'll just die trying.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

I seldom put my "2 cents worth" in, but on this topic, I must. I've always had a rooster and couldn't be any more in love with them. However, he can't be allowed to think he's the one in charge. First, you have to change your fear into a bit of anger that you're being controlled by a smaller, less intelligent life form. You must be persistent and brave while keeping yourself safe. Believe it or not, my rooster; Mr. Burt, steps down the pecking order when I come out. He accepts that I'm higher than him. Now when I'm NOT out there, he struts his stuff like he's king of the world and does a great job protecting my girls and finding tasty morsels for them. He also keeps them warm at night (Ohio gets COLD!) and pretty much keeps the girls together as a flock. I know it may sound unreasonable that I may have changed the instinct or nature of a rooster but his behavior towards me speaks for itself. I can only speak of what I've done and you make your own decisions. Like most roosters, Mr. Burt came at me with beak, spurs and claws. My first thought was "Oh no you don't!! This is unacceptable!!" EVERY time he came at me, I decided he just needed more love. If you fight back-even just to defend yourself-it's on. I would catch him and hold him until he relaxed while I spoke softly to him gently petting him all over. Sometimes to catch him I even got him cornered to pick him up. Whatever it took, I would hold him and softly tell him he's a good boy that just needs more love. After his aggression has subsided, I gently put his feet to the ground and he must walk away, not "escape". I stay put where I put him down (not retreating to show submission) and he chooses to leave. Now if he's feeling feisty, all I have to do is bend down (watch your face!) and I softly ask "Mr. Burt, do you need love?" He's come to associate that this tone of voice means he's gently restrained and he doesn't like it. He walks away from me. He often will yell and grouch at me from a distance, but, HE walks away from ME! By submissing to him, you're reinforcing that HE'S in charge over you. You can't be submissive to him at all. Especially in the beginning, thick coveralls are recommended. I am now very good at catching a rooster flying towards me in attack mode. Eventually he stopped doing that because he doesn't enjoy being held. I suppose the lesson here is that "If you run, he will chase" and his aggression can be diffused with love. It'll be a long, trying process, but so worth it! Please give your rooster a chance to be a "good boy". I hope this encourages you to consider keeping your rooster.

I couldn’t have worded a better response! This happens to be my method exactly, and it usually works to convince an angry rooster to calm down. If it doesn’t, he gets removed from the poultry yard.
***Edited to add, I maintain breeding pens of one rooster to four hens, grouped by color of eggs. Colors include pink, golden brown, terracotta, dark chocolate. Also blue, mint, sage, olive and gray.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

Keep the secondary rooster that isn't attacking you, and make main rooster soup out of the other one.

One of these days I’ll get the nerve to post my recipe for Rooster Soup. Prep time: about 6 months

 

[Ila88]

Hey guys! I currently have 9 chickens, 7 hens and 2 roosters but the main rooster won’t stop attacking me when I go outside with them. I feed them every morning and give them treats and fresh fruit a couple times a week and I’m outside most of the time! But I’ll be giving them fruit or going to go get our eggs and he just comes as fast as he can to come and get me! Now he’s not consistent though he’ll do it some times but not all the times but it’s so random and today he really scared me to the point where I couldn’t even move for 5 minutes because I was so scared of him and he was just in front of me not letting me take a step. idk what to do about it! Please help!

I had a horrible aggressive rooster and tried every remedy suggested. Finally got rid of him. There are so many nice roosters needing homes. Don't put up with a dangerous one.

 

[Folly's place]

Question for @Willowru ; how is your rooster with other people? You are careful, and at least for now have him manageable, but is he around other folks, especially children, and 'safe'?
Mary