My Rooster is getting mean. It may be time for him to be stew.

[ChicksR4Me]

I have a flock of 23 birds. Two are roosters, both are RIR. The hens consist of 3 RIR, 15 Isa browns, and 3 calif leghorns. The alpha rooster crows and mates with the hens on a regular basis. The not so alpha rooster tries to mate but the alpha rooster won't let him and gives him a peck and chases him away when he tries. ok ... so the not so alpha rooster is not too happy and has become aggressive to me whenever I enter the coop to feed, water or collect eggs.. He stands there and won't let me walk through. I try to nudge him away so i don't step on him and he pecks at my feet. I'm thinking there shouldn't be two roosters in there. The alpha rooster doesn't bother me at all. My neice who is more experienced than me is planning on coming over tomorrow to help me butcher it. I'm not sure i want to go through with it. I really don't like to be afraid of him. I don't know what to do. Help!

 

[Preservation Acres]

I read a great piece online that said this...

To get your roosters to stop aggesssive behavior, pick them up EVERY TIME they become aggressive toward you. Hold them tight and keep them from fighting. Do this until they completely calm down. This will show your dominance, and they will eventually see you as the alpha rooster.

The worst thing you can do is run or show fear.

 

[rooster-red]

Check out my page on roo behavior, the link is in my sig line.

 

[rooster0209]

I sort of had the same problem, one alpha rooster and one lower on the totem pole. Its nice to have one that will protect the hens while they free range all day. But hey, I am the dominant pack leader and he had to learn it.

I took a flyswatter after him when he flogged me. When he ruffled his feathers at me, I hit him. Then I stepped forward and provoked him again, just to swat him harder. I kept doing this, till he ran when I stepped toward him. (used a flyswatter cause I was afraid the broom handle would hurt him) Every other day or so, I would go out w/the fly swatter to see if he would take me on.

He has learned I out rank him. I may need to re-test his memory now and then. I don't want to kill a big, pretty rooster that protects his hens.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I think you ought to check out this page about rooster behavior before you make a final decision on what to do. It explains rooster behavior and teaches you some strategies for dealing with an aggressive rooster. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2588-Roo_behavior

(Man, I feel like I've been posting shameless plugs for Rooster-red all day. Ha ha ha. -- and oh look, he posted in this thread about this same page right when I was typing this...

).

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Quote:
Yea that works, If they think youre scared they wont stop. But when they see youre not afraid of them, they usually leave you alone.

 

[ChicksR4Me]

I think I like the idea of using a fly swatter since I can't bring myself to pick him up. I sure hope it works. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Stephens]

I have 2 BRs in the coop, the Alpha one keeps the other basically in the coop, but he looks for me for TLC. Each time I go into the coop he comes a running for some rubbing. If I'm feeding the others a treat he will fly out the window and roost on my arm to be hand fed.

Just show him who's bost and he sould melo out.

 

[Preservation Acres]

I LOVE the fly swatter idea. lol.

The twisted side of me could really get into that.

 

[crtrlovr]

don't kill him before you give him a chance to "work it out" and you use some behavior modification techniques on him...