my rooster keeps attacking me!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Stop petting aggressive roosters, confront them, stand your ground, use a rake or a broom, fight back, Chase him throw things, a lot of roosters will try this once, if he's successful he will do it again, he doesn't bother your husband because he's dominant and not afraid, if you're unwilling or unable to do this get rid of him, and don't feel guilty, no one needs to be terrorized by their poultry, and I have tried carrying, it works sometimes because they become frightened, others just get angrier. I only have had one aggressive rooster and it was because I would pet him, it made us equal, think like a chicken, dominant roosters chase and harass lesser roosters, you don't have to be cruel, just dominant.

 

[susanland12]

I observed my husband as he entered the chicken yard and the rooster ignored him and even gave way. My husband doesn't look at the roo at all. He just goes about the chores at hand and the roo pays him no mind. I tried not looking at the roo..no eye contact at all and by golly..it works! It's been days now and no aggression. Yay!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yay, ignoring the roosters is how I do it too, I think it gives you bigger attitude.

 

[JeanetteMack]

I always go in with a watering can full of water - seems to work - if he comes near i just shower him - hes not impressed

 

[BobbieR]

Hi, Just joined so that I can ask some advice about my cockerel. I 'inherited' some Gold Crested Wyndottes, a few years ago. One of my neighbours used to breed them and when he died, his widow gave them all away as she was going to live with her daughter. I have kept ex-battery hens before, so I thought it would be fine, and it has been until I got Alan. I love the girls, very easy going, only three out of the four lay, but that is more than enough eggs for me. Then last June, I decided that I would like to get a cockerel, as my girls free range and I live surrounded by woodland and have foxes breeding not too far away. So I looked around and found two advertised by the same lady and went to see them. This beautiful looking Partridge Bantum was strutting his stuff around the garden and I decided that he would be ideal, I was told he was around 18 months old. It was only as I was about to leave with Alan in his crate, when the lady of the house let slip that he was fine with everyone else in the house, husband and kids, but he attacked her, she felt he didn't like women. To be honest, I didn't take much notice, I have been around livestock a lot in my life and have been bitten by dogs whilst working in kennels and kicked by a cow whilst milking, so I wasn't overly worried about Alan as I am normally confident around animals. To start with, Alan was fine, he settled in well with the girls and all seemed to be well. Then one day as I was rushing to go to work, and just climbing into my car, he tried to flog me. It caught me unawares and I had my hands full of bags and coat etc. What concerned me was that I had bare legs and certainly didn't want to have claw and spur rakes all over, I flapped my coat at him and he stopped. It seemed to have been a one off for a while and then he started again and hasn't stopped. If I turn my back on him, or am walking swiftly away from him, he will attack. I must admit that I have become very wary of him and always have one eye on him at all times and never turn my back, even when cleaning the pen out. What is strange is that he doesn't always attack, I sometimes catch him giving me a 'look' where he seems to be calculating his chances, but he doesn't go for it and he never attacks the dogs, who wander around him with impunity. I have grand kids and I am concerned that the girls might run over to see the chickens and run back again, turning their backs on him and he takes that as an opportunity. He also chases my car down the drive and yes, it is funny to watch him in the mirrors hustling after the car. Also when I stop to open or close the gate, I have seen him attack the car tyres. Friends have advised me to 'retire' him and part of me does want to, as I would take any dog of mine to the Vet if it bit me or any family member in the vicious, unprovoked way that he attacks me. But part of me accepts that he is doing exactly what I got him for, to protect his girls. However, I found a grey squirrel trapped in the pen the other morning, I have no idea how it got in, but Alan was terrified of it, ditto the pigeons and pheasants that come into the pen and steal the corn and other treats I put out. He has never attacked the male pheasants that come into the garden trying their chances with the girls! So it appears that the only living thing that Alan attacks is me. Honestly, I don't know what to do. I carry a walking stick when I walk the dogs as I have arthritis and new knees, so don't want to run the risk of slipping and falling/twisting, and I do wave my stick at him warning him off if he starts, but he can dodge quite well and until the other week, I never caught him with it. When I did accidentally catch him, I caught him on the back of the head with an audible crack and he went down on one knee, staggered a bit and then ran under a tree. I thought that after I had walked the dogs I would come back to a dead cockerel, as it was a heck of a crack, but no, he was up and about crowing his head off. Part of me felt guilty, but the other part thought that he might now afford me a bit of respect, sadly not true.

In a nutshell, Alan attacks me and my car and nothing else; he knows I feed them and gives them treats, and I have clouted him one but this makes no difference to his behaviour towards me. Therefore my question is, do I try the cuddling, (which I honestly don't feel inclined to do); do I hope he will grow out of it or do I 'retire' him next time my son visits, as he will have to do the killing as he is far more proficient at it than I am.

Many thanks in advance .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hi, Just joined so that I can ask some advice about my cockerel. I 'inherited' some Gold Crested Wyndottes, a few years ago. One of my neighbours used to breed them and when he died, his widow gave them all away as she was going to live with her daughter. I have kept ex-battery hens before, so I thought it would be fine, and it has been until I got Alan. I love the girls, very easy going, only three out of the four lay, but that is more than enough eggs for me. Then last June, I decided that I would like to get a cockerel, as my girls free range and I live surrounded by woodland and have foxes breeding not too far away. So I looked around and found two advertised by the same lady and went to see them. This beautiful looking Partridge Bantum was strutting his stuff around the garden and I decided that he would be ideal, I was told he was around 18 months old. It was only as I was about to leave with Alan in his crate, when the lady of the house let slip that he was fine with everyone else in the house, husband and kids, but he attacked her, she felt he didn't like women. To be honest, I didn't take much notice, I have been around livestock a lot in my life and have been bitten by dogs whilst working in kennels and kicked by a cow whilst milking, so I wasn't overly worried about Alan as I am normally confident around animals. To start with, Alan was fine, he settled in well with the girls and all seemed to be well. Then one day as I was rushing to go to work, and just climbing into my car, he tried to flog me. It caught me unawares and I had my hands full of bags and coat etc. What concerned me was that I had bare legs and certainly didn't want to have claw and spur rakes all over, I flapped my coat at him and he stopped. It seemed to have been a one off for a while and then he started again and hasn't stopped. If I turn my back on him, or am walking swiftly away from him, he will attack. I must admit that I have become very wary of him and always have one eye on him at all times and never turn my back, even when cleaning the pen out. What is strange is that he doesn't always attack, I sometimes catch him giving me a 'look' where he seems to be calculating his chances, but he doesn't go for it and he never attacks the dogs, who wander around him with impunity. I have grand kids and I am concerned that the girls might run over to see the chickens and run back again, turning their backs on him and he takes that as an opportunity. He also chases my car down the drive and yes, it is funny to watch him in the mirrors hustling after the car. Also when I stop to open or close the gate, I have seen him attack the car tyres. Friends have advised me to 'retire' him and part of me does want to, as I would take any dog of mine to the Vet if it bit me or any family member in the vicious, unprovoked way that he attacks me. But part of me accepts that he is doing exactly what I got him for, to protect his girls. However, I found a grey squirrel trapped in the pen the other morning, I have no idea how it got in, but Alan was terrified of it, ditto the pigeons and pheasants that come into the pen and steal the corn and other treats I put out. He has never attacked the male pheasants that come into the garden trying their chances with the girls! So it appears that the only living thing that Alan attacks is me. Honestly, I don't know what to do. I carry a walking stick when I walk the dogs as I have arthritis and new knees, so don't want to run the risk of slipping and falling/twisting, and I do wave my stick at him warning him off if he starts, but he can dodge quite well and until the other week, I never caught him with it. When I did accidentally catch him, I caught him on the back of the head with an audible crack and he went down on one knee, staggered a bit and then ran under a tree. I thought that after I had walked the dogs I would come back to a dead cockerel, as it was a heck of a crack, but no, he was up and about crowing his head off. Part of me felt guilty, but the other part thought that he might now afford me a bit of respect, sadly not true.

In a nutshell, Alan attacks me and my car and nothing else; he knows I feed them and gives them treats, and I have clouted him one but this makes no difference to his behaviour towards me. Therefore my question is, do I try the cuddling, (which I honestly don't feel inclined to do); do I hope he will grow out of it or do I 'retire' him next time my son visits, as he will have to do the killing as he is far more proficient at it than I am.

Many thanks in advance .

Bantam roosters in my experiences are more feisty. They seem to enjoy a good fight occasionally, and enjoy showing off more than the big boys do.

I don't think you will change his behaviors at this point. You have become his choose target. You need to remain on the offensive when in his presence. He should give you his side or back, and stay at least 10 feet away.

Facing you straight on or trying to get behind you isn't good. Never turn your back to him.

Carrying could work, on the idea that it's unpleasant and he would like to avoid you and it, but some roosters don't seem to mind. He could also enjoy the combat of you trying to catch him, and it could feed the aggression.

You could try a squirt gun, or a stick to move him off. I personally use a fishing net when necessary to scoop them up if possible to pen them for a bit. A dominant rooster controls the space of a submissive one and moves him off any time he can.

The real way to end it is to butcher him out and be done. It all depends on how you see him. I have 2 replaced knees, and shoulders, so it important that none of my roosters are aggressive too.

 

[BobbieR]

Bantam roosters in my experiences are more feisty. They seem to enjoy a good fight occasionally, and enjoy showing off more than the big boys do.

I don't think you will change his behaviors at this point. You have become his choose target. You need to remain on the offensive when in his presence. He should give you his side or back, and stay at least 10 feet away.

Facing you straight on or trying to get behind you isn't good. Never turn your back to him.

Carrying could work, on the idea that it's unpleasant and he would like to avoid you and it, but some roosters don't seem to mind. He could also enjoy the combat of you trying to catch him, and it could feed the aggression.

You could try a squirt gun, or a stick to move him off. I personally use a fishing net when necessary to scoop them up if possible to pen them for a bit. A dominant rooster controls the space of a submissive one and moves him off any time he can.

The real way to end it is to butcher him out and be done. It all depends on how you see him. I have 2 replaced knees, and shoulders, so it important that none of my roosters are aggressive too.

Thank you for the reply, you have confirmed what I had come to believe: I am his chosen target. I do always try to face him when I can, but I have a large garden that needs the grass cut, the weeds removed and some vegetables that need my attention and although keeping one eye on Alan has become a habit most of the time, I don't always manage it. I do try and face him down, especially when I see him give me the eye, start fluffing his neck feathers and begin his prelude to attack mode. But he is a clever so and so, he doesn't try anything for a while, lulls me into a false sense of security, and then when I am at my most vulnerable, (going to work in the morning and usually rushing), he goes for it, racing around the car from the other side to get at me. I clipped one of his wings over the winter to try to prevent the flogging, but it didn't stop him, so I have given up. I have a water pistol and he doesn't like it, but I can't keep it on me all the time. I usually have a stick in one hand and a nervy, deaf dog on a lead (who is terrified of all the chickens) in the other when I go to walk my dogs, which means I can't carry the pistol and squirt him if he needs it. As I said, he is clever and picks his moments well. I just make sure that I have sticks, brushes and buckets around to grab and wave at him or to become a barrier between me and him should I need one. He hasn't actually connected with any of his attacks, I have always seemed to have fended him off, so I don't know if he would actually follow through or if this is just a bluff on his part. But I really don't want to find out. His first attack was whilst I was getting in my car, my arms were full and I had just sat in my seat with my legs out of the car, and he went for me at (my sitting) head height.

I have resigned myself to the fact that he will probably have to go; I can't live in fear of what he might do, I certainly can't risk him attacking my daughter in law or any of my small grand children. I have thought of re-homing him, but there are so many cockerels around, no one will want him and I really can't pass on a problem animal. I keep my animals as I love them and take pleasure in their company, he has stopped (never really been) a pleasure, so I think it is time for him to be retired.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You could also build him his own pen. As long as he can see the other chickens he will be fine if you don't wish to part with him.

You definitely don't need a rooster terrorizing everyone. Sounds like he actually enjoys his game with you. He sounds like a smart little guy with too much bravado.

 

[ernie85017]

I had a wonderful little banty frizzle, I think he was mostly serama. We would "spar". I would see him coming, or in prelude to attack mode, and put my foot out and he would jump up, smack it a good 4 times with his spurs, then land. Very very fast. I always had shoes on. I don't remember him attacking me when I was not ready for him. It must have been a game for him, where yours is pretty deliberate. I wonder if there is something triggering him? Do you have red hair? Blonde hair? Eyeglasses? All of mine are afraid of my big sunhat, very wide brim. Perhaps that would help? Otherwise it seems he will need a separate pen.

 

[BobbieR]

I think he was conditioned to attack females at his first home. I think something made his previous owner wary of him and he cottoned on fast and thereafter, she was his chosen target until she re-homed him with me and he has latched onto me as his new one. I have a massive garden and there a dozens of places, trees, bushes etc that he could happily spend his days ignoring me, but he sits on my patio....