My Spangled OEGB Cockerel is ROTTEN!

[GemmaGA]

So I raised this cockerel from a baby chick. I spent a lot of time with all my chickens when they were babies, hand feeding them and just spending time with them as they grew up. For the most part, all of my birds are friendly, or at the very least tolerate me. But not this guy....he's very aggressive with me.

All my chickens are 17 weeks old, and maybe it's because he's young and his hormones are crazy, but I swear this bird hates me. He crows constantly, and constantly tries to attack me - he pays no attention to my son or husband when they are in and around the coop or chicken yard. But I am always checking over my shoulder and watching my back because he sneaks up on me and tries to attack me any time I am around the flock.

I have another cockerel - he is a black splash cochin (Scuba), he is #2 rooster and pays no attention to me at all. He hardly crows, but he is the one who is most aggressive with the ladies right now. The boys get along fine, there's not really any aggression at all between the two of them. But the OEGB fella (Ducky) seems to really dislike me.

Any suggestions? Does anyone else have a rooster of this breed and have you had a similar experience with their 'personality'?

 

[PioneerChicks]

I have a spangled OEGB cock who I have been working with for over a year. OEGBs are known to be a rather aggressive breed but me and Finn get along fairly well because I have been using this method: A Viewpoint on Managing Roosters

His attacks mostly happen when I turn my back and do something odd, but by responding with "rooster talk" as explained in the article I can deal with it easily.

Sadly, I have no further need for this rooster and am trying to rehome him. I don't like having to watch my back every time I enter the coop. But I still trust this method more than any other. @BantyChooks even mentioned in the article that OEGBs are tougher to work with than other breeds. But this same method has worked great for my other two roosters!

So what I mean to say is it is natural behavior for an OEGB rooster to attack. After a while of using the method, he will cool down a bit. Just make sure to always keep an eye on him when you are in the coop.

Good luck!

 

[GemmaGA]

I have a spangled OEGB cock who I have been working with for a year. I have been using this method. OEGBs are known to be a rather aggressive breed but me and Finn get along fairly well because I have been using this method: ewpoint-on-managing-roosters.74690/"]A Viewpoint on Managing Roosters[/URL]

His attacks mostly happen when I turn my back and do something odd, but by responding with "rooster talk" as explained in the article I can deal with it easily.

Sadly, I have no further need for this rooster and am trying to rehome him. I don't like having to watch my back every time I enter the coop. But I still trust this method more than any other. @BantyChooks even mentioned in the article that OEGBs are tougher to work with than other breeds. But this same method has worked fine for my other two roosters!

So what I mean to say is it is natural behavior for an OEGB rooster to attack. After a while of using the method, he will cool down a bit. Just make sure to always keep an eye on him when you are in the coop.

Good luck!

Thanks! I had read they tend to generally be an aggressive breed, but the behavior has only started recently - and like you, I am already tired of having to watch my back any time I am around him. Thanks for the suggestions, I will check out the method you suggest and see if it helps.

 

[GemmaGA]

I am getting very frustrated with my rooster situation. He is a beautiful bird - but despite that I hand raised him and all my other chickens, used to spend hours sitting in the coop, holding and talking to them, he is just not friendly towards me at all now. I handled him quite a bit as a baby, and he was actually one of the sweetest, most docile chicks I had.

Last night as I was ushering the chickens into the coop, he tried to come at me through the fencing. This morning, when I let them out into their 'yard' he came at me again through the fence. He's a bantam rooster, so he's not very big, and I shouldn't be scared of him, but I guess I am. On top of that, he crows all day long, and I am afraid neighbors are going to complain.

He will still eat out of my hand if I am giving the flock treats and up until recently didn't give me a second thought most of the time. The flock has plenty of space to forage (supervised free range pretty much all day) during the day - in fact we just doubled the size of their chicken yard outside the coop (which also has a built in 14 foot run). If I try to handle any of the girls, he gets really pissy and stalks me around the yard. I have to shut the door on the coop when I take food down to them, because if I don't he will sneak up on me and attack me as I am putting food in the feeder.

I've tried doing the whole putting out my arms and such to make myself look bigger, staring him down until he submits, and sometimes that works but...... man, it's no fun having to watch my back trying to spend time with and take care of my chickens. I have a post in the Rehome forum, and I am hopeful someone may be interested - because I just don't have it in me to cull him.

I read through the suggested article on managing roosters, and I will try harder to work with this rooster, but at this point I am just kind of over it to be quite honest.

Looking for guidance, thoughts from others who may have had a similar experience...thanks in advance.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I am getting very frustrated with my rooster situation. He is a beautiful bird - but despite that I hand raised him and all my other chickens, used to spend hours sitting in the coop, holding and talking to them, he is just not friendly towards me at all now. I handled him quite a bit as a baby, and he was actually one of the sweetest, most docile chicks I had.

Last night as I was ushering the chickens into the coop, he tried to come at me through the fencing. This morning, when I let them out into their 'yard' he came at me again through the fence. He's a bantam rooster, so he's not very big, and I shouldn't be scared of him, but I guess I am. On top of that, he crows all day long, and I am afraid neighbors are going to complain.

He will still eat out of my hand if I am giving the flock treats and up until recently didn't give me a second thought most of the time. The flock has plenty of space to forage (supervised free range pretty much all day) during the day - in fact we just doubled the size of their chicken yard outside the coop (which also has a built in 14 foot run). If I try to handle any of the girls, he gets really pissy and stalks me around the yard. I have to shut the door on the coop when I take food down to them, because if I don't he will sneak up on me and attack me as I am putting food in the feeder.

I've tried doing the whole putting out my arms and such to make myself look bigger, staring him down until he submits, and sometimes that works but...... man, it's no fun having to watch my back trying to spend time with and take care of my chickens. I have a post in the Rehome forum, and I am hopeful someone may be interested - because I just don't have it in me to cull him.

I read through the suggested article on managing roosters, and I will try harder to work with this rooster, but at this point I am just kind of over it to be quite honest.

Looking for guidance, thoughts from others who may have had a similar experience...thanks in advance.

Aw, that's to bad. I am going to try to rehome my OEGB roo on Friday. Sometimes they just aren't the right bird for your flock.

 

[GemmaGA]

So I really now am looking to rehome this rooster. He is not getting better despite whatever I try. He tried to fly up in my face the other day and that was kind of the last straw for me. I would love to give this guy to someone who maybe can give him a chance and take the time to work with him. I don't have it in me to cull him, but if I can't rehome him, then I am afraid that is my only option.

 

[PioneerChicks]

So I really now am looking to rehome this rooster. He is not getting better despite whatever I try. He tried to fly up in my face the other day and that was kind of the last straw for me. I would love to give this guy to someone who maybe can give him a chance and take the time to work with him. I don't have it in me to cull him, but if I can't rehome him, then I am afraid that is my only option.

Sorry about that. I finally have up on Finn too.

You could try to find a refugee or a refugee camp near you. They are willing to take just about any kind of food. I found a bit near me who offered to take Finn for meat. Sorry if that is your only option, but sometimes, nobody wants a mean little roo. Good luck!