Need help to stop rooster from attacking me

[microchick]

So I was in the run this morning on my way back to work clearing brush from around our pond and had a cycling water bottle with me full of water that I intended to take with me when I noticed that the Lavender Orp's (his name is Larry Bird) best buddy another junior Welsummer rooster named BOHICA, Bo for short was sneaking up on me from behind. I love Bo, he is a character, the night before he had tried this stunt with me and I put him through the usual 'rooster walk of shame'. When I had carried him around for what seemed like an eternity, I put him down in the submissive chest down breeding position and held him there till he stopped struggling. When I let go of him, I gave him a pat, told him he was a good boy and walked away. I swear, I was out the gate, down the drive and to the house, almost 100 feet away before I turned around and poor Bo was still sitting there with is beak on the ground in the submissive down position with a couple of hens standing around looking at him before he finally got up and went about his business. This has almost become a game of sorts between Bo and me. Admittedly, he always seems to want to hit my heel from behind when I am walking away from him. This morning though I was ready for him and when I saw him make his attack run I pulled the nozzle out on my water bottle and let him have it. One good squirt hit right in front of him and his whole expression was. "What the heck was that!" End of attack run for the day.

I have a theory that three of my 4 roosters are acting like real jerks simply because it is spring and the hormones are galloping. I'm seriously considering a rooster pen for the extra roos. I usually keep two roos with my hens. One as alpha and one as sergeant at arms/backup. They have effectively kept the two junior roosters at bay and in line but one of my BO hens hatched out 8 chicks in February and I'm sure at least three of them are little cockerels. I don't eat my birds. I know, I should but I don't. I try to re-home and if a bird is uncontrollably aggressive I tell the new owner to either free range them or eat them but don't try to pen them and handle them cause it ain't gonna be pretty if they do.

I have to admit that dealing with the roosters is a challenge for me and I also have to admit that I really like roosters. They are funny, courageous, gallant, idiotic and pains in the butt, but that is part of their charm for me.

 

[azjustin]

In my limited experience, it is a pecking order issue. All flocks have them, and us as keepers are a part of the pecking order.

Our treatment plan may not work in all scenarios, but definitely worked for us. This is based on my father's experience, who grew up on a farm in Arkansas in the 50's, so times were a little different back then....

Our RIR rooster(s) tried to get aggressive around 4 months old and charged me and my 3 year old son. After the second or so time our large (10+ lbs) RIR rooster charged me, fully fluffed up and full of piss and vinegar: I fluffed up and chased him into a corner. He spent the next few maintenance sessions upside down while I tended to the rest of the flock. Miserable, but submissive.

He mellowed out very quickly, and any repeat indiscretions were met with a quick grab and tucked under my arm (right side up) while tending to everyone else. After about a week of this, everybody was happy, him and his "brothers" are now fine with me and any human that comes into the coop. This is well over 6 months ago and all of the roos are not afraid (or aggressive with) me or any other people, and will eat out of my hand.

Every time I have an issue with a barnyard animal, it reminds me of what Cesar Millan teaches and how to be an effective "pack leader".

Past all that, re-homing or freezer camp is always just as effective.

Hope that helps.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

In my limited experience, it is a pecking order issue.  All flocks have them, and us as keepers are a part of the pecking order.

Our treatment plan may not work in all scenarios, but definitely worked for us.  This is based on my father's experience, who grew up on a farm in Arkansas in the 50's, so times were a little different back then....

Our RIR rooster(s) tried to get aggressive around 4 months old and charged me and my 3 year old son.  After the second or so time our large (10+ lbs) RIR rooster charged me, fully fluffed up and full of piss and vinegar: I fluffed up and chased him into a corner.  He spent the next few maintenance sessions upside down while I tended to the rest of the flock.  Miserable, but submissive.

He mellowed out very quickly, and any repeat indiscretions were met with a quick grab and tucked under my arm (right side up) while tending to everyone else.  After about a week of this, everybody was happy, him and his "brothers" are now fine with me and any human that comes into the coop.  This is well over 6 months ago and all of the roos are not afraid (or aggressive with) me or any other people, and will eat out of my hand.

Every time I have an issue with a barnyard animal, it reminds me of what Cesar Millan teaches and how to be an effective "pack leader".  

Past all that, re-homing or freezer camp is always just as effective.

Hope that helps.

My experiences exactly, thanks for quoting Cesar Milan, so many people,don't understand his methods. I have noticed that chickens and dogs share the same pack structure and interactions within. You must always be the top dog who leads with confidence.

 

[Chicken fan13]

Throw some water on him then he should run and maybe quit attacking you

 

[galefrances]

Interesting that Caesar Milan is mentioned here. I watch him all the time and I too initially misunderstood him. It's not just about being the leader, it's being "calm & assertive" as well. It's what you've said 'oldhenslikedogs' it's all about being confident.

 

[microchick]

Good post @azjustin.

Remember also, if you are pack leader to any group of animals be they chickens or dogs, you occasionally may be forced to reassert your dominance over the group.

We have 5 dogs so I have a lot of experience trying to stay alpha female with them, especially with the youngest female who is half Jack Russell Terrier and full of herself. She is a great dog, fantastic hunter but every now and then she will challenge me, not aggressive just assertive and I will have to do the dominate down with her. My husband once asked me why the dogs behave better for me then they do for him and I just smiled and told him that they know who the top dog is in the pack.

I've seen the same behavior with 3 of my 4 roosters. Things will go good for a couple of weeks and then one of them is banging away at my heels or ankles and I wind up chasing him around the pen and reminding them who is boss. I look at it this way. At 62, they are keeping me in shape!

 

[DreamsInPink]

Lot of interesting reading here. I don't have any roosters yet.. but likely have several cockerels. Mine are young still. I am just so happy that I have this amazing community to run to if I need help.

 

[microchick]

Well, my battle for dominance with my rooster Larry Bird took a weird turn tonight. I was running late getting the flock locked up tonight. I usually change water and top off feeders in the evening and was doing that when I noticed Larry once again not really wanting to get out of my way. Every time I walked towards him, he held his ground and fluffed out those hackle feathers at me. Finally I needed to get past him so I held out my muck booted foot with the intention of pushing him out of my way as my hands were full. Naturally he hit my boot with both feet and wings. I think it startled him that my he hit my boot and I didn't start chasing him. I took another step towards him and he came at my boot again. Three times he did that and three times I took a step forward and made sure my boot was in his face. Finally on the forth step he backed down and got out of my way, in fact he ran to get out of my way.

My muck boots won the Battle of Larry! Of course now I have to make sure I have those hot muck boots on every time I go into the run but if if brings about the end of hostilities between Larry and me, I'll wear them every day of the year.

 

[OrionDarkwood]

So my rooster is now a year old, white Silkie. Had him and my chicks/hens for about 2 months now. All of a sudden, the rooster now attacks me from behind, usually after I have fed/watered them all and am leaving.

He has been doing this for days now, when my back is turned,, I feel my ankles being attacked, I turn around and he is there flapping his wings at me. I try to reach out or catch him and he runs from me....

He does NOT do this when my hubby approaches. When hubby comes near, they ALL RUN. When I come near, they all approach me.

Figuring out why the roo is attacking you can take some time. My wife had a similar issue with a roo, the roo would not attack me but would attack her. He ended up in the freezer before we figured it out (not because he was aggressive roo, just he was already been selected for processing). Our current roo will sometime attack or make a run we found out he is most likely to attack:

1. First thing in the morning if we open the coop door slowly or don't say anything before we do.
2. If you raise your hands at him
3. He hates the color purple and jogging pants

So experiment to see if its something that you are doing that your husband doesn't do. Also when they attack I found out. Don't lash out, throw things or catch them down just reinforces that humans are bad. If he attacks stand still, most times they are confused that you are no reacting. Next is always keep your front to him, slowly walk away backwards and talk to him.

Lastly to echo another point made. Chickens are social animals, they have a pecking order. They may recognize your husband as the alpha chicken or mother hen and you a stranger or a lesser chicken. Hope that helps

 

[Folly's place]

When I started with chickens, I had a miserable wretch of a rooster, and did the behavior modification things, to no avail. I learned that life is too short to put up with human aggressive birds. Only an idiot would attack the huge individuals that bring food daily! Nice useful cocks are busy taking care of their hens and looking out for real threats, like hawks. They don't have time to stalk food providers! Freezer camp is a good place for them, rather than siring another crop of idiot cockrels. There are so many nice cockrels, so find one or raise some chicks and pick a better boy. Mary