over-mating aggressive rooster

[zebraffe4231]

Okay so I have 5 hens and 1 rooster and I adore all of them. They are just under a year old (a year in June). These birds are pets and I honestly treat them better than I do most people. Also I am vegan and I will NEVER consider culling this rooster.

But basically the rooster is actually crazy. He used to be completely fine and I would pet him and hold him and he would always go and sit on my shoulder until winter hit. He got frostbite so I had to keep him inside for a few days while he healed. When I put him back with the flock he was a completely different bird. He flogged me every single time I went in the coop. One time he got my face and sliced my entire cheek open and there was blood everywhere (no stitches but it was bad). I've tried a lot of different methods to tame him a bit and things have gotten much better. He is still pretty aggressive towards me but not all the time. I just bring a tennis racket down to defend myself. Also I will not let anyone else go down there because there is a 100% chance he will attack them.

But basically out of my 5 hens, 2 of them have completely bare backs and broken wing feathers and balding heads and it is just terrible. I got saddles for both of them and they do seem to help with the pain. I can now see a small patch of skin on another hen and the other two's feathers are getting thin. So tonight I went down to close up the coop and the saddle had fallen off of Belle, one of the hens. It is not the first time that this has happened to her so as soon as I opened the door she jumped onto my arm because she wanted it back on (pretty sure its because she is in pain without it) . I put it on her and put her back inside. The rooster jumped down and started freaking out when I opened the door. He immediately grabbed Belle and attempted to mount her as she is screaming trying to run away from him which ripped her saddle off. Two other hens jumped down and ran over to help her and I, unable to watch, shoved him off. I was standing down there for about five minutes watching him go after the hens who were no joke running over to me for protection. I had no idea that it was this bad. The girls are living in terror and all scream out and run whenever he tries to grab them. I cannot bear to see them in pain and I just don't even know what to do. He is actually raping them.

I can handle him attacking me but the girls are being raped and they are unhappy and in pain. I cannot get any more hens. I will not cull the rooster. I don't feel like it's fair to lock him up. I do love him and I want what is best for him but I can't have the hens in danger. Somebody who knows more than me PLEASE tell me what to do.

 

[TXchickenchick]

There is no way I would keep that rooster. If you can't separate him and know he 100% cannot ever get back with your hens he needs to go away...one way or another. Your precious hens don't deserve that at all!

 

[Folly's place]

x2! He's a total jerk and will only get worse. You and your hens don't need to be abused that way, and he's dangerous to any other humans, especially children. If you can't dispatch him yourself, send him to someone who can. Immediately! Mary

 

[Mochadlik]

Either cull him or get rid of him. He is a danger and hurting the hens. Roosters can inflict significant injuries to other birds and humans.

 

[crazyfeathers]

Zebraffe, you stated you will not cull your rooster so your only other option is to make the rooster his own pen and keep him away from those hens, my how those poor girls must be suffering - you will never get any eggs from these stressed out, over mated, scared girls. Do not rehome him, don't give your problem to someone else unless they are sending him to freezer camp.
I have culled a few roosters due to either flogging me or being too rough on my hens and my conscience is clear about it. I have a grandson, friends, and other children at my home regularly and there is no way I'd ever keep an unstable rooster, of course this is my opinion.
It's never easy admitting defeat, no matter how much you love him i firmly believe that culling is the best option. That cut you received on your face could have been an eye do you honestly feel that this bird is worth that?
Best of luck on your decision.

 

[keesmom]

I can handle him attacking me but the girls are being raped and they are unhappy and in pain. I cannot get any more hens. I will not cull the rooster. I don't feel like it's fair to lock him up. I do love him and I want what is best for him but I can't have the hens in danger. Somebody who knows more than me PLEASE tell me what to do.

Well, you are going to have to choose one of those options. These kinds of decisions are a part of having chickens.

 

[Toddrick]

Well, you are going to have to choose one of those options. These kinds of decisions are a part of having chickens. 

Agreed. It is the hardest part of having chickens, but it is an absolute necessity that you remove the troublemakers from your flock. They have little reptilian brains, and will not change their ways. If you can't cull him then have someone else do it. It's still hard I know, but just imagine walking into your coop without a racket and never fearing again...

 

[pasuit]

I can sympathize with you but you don't have much choice. Good luck.

 

[donrae]

You only have so many options here.

Leave things as they are and try to keep saddles on the hens.
Make a bachelor pad for the rooster and have him live a solitary life.
Try to rehome the rooster, with full disclosure on his attacking you of course.
Butcher the rooster.


There really aren't any other options. I'm with the majority and would chose number 4. But, if you chose to live with an animal that attacks you, I guess that's your decision.

 

[centrarchid]

Well, you are going to have to choose one of those options. These kinds of decisions are a part of having chickens. 

Swap him out. End game likely to be same whether you consume him or not. Current age is when males are not inclined to act as harem masters which generally involves a more stately suite of behaviors towards humans and members of flock. Confining him for a while may be the most effective way to age him out of the aggressive stage. If he is aggressive owing to being of hatchery origin then unless you have a lot of experience, I would not attempt to break him of the aggression. Avoid fighting with him or running from him. Fighting with him occurs-when as you describe you were defending yourself.


Either way I think you should avoid having him up near your face.