Roo becoming aggresive towards me...

[kayjk27]

He's 5 months old and we've had him for 3 weeks. He's my first chicken (I now have 3 chicks also) and he was pretty nice when I got him. Well last night he pecked at my foot when I walked by and then a few minutes later ran at me. This morning when I went to open up the run to let him out for the day he waited until I was walking away and ran at me from behind.

I did read an article saying that I should basically ignore him and walk "through" him rather than around him. In your experience, has that helped? I don't want him to be aggressive towards anyone, I have a 2 and 3 year old who are constantly outside with him... What should I do? Thanks...

 

[The Phantom]

Walk right through him. Do not be nervous, he will sense that and come after you more.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Yes, walk toward him until he moves out of your path. Ours only tested me one time after we first got him, he's very smart and figured things out quickly. I agree with @The Phantom, make sure you show no fear! Is this the article you read? It really helped me, I was super nervous about having a rooster:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beekisseds-rooster-speak.73664/

 

[chuckachucka]

He is challenging you. Roos have an instinctive drive to be the boss and will try to dominate everyone, including you. These instincts kick in typically around 4-6 months after crowing begins and are at their peak for well past the first year.

Be VERY careful of him around your children. Until he learns to respect humans as his bosses he will come for anyone who gets in his way and young children make easy targets. His behaviour WILL get worse unless you take action.

In my experience walking through him will not be enough. Acting confident around him is a start but you will need to show him you are boss by mimicking what a superior rooster would do (in flocks where there is more than one roo the top roo dominates the lower Roos). This means chasing him off if he misbehaves and discouraging him from crowing or mating hens in front of you. You don't have to be violent toward him because kicking back at him if he attacks will only provoke his fighting inctinct, but you will have to be aggressive enough in your behaviour around him that he sees you as stronger than he is. Once he knows he can't beat you or dominate you, he should give you a wide berth and concentrate on his rooster duties.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

He's 5 months old and we've had him for 3 weeks. He's my first chicken (I now have 3 chicks also) and he was pretty nice when I got him. Well last night he pecked at my foot when I walked by and then a few minutes later ran at me. This morning when I went to open up the run to let him out for the day he waited until I was walking away and ran at me from behind.

I did read an article saying that I should basically ignore him and walk "through" him rather than around him. In your experience, has that helped? I don't want him to be aggressive towards anyone, I have a 2 and 3 year old who are constantly outside with him... What should I do? Thanks...

You can school him by giving a little bit of a chase... not too much because it escalates things. Teen age hormones are the worst.

I personally would NOT have any rooster with a 2 and 3 year old. In case containment fails (or if free range) they could be blinded by a flogging and be traumatized against chickens. I've been spurred before... it really hurts, left good size bruises and some puncture wounds. Kids are smaller, easier targets.

I would rehome him or give him a nice long hot bath with some aromatic veggies.

Cockerel is not a good choice for a first chicken with kids. I hope you are able to reconsider... raising your chicks and maybe adding a rooster next year if you still want one.

He is young... he MAY reform still. Like many teens he WILL test his boundaries... and he see's you as NOT intimidating. I wanted my first boy to trust me... thought that's what was going on until I faced constant stalking from behind the fence, attacks from behind, and relentless crowing directly AT me. I took it for a while since it was a "rare breed" intended for breeding, trying all the training techniques. It was too late for THAT boy. After several months, I finally got fed up and sent him to freezer camp. It took several months after that for me to settle down and not take other boys crowing personal. Almost ruined roosters for me permanently due to my inexperience. Thankfully I did recover... I have a constant barrage of cockerels/roosters since I hatch. I have NEVER yet again faced that with any of my boys... I don't be over friendly with them. I just treat them like chickens... who now I know FEAR = RESPECT for shooks. You start to notice the clues they give off earlier. Never ever let them get away with dropping a wing and dancing at you. And he will mate your pullets before they are ready since he is still young and dumb. All my stags get to grow out long enough to gain their manners before mingling with the ladies.

A good rooster is a great asset!

That is great reading from BEE... it isn't my style and didn't work for me... but being clued in HELPS a LOT.

Also, if your kids will have others over to play... might not be worth the liability.

Also note... yes I will accept and deal with a single challenge or two. Agree kicking escalates attack... chucka gave good advice.

Best wishes!

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Were the chicks you just bought straight run or vent sexed as female?

 

[kayjk27]

You can school him by giving a little bit of a chase... not too much because it escalates things. Teen age hormones are the worst.

I personally would NOT have any rooster with a 2 and 3 year old. In case containment fails (or if free range) they could be blinded by a flogging and be traumatized against chickens. I've been spurred before... it really hurts, left good size bruises and some puncture wounds. Kids are smaller, easier targets.

I would rehome him or give him a nice long hot bath with some aromatic veggies.

Cockerel is not a good choice for a first chicken with kids. I hope you are able to reconsider... raising your chicks and maybe adding a rooster next year if you still want one.

He is young... he MAY reform still. Like many teens he WILL test his boundaries... and he see's you as NOT intimidating. I wanted my first boy to trust me... thought that's what was going on until I faced constant stalking from behind the fence, attacks from behind, and relentless crowing directly AT me. I took it for a while since it was a "rare breed" intended for breeding, trying all the training techniques. It was too late for THAT boy. After several months, I finally got fed up and sent him to freezer camp. It took several months after that for me to settle down and not take other boys crowing personal. Almost ruined roosters for me permanently due to my inexperience. Thankfully I did recover... I have a constant barrage of cockerels/roosters since I hatch. I have NEVER yet again faced that with any of my boys... I don't be over friendly with them. I just treat them like chickens... who now I know FEAR = RESPECT for shooks. You start to notice the clues they give off earlier. Never ever let them get away with dropping a wing and dancing at you. And he will mate your pullets before they are ready since he is still young and dumb. All my stags get to grow out long enough to gain their manners before mingling with the ladies.

A good rooster is a great asset!

That is great reading from BEE... it isn't my style and didn't work for me... but being clued in HELPS a LOT.

Also, if your kids will have others over to play... might not be worth the liability.

Also note... yes I will accept and deal with a single challenge or two. Agree kicking escalates attack... chucka gave good advice.

Best wishes!

I am keeping an open-mind to rehoming him, though I would really like to keep him if possible! Of course, my kids safety comes first... So we will see how he does.

 

[kayjk27]

Were the chicks you just bought straight run or vent sexed as female?

They were vent sexed as female. They are only a week old though so I guess time will tell!

 

[chuckachucka]

It's not all doom and gloom with roosters. I have a roo who I never really bothered to train and gave plenty of cuddles to as a baby (this is supposed to be a no no as they can become overfamiliar and see you as a fellow chicken) and he just turned out OK. I have a young child and discouragd handling him after he started crowing and he is well behaved now. Thankfully Its much more common for a rooster to end up well behaved with training than to be stubbornly mean and have to be culled/kept away from people.

 

[cottontail farm]

I have a toddler too and have had chickens for years. I'm going to tell you what i would tell any mom in this situation; there's no point in trying to keep this rooster. If he's the point where he's sneaking behind you attack that's the point where you need to call it and get rid of the bird. It's only a matter of time before he goes for a frontal attack. Which will be at face level for your kids.
We have two pet roosters right now who are total gentleman. My son can feed them and walk around them and the hens without a second look. Any rooster who has attacked me from behind leaves that night-I did try to rehab a couple when i was new to chickens and it is pointless.
There are many sweet roosters on Craigslist looking for homes if you really want a roo. We love ours.