We have a mean young roo that keeps attacking my father. If he has to go into the coop area he has to carry a big stick to protect himself. Any ideas on how to break him of attacking my dad?
It's hard and next to impossible. The easiest method is prevention in the first place. I will occasionally charge at a rooster or hold him down for a minuet or so to re-establish who's boss. The person the roo is attacking has to be the one to cure him and establish his place in the pecking order. The stick, water in a squirt gun with soap added that will sting eyes or simply holding the rooster down to the ground are good ways to establish who's boss are all good methods but mostly they don't work after the roo has begun attacking. But it's worth a try...
Quote:Yep, that's basically how I'd do it. Except I use a kill cone, but same principal. Or he could try picking the dude up and carrying him around a bit, I've heard that works for some roosters. Or walk really fast at them. "Chase" them at a fast walk for a while. If none of those work, the pot it is.
Jim Dandy is headed that way if he keeps going. He is just a year old now, just happens to be a very beautiful Wyandotte - believe golden - beautiful brownish color. Only rooster in about 14 chickens. He does try to attack other people but if sees we can defend ourselves easily will kinda behave. My brother when working with the chickens will pick up and carry around to let him know who is boss.
I agree with everyone, I just got rid of a mean one. I had just got him scared of a water gun but I wasnt about to carry that around with me all the time
If you want to reform him you'll have to be persistant. I've had some luck with holding them down on the ground, but it took more than one time with some.
Some had posted a link to a woman who's expertise is reforming roos. Basically, she holds it under one arm and with her free hand she pushes the roo's head down (so it's level with his back) and holds it. She'll keep doing it until the roo will leave his head down once she removes her hand (I believe she'll remove her hand a few times to test it's reaction). I'm probably oversimplifying it but her method was really that quiet, humane and effective.
