Roo turning sour, could he be blind?

[rooaroo]

I use to have 3 roosters, now I have 1. The one that is left was always on the bottom of the pecking order and was most docile and sweet to me. Lately he has tested me with dancing around me in the mornings. I stomp and he takes off. He usually just wants to be out of the way as much as you want him to. Today my daughter came running from the other side of our car port and Sugar was jumping on her back. She is hysterical and I boot and chase him back to the coop. After I settled my girl I went out to the coop with the "big rake" I have to herd them and just stood there to show dominance, to show him I was clearly upset, and to just observe. Why all this sudden aggression?

I noticed as I watched him he has two different looking eyes. One eye is a normal eye that dilates normally and the other side, the one I noticed he wouldn't keep towards me, has a smaller eye, the pupil is just a small black dot and looks crazy. Like it is the definition of a crazy eye. Maybe he is blind in this eye? Maybe my daughter running by on that side spooked him? Just how can you tell if they might be blind? My husband is over roosters attacking our 4 year old. She also doesn't practice what I have taught her with being fearless or making sure she doesn't put her back to them. My hens like having a boy around...I do not want to lose him...but maybe better understand him and know if there is something wrong with his eye.

 

[sourland]

There may indeed be something wrong with his eye, but that is not what is causing him to attack. Now that he is no longer subordinated by the two dominant roosters his true nature is starting to develop. You may very well be able to curb his behavior, but do you really want to take the chance that your daughter might be injured? Kids should come first. JMO.

 

[rooaroo]

How could I curb his behavior? He just got his spurs or talons or whatever they are in...does this make them act out more?

I go back and forth when it comes to the chickens behaving like chickens and her needing to understand animals and livestock, I want her to join our local 4H when she gets a little older. She was jumped on by the other rooster we had so when she goes out, even towards a hen she cringes. She needs to learn and he needs to understand I will only tolerate so much. She will always be my number one, but since this is the first time HE has done anything to anyone I want to give him a chance. She just had a small scratch on her back. It scared her more than hurt her.