Rooster acting aggressive

[PBGGG]

Hi everyone,

I have a 4 month old rooster, Finn. I've raised him inside since he was a baby.He is usually very sweet. He will jump on your lap and follow you around the house. But lately, in the last month or so, he has been acting really rude. It hasn't happened to me, but a few days ago he ran after my dad and attacked him. Today he chased my mother and attacked her twice. He has pecked me, but he has never chased me. I am not getting rid of him or killing him. He is actually sitting on my lap right now! Is this just a hormone thing? I don't want him to be acting like this forever.

Thanks!

 

[PolkaDot77]

Sorry to hear about your roo's recent change in attitude. In my experience, my rooster's "real" attitudes don't really come out or stabilize until about 4-5 months of age. Unfortunately, for me, once a rooster starts chasing, pecking, etc, it's nearly impossible to make them stop. I have been told that you can try to control their behavior by making them know that you are in charge and that behavior is not acceptable. To do this, pick them up whenever they are acting aggressive and hold them until they calm down. If they get aggressive when you put them down, grab them again and keep them held with you continuing to do your chores or whatever until you can put them down and they can be peaceful. Again, this is not my experience, but rather advice I was given regarding roosters I have had in the past with an attitude problem. Good luck!

 

[PBGGG]

Thank you for responding! I have tried holding him down on the ground and pinching the back of his neck but it didn't work.

 

[Den in Penn]

At four months he is just getting into his hormone driven puberty and it may take a year or so to really stabilize. So he is wanting to rise up in status is driven to push at the boundaries. So he has taken after those that he perceives as part of his environment, trying to dominate everything he can. You holding him down will not help with your mother, she has to be the one to stand up to him. He knows he can chase and dominate her. You didn't say what the out come was with your fathers encounter. But if he has attacked two people and you want to keep him you will have to limit human interaction to just you. Be aware that roosters can do some real damage. There may come the day he will test himself with you.

 

[faithm130]

I had a rooster who was the same way. He was my baby! We would nap in the sun together, he would lay on my lap in the yard, he would even rest his head on my shoulder. Then, he got really aggressive. I started spraying him with water. This definitely helped! He would start to charge me then...squirt squirt and he would stop right in his tracks and run. Other things to try are separating him from his hens, or making his food supply smaller. My birds know me as the food deliverer so when I started bringing less of it...they got really friendly. I wouldn't lessen the food for your whole flock, just maybe take him out of the pen during feeding time, lock him out so he can still see everyone else eating. Hope this helps!

 

[PBGGG]

Thanks guys!

I didn't see what happened when my father was attacked because he was upstairs, but he said he kept biting his foot and then he smacked him. Last night, Finn attacked my mother again, making her bleed. Then he came after me. My mother kicked him and I slapped him.

When its feeding time for our dogs, he comes and eats out of both bowls. Should I put him in his cage when he does this?


Thanks again!

 

[AmericanMom]

Several year ago I had a flock of hens with a Roo, got them when they were three months and raised them for a couple years, the roo started out being docile and friendly and then turned very aggressive, but only to my daughter and I. We had to carry a stick every time we went to gather eggs, clean the coop and mow the back 1/2 acre where they free ranged. It got so bad I couldn't turn my back on him... One day as I was coming out the gate, backwards of course, I missed the latch and had to turn my head to find it, when I turned back around all I saw was foghorns spurs go within inches of my face. Right then and there he was dinner, hubby saw it and decided no more, he was just too dangerous.

I now have a Daddy rooster, Dominique mix, two five month old Roo's and 7 pullet Roos. Not one of them so far is aggressive. Daddy Roo is the first to come to me when I go to feed them and I always make sure he gets it first so he can dole it out to the ladies. I will never again put up with an aggressive animal no matter what they are, When they are so dangerous as to draw blood its time to go.

 

[Den in Penn]

Having a aggressive rooster in the house is not a good thing. Even if it was just you there would be potential for damage not just to you but the smaller items in the house when he gets feisty and resists. Your parents will be getting very tired of having to watch their backs, soon if they haven't already. If I allowed chickens in the house any, which I don't, anyone who showed aggressive behavior would be out the door fast. At the least keep him in the cage and let him out when the only thing you have to do is watch him, so no one else is attacked.

 

[PBGGG]

He just attacked our dog Jackie. I heard her yelp so I ran in and my mom picked her up. I smacked him and now he is sitting here with me. I don't know what to do anymore, really. I don't want to get rid of him, but this is just getting a little much.

 

[AmericanMom]

I think what you are wanting is someone to give you the magic cure for aggression, Sadly there really isn't one.. A few people told you here what might work but at the end of the day you are the only one that can make this decision. If not broken it will get worse...much worse... He has already drawn blood , he has or will have everyone terrified of being attacked and were you my daughter and this aggressive animal were in my home you might just come home one day and find the thing in the stew pot. I know that sounds harsh and I apologize but how far must the animal go before you admit he is dangerous?