Rooster acting up...

[cointoss]

Hi, I'm new posting here, but I've been reading for months. This forum has helped me a lot as a new chicken owner -- thans guys! My Araucana Rooster, just about 5 months old now, has started acting up a little. Two weeks ago he ran at me, but backed off when I stomped my foot. Then last week he bit me when I pet him before letting him out of the cooop. That didn't bother me much, since I hadn't let them out the day before (they free-range during the day, and we were having torrential rains) and I was getting between him and his grass/bugs. But then yesterday he attacked my legs and would not stop no matter what I did (shoving him off, facing him down, trying very hard to be top rooster, and apparently failing.) I think he charged my calves something like 20 times. I was wearing new muck boots with red stripes at the top and I'm thinking maybe he thought they were a rooster??? Today, I didn't wear the boots, but I did wear a red robe, and no strange behavior, he was the calm rooster we raised from chick-hood. He has a bent toe that he broke somehow as a young roo, and it clearly hurt him after the attack for a few hours since he couldn't put his foot down, though he seems fine now. His behavior is different though: he hasn't crowed more than once since dawn and he hasn't mounted his ladies in front of us, so I am hoping he decided I won after all? I hope so, because I have a toddler who is outdoors all the time with them, and if he doesn't behave, he's going to move farms or go in the pot! And while I am OK eating any future roosters I have, we sort of had an agreement that he would be safe from that ending as our first and dearest rooster. HA! In the meantime, we are going to start acting more dominant around him, stop letting him mount the girls all the time in front us, etc. My husband is going to pick him up every morning, too (we were't doing that anymore, we'd shifted to just petting him in the mornings.) Well, just wanted to share! Any advice would be appreciated, too. Thanks

 

[Attack Chicken]

I have a white leghorn rooster named Kernal and he doesn't like my dad at all...Everytime my dad goes out in the backyard he goes up to him and does his sideways dance and then just jumps on him.he's gotten my dad pretty good sometimes but no stitches yet lol. He's fine we me and my mom im thinking it's because he mostly got raised by females (us). And he just doesnt like males. Im not sure what to tell you :\\ gl with him just try and give him treats ^.^

 

[ashyannehand]

I had the same problem with a black star roo who began acting up at about 5 months. He was very protective fo the girls and great in every other way. He would be a good boy for a few days and then all of a sudden he would become kung fo roo. He got to the point that he was so bad we had to cull him.

Good luck!

OH -

 

[Attack Chicken]

I could never cull my rooster even if he did beat up my dad^.^. He's just a sweetheart to me and purrs like a cat!when i pet him. He also defends the backyard of cats and coopers hawks. But roosters are very protective of the people who have raised them.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Sounds like you are doing the right things. You might add to that keeping him away from any treats that you may have to offer until your hens have eaten. Keep reminding him that you are the alpha roo, not him. Good luck! I too believe in the value of a good rooster and would rather reform than head straight to the stock pot.

 

[cointoss]

Great suggestion, thanks! I do give them treat most days, so that's an easy one to do.

 

[cointoss]

An update!

Well, after a few months of attempted rooster rehab, we had a dinner party last night and everyone got to eat a piece of the "Moon." It became clear Moon would never accept not being the alpha rooster, and would keep attacking people. We had my husband's uncles help and show us the right way to kill, clean and dress the chicken. Then, we made a wonderful Coq au Vin with a very nice bottle of wine we'd been cellaring for a few years, and made it a tribute to moon with moon-shaped biscuits and a heartfelt grace. Wonderful dinner, and a good growing experience. We feel confident now that if we ever have to cull a rooster again or we have more land where we decide to raise chickens for meat, that we will be comfortable doing it. Thank you Moon, and thank you every one for your help!

B

 

[willkatdawson]

I'm new to chickens also. Mine are five months old next week. We have 7 hens and 1 barred rock roo. So far he seems OK, but he has only last week started breeding with 2 of the hens. If you don't mind would you pass along in detail how your husbands uncles culled your bird. In the back of my mind I am worried that one of my chickens will be injured and I will need to put it out of its pain. I've never killed anything before and I want to know how to do it just in case.
Thanks...

 

[Poohbear]

Chickens don't know a male human from a female human! How could they?

 

[cointoss]

I wasn't out with my husband while they culled the rooster, I was indoors watching my son, but from from what I understand they had him carry the rooster to the barn by his legs, upside down, which made him totally docile, and then lay him down across the block, holding him just under the head. Then they used a machete chop his neck in one stroke...

There are several ways to kill a chicken humanely. I think its best if you are interested the methods to find someone who does it, and watch them. I mean, we had read up on the methods quite a bit before he did it, but watching someone was totally different, and much more confidence-instilling.

Good luck with your roo. Keep handling him every day, and don't let him mate with the girls in front of you. There's a lot of good info on this forum about trying to keep a rooster sweet, and I think if you start before any bad behavior starts, and keep it up, it will probably work!

Blessings!