Rooster Attack! Advice?

[easttxchick]

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Thanks for the advice. The fact that out of nowhere he bit me and drew blood on my leg was scary since I have muscular dystrophy and the nerve damage will cause this thing to heal in about 4 months, maybe more. I let him chase me up the hill because if I get too close I won't be able to run away without falling and I wasn't about to risk another wound on my leg.

That being the case, get rid of him. I do know that a lot of times, they will meet aggression with aggression so whacking him won't help and you certainly don't want to risk him digging a spur into you-that can be a nasty injury.

 

[BillickChix]

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Absolutely true. I NEVER back down from a rooster-I'll chase them all over heck's half acre before I'll let them best me!
They can never know you're afraid of them or in their little pea brain, you just told him he's the big cheese.

Thank you. I'll be sure to do that with my "lap rooster" who I am keeping, and frequently! No more lap roosters.

 

[BillickChix]

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Thank you everyone for the advice! I will get rid of this guy, start intimidating my other cockerel and chasing him away for no reason, and I'll stay dominant BEFORE he can feel dominant or equal to me. I appreciate it everyone!

 

[Ravishaw]

I had a little black cochin that tried to boss me around one time.
ONE TIME.

I picked him up, fussed his comb, and he pecked me once, and it stung, but I flipped him upside down and ruffled his tummy feathers and played with his comb and waddles some more.

I did it right in front of the other hens.
I did it right in front of another rooster.

He was never aggressive towards me again... The other rooster; he ran him for miles and miles.

I could catch him, and he'd eat out of my hand, but as a rule he would steer clear of me.

Hope you get your guy re-homed.

 

[silkiechicken]

There are too many good roos to put up with an aggressive one. I would consider inviting him to dinner, to be the centerpiece of dinner that is.

For future reference, never run or back down from a rooster, you want to be a sparing partner and to beat him at his game so badly he won't even look you in the eye without getting nervous.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I always enjoy these stories, as I have never met one of these "good roos" in almost 18 years of chicken keeping. The one I have now is starting to test me in the mornings. I never let a rooster get near me, never pet one & never cuddle one. I just tolerate them and keep something between me & him. Just don't really get the pet aspect of all this stuff. I keep them to hear them crow and in case the Stuff hits the fan, etc. Roos are roos & they are a pain.

 

[Moxiechick]

The neighbor's rooster went after me the other week. My partner and I were walking with our dog, when he surprised us in a tight spot between our camper and snowmobiles. He flared his neck feathers and ran to attack my leg, so I reached down and after getting a spur to my hand, managed to get a hold of him. I just held him down in a squat position for about half a minute, while repeating the word "no" in a low voice. Then I released him. He hasn't bothered me since. If I'm waking in the vicinity where he is, he just casually moves away. At least so far....

 

[BillickChix]

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We're newbies and we've only had chickens for 4 months. I had heard many times that when you have a more docile breed (BCM's, Orpies) that the rooster has a tendency to be nice and there are no issues. This is definitely something I wasn't prepared for. I had read the threads about aggressive roosters and I didn't think a rooster could do a 180 so quickly, but I was obviously wrong. The instinctual need to spar and protect and dominate should be respected and not punished, and in my ignorance I didn't think a sweet little clucker could turn so aggressive so quicky. Since we're only raising the chickens for eggs and not meat, I think we will be a no-rooster family from now on.

 

[BillickChix]

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Haha! I can't even get anyone to take him off my hands for free for meat use! Thanks for the tip!

 

[CMV]

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That worked for me for quite a while. Roosters are a right pain in the neck for the most part. I had fewer problems overall when I stuck with just having hens. Roosters complicate things.