Rooster Attack!!! Advise Please!!!!

[SandyC]

My dear Little Peep, who I raised from and egg last spring and is now a BIG Barred Rock Rooster, kept aggressively peeking at my legs yesterday when I was feeding the chickens in the barn. If I tried to scoot him away with my boot, he became more aggressive. I have a flock of 9, 3 roosters, 6 hens and three female turkeys. The other two roosters are Spitzhaubens and a could of babies in temperment. They have been in the barn because of the deep snow we have, but apparently Little Peep did the same thing, on a lesser scale to my 10 yo son about 8 weeks ago. Is this something that is likely to occur more and more. As much as I would hate to lose him, I can't have a rooster with an attitude around.

Any suggestions?

 

[TaLani]

Please read rooster-red's info, it works if you're consistent. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2588-Roo_behavior Good luck!

 

[ams3651]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2588-Roo_behavior

read it, live it

your rooster is trying to prove his dominace and must not be allowed to be dominate over you. I pick mine up and carry him around but I have to do it every couple weeks, he just keeps trying. I know hes protecting his girls but he has to learn I am allowed to pick them up. Be careful with the kids, keep them close when the rooster is around.

 

[ams3651]

see, rooster red is on a high pedestal when it comes to roosters

 

[PortageGirl]

That's a lot of roosters to have with so few hens.. honestly I'd pick the ONE you want to keep, and either re-home the others... maybe to freezer camp, but that's up to you.

A full grown rooster with spurs can hurt a kid VERY badly! Heck, he can gash YOU bad enough to send you to the doctor! I was able to deal with a rowdy roo as a kid and maybe your 10 year old is too, (not all are) but make sure he understands about it.

I see others have suggested Rooster-Red's page and I very strongly endorse that too. I have used parts of this advice for years before having ever read it, (I'm pretty sure I'm older than Rooster-Red. Getting them by the ankles and holding them upside down is sort of terrifying to them, but better scared now then stewed later if you want to keep him around.

Often carrying them around and stroking them really is enough. I've also forced them into a subordinate position, by getting a hand on their neck/shoulders and pushing them down flat (well, sort of flat) and holding them there so they have to squat like a hen... I'd say it embarrasses their macho-selves, but chickens don't have human emotions, so embarrassing isn't the right word. What they do have is a 'pecking order' though and you need to put him on the bottom of the rooster pecking order. He's trying to convince you that he’s more dominant than you are. If you can’t convince him otherwise, yeah, there’s some good recipes here and he might be young enough to taste half decent!

 

[SandyC]

Thank you...that was a great article! I know that I have too many roosters. Last year I got 5 Barred Rocks and 5 Spitzhaubens, all free range. I also hatched some eggs. ALL but 2 of the free ranged chicks were roosters, of which all but 2 are in my freezer. Two I was able to give away. I kept the two Spitzhauben roosters, because they seemed very friendly. They come up to me to be pet! Little Peep was the lone survivor of my hatching and much to my dismay, also was a rooster. I was hoping that they would all get along...I know!