Rooster Attacking When I Call in the Flock

[renfrows-roost]

I got 2 suprise roosters along with my flock of laying hens that are about to be 6 months old. They've both been pretty respectful roosters so far as they've been going through puberty and haven't been attacking me. As my flock is supervised free-range, I've made sure to work on calling them with a high pitched "here chicky chicky" and lots of treats from the time they were chicks. Since my roosters hit puberty, my second in command rooster has been using this as an opportunity to hang back and jump on the straggling hens once my lead rooster follows me around the corner. This has been agitating my lead rooster as every time I call them my straggling hens start screaming and fussing as they're pounced on. Now, a month into this new issue, my lead rooster has started attacking my legs when I end up having to call for too long once he's already come up. I don't know whether he's irritated that all the hens are coming running for me and thinks he can unseat me as head of the flock, whether he's just getting incredibly agitated by the second rooster and taking it out on me for causing the issue, or whether the high pitched calling (that I would assume he's used to and clearly knows means treats are coming) is getting on his nerves. I'm not trying to over rationalize the behaviors of a hormonal young rooster, but I'd like to understand why he's getting triggered by what I'm doing so that I can think up a solution that won't bother him. Have any of you struggled with similar issues? He's a friendly rooster that looks after his ladies and typically never even thinks to attack people so I'd just like solve this before he gets used to clawing up my calves. Has anyone come up with a way to call in hens that doesn't upset their roosters delicate sensibilities?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sounds like it's time to separate the juvenile roosters from the flock. After everyone goes to roost at night, go in and remove the cockerels, and put them in a separate pen. Either rehome them, send them to freezer camp, or keep them separate until they grow up and settle down and quit pestering the hens.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Another thought - do you have to lead your #1 rooster and majority of the hens around a corner so that the flock is separated? Can you give them treats where the rooster can see and hear the entire flock all at once? And instead of using that high- pitched call, try just rattling the treat container, they're probably familiar with that, too. Mine come running when they hear the back door slam, knowing I'm on my way, I wouldn't even have to call them.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

He thinks you're crowing. Fighting him too much will potentially make him think he can cockfight you and become boss rooster. With my boys, I preferred to treat them like they were just not worth my attention, so I'd push them away and make them get out of my space, then go about my business like nothing happened. If he's too aggressive, another tactic is to pick him up and tuck him under your arm backwards while pinning his wings with your arm and holding his feet with your hand. If you wear a jacket, he won't be able to do anything by pecking you, so you can just carry him around that way. My boys eventually just got bored and frustrated and wanted to get away from me after a while. Then they eventually figured out that attacking me was just going to result in annoyance and less treats, so they lost interest.

 

[sourland]

I'd try removing the second cockerel from the flock. Do you really need two males for your flock?

 

[Shadrach]

I got 2 suprise roosters along with my flock of laying hens that are about to be 6 months old. They've both been pretty respectful roosters so far as they've been going through puberty and haven't been attacking me. As my flock is supervised free-range, I've made sure to work on calling them with a high pitched "here chicky chicky" and lots of treats from the time they were chicks. Since my roosters hit puberty, my second in command rooster has been using this as an opportunity to hang back and jump on the straggling hens once my lead rooster follows me around the corner. This has been agitating my lead rooster as every time I call them my straggling hens start screaming and fussing as they're pounced on. Now, a month into this new issue, my lead rooster has started attacking my legs when I end up having to call for too long once he's already come up. I don't know whether he's irritated that all the hens are coming running for me and thinks he can unseat me as head of the flock, whether he's just getting incredibly agitated by the second rooster and taking it out on me for causing the issue, or whether the high pitched calling (that I would assume he's used to and clearly knows means treats are coming) is getting on his nerves. I'm not trying to over rationalize the behaviors of a hormonal young rooster, but I'd like to understand why he's getting triggered by what I'm doing so that I can think up a solution that won't bother him. Have any of you struggled with similar issues? He's a friendly rooster that looks after his ladies and typically never even thinks to attack people so I'd just like solve this before he gets used to clawing up my calves. Has anyone come up with a way to call in hens that doesn't upset their roosters delicate sensibilities?

The answer is to call the rooster and not the hens. Let the rooster call the hens.

This article might help you understand why your rooster is getting pissy.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/