Rooster behavior?

[kcflock]

I'm not sure if this is the right spot for this..

We are newbies, our oldest chicks are 14 weeks old. Two are roos. They occasionally fight and puff their feathers at each other, but they've started to do it towards us now. My favorite one has taken to pecking at my toes when I wear flip flops and started kicking his feet (not sure how else to describe it??) and puffing up to my daughter. Is this normal, or is he getting a bit too cocky (is that where the term comes from?)? My oldest likes to pick him up and pet him and talk to him, and I thought he enjoyed it since he doesn't run from her, but now I'm wondering if that's not the case? We have no place for aggressive animals on our homestead, so I just want to mentally prepare for him possibly becoming dinner if these are precursors for being a mean rooster.

Thanks!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

That is exactly what my roosters do. I believe they are showing dominance over you. I have four bantam roosters, free range, that follow be every where crowing all the way. I had a rooster that was a pet and very tame, and he would start to circle me with his wing when i tried to pick him up, then lately started grabbing hold of my skin and pulling. (I think maybe trying to mount my hand as a hen) Does he kick his feet while holding him? I have heard that pet chickens will start to peck anything they can see on you. Mine will peck my face, if i'm not careful. They aren't mean, just curious. I have some sebrights, that i expect to attack me any time. I think your roosters will probably turn mean eventually. Probably if you don't want that happening, you wouldn't hold them at all when they were chicks, so that they wouldn't get tame and start thinking you are their hen.

 

[chickens really]

Yes....Time to get rid of the Rooster if its acting aggressive...

 

[kcflock]

When we hold him he is still. Wont peck or try to get away. He's a brown leghorn if that makes a difference

 

[chickens really]

Around here aggression is not tolerated at all.....If something shows any aggression it's gone....Not worth someone getting flogged....

 

[kcflock]

Around here aggression is not tolerated at all.....If something shows any aggression it's gone....Not worth someone getting flogged....

Its the same here. I want to wait for him to get a bit bigger before we cull him (i feel itd be wasteful since he's pretty small)

 

[chickens really]

Its the same here. I want to wait for him to get a bit bigger before we cull him (i feel itd be wasteful since he's pretty small)

I have two young Roosters that were hatched here and raised. They are almost ready for butcher....

 

[Chickiemom25]

That is aggressive behavior towards humans at a young age. Need to nip that in the bud before it gets worse..

 

[andreanar]

At about that age my roo started following me, watching, I think sizing me up. LOL. He would kick at the ground. Never came at me tho. Then he started getting between me and the girls, not wanting me near them. Then it moved on and he full out attacked my sister, she hit him with a thick stick and he still didn't stop. I grabbed him and the other roo off the roost a few days later and made a stew. The girls became friendlier and seemed happier.

 

[Mama Helen]

Just recently, we had no choice but to get rid of one rooster. He started acting the way you described. Within a week of the start of this behavior, he jumped on my leg and left a big gash. Those spurs can be quite dangerous, especially if you have young children. I would definitely get rid of the rooster.

We have far too many rooster per hen ratio, (9 roosters, 41 hens). but most have been roos our hens have hatched. My teen daughters won't part with their "babies." These other roosters are 1-4 years old and can all be cuddled and handled without issue. Some roosters are just more aggressive no matter how they are raised and handled. (As a side note, as this one rooster came at me, three of our other roosters came to my rescue and went after him.)

We've had chickens for almost 30 years. My experience has been that once a rooster tries to dominate people, they need to be culled. I've never had a rooster who started to show aggression become friendly or easy to handle again.