Rooster Bites

[Chickie6]

Hello,
New to chickens. I have 8 chickens ....4 ended up to be roosters...they are 3 months of age.

Two avoid me, want nothing to do with me and that is fine. The other seems to be the leader and he will let me pick him up if I can catch him and handle him. He is watchful but never mean. The last one is a silkie and he will bite me when I reach in the coop at evenings to check food and water. It was a pretty hard bite. I am planning to move the boys to their own coop since it may be too many roos for 4 hens. More hens is not an option I have.

Any thoughts on this biting behavior? Is it territorial of the coop? I am not able to cull these guys and I would rather they have a happy home with me as I took on the responsibility. I cant have mean or aggressive behaviors going on though.

Any advice would be great! Thank you!

 

[centrarchid]

I handle young roosters a lot, but it appears the process can be botched up. For now, cease handling any of the birds. Let them initiate contact. You can move slowly avoid scaring them. When in really close proximity try to not be above them. No petting head and back. If a bird bites, then freeze in place until aggression stops. Resume your activity when the aggression stops. I assume you can handle the discomfort. If a male is more aggressive towards you, then remove him from flock in favor of a lesser aggressive bird. If all males prove unpleasant, get rid of all. Learn how to handle hens, then look into getting a mature rooster if still desired that has not demonstrated overt aggression towards humans. Try not to rile roosters by being dominant. Do not me submissive. Be inert like a rock.

 

[50-45-1]

I dont see the pecking at your hands aggresive behavior.
Now if he is stalking you, trying to spur your feet and legs, that is aggresive
I gather eggs from under my hens every day. Some calmly let me raise them up and gather. Some other ones peck my hands like i am lunch and they are a hungry lion. After all i am taking something they see as theirs, and i am invading their space.
Really though, in 40 years no chicken peck has harmed me.
Rooster spurs yes!
Your roosters are young. Its hard to tell now how they will turn out.
If i were you i would seroiusly start thinking about finding a alternate future for 3 of those roosters. Your coop, run and barnyard will be more peacefull.
Best of luck to you!

 

[Folly's place]

I don't think that a cockerel approaching and biting is appropriate behavior, and he'd have to reform, or be gone. Or better yet, just move him on with full disclosure.
I think that the cockerels who avoid you are behaving better, and one of them may be a better choice to keep, if you plan to keep any of them.
Mary

 

[adickenscoop]

You should start a bachelor flock! Having multiple roosters is so much fun! They are great! I love my boys! Every rooster has the potential to be super friendly. It all depends on whether your willing to spend a little time working with them. Here are some good tips - http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/gentling-roosters

 

[Rietta]

I guess my observation is he is guarding his hens, or what he sees as his hens. Roosters are meant to protect and mine is 80-20% on attacks for me. He is more aggressive some days than others. I just bring along a walking stick to distract his aggression I DO NOT HIT, PUSH, OR MAKE ANY gesture toward him. it is simply to be able to block his attack if he decides to do so. I use it like a pole just set it on the ground between me and him, he pecks it and usually moves on. When he was young he was amazing and never came toward me, but the older her gets to more he tries to control my movement. That being said, he saved three hens from a dog attack then I pulled his head out of the dogs mouth, he was fine not a single wound ( I cried though, traumatic). He was too much for the dog, I will ALWAYS have a roo.