rooster biting!!!-splash cochin

[77horses]

our splash cochin rooster, Foghorn, is biting!!! he's about 3-5 months old and we got him a little while ago. he's gentle when he's around the hens, and he's really shy of us. when we try to pick him up, he turns around and strikes at us. he doesn't bite and twist, but he pecks really hard, with a wide-open mouth. He seems like he doesn't want anybody touching him! When we pat him and try to calm him down, he pulls his head away or opens his mouth REALLY wide and strikes at our hands non stop!

No, killing him and eating him is NOT an option, so please, don't even mention it!

 

[beakkeeper]

No, culling should be used as a last resort only, in my opinion. Do you really have to pick him up? Maybe he wasn't socialized properly when he was a chick. I don't know if you can cure his biting now, so maybe only handle him when necessary.

 

[AngieChick]

Try bribing him with treats. Also maybe pick him up and carry him around. He's obviously feeling threatened, but he will need to get over himself.

Good luck.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
He needs to feel threatened. You want to be the alpha of your flock and always have your roosters just a tad bit scared of you. When I walk into the yard when the chickens are out there both of my roosters automatically step aside and keep their distance.
Biting only leads to worse things IMO.
Read my page on rooster reform. Perhaps you can find some ideas there to help you.

 

[rebecca10782]

It sounds like he was not socialized very well as a baby. I don't know what to do. We had a Brahma/Cochin rooster that only bit me a couple of times one night we I was trying to pick him up to take him into the house to go to bed (we are not allowed roosters in our city) and he wanted to sleep in the tree

Every night we would have to climb the ladder and take all FIVE chickens down, trying not to break our necks in the process

The last time he bit me, he did break the skin. I gave him a spank on the bum. Otherwise he was the sweetest thing. He came in every night and slept on my lap before going up to bed in the bathroom. He was very gentle. We had some 4 week old babies we bought that were VERY untamed and we socialized them by bringing them inside every couple of nights, putting them on our laps in front of the heater and feeding them lots of yummy treats. Our new batch tamed much more quickly because we kept them inside in a tub for several hours EVERY night. The sound of the TV, animals and voices is good for them to be around. Though I don't know how you would get him inside if you can't pick him up without him biting you. Maybe lure him with treats. One thing I noticed is that our guy got much grumpier if he did not get to roam around the yard during the day. Which makes sense for any animal. But I think for roosters, with all that testosterone they get frustrated and grumpy if they can't get there energy out. A few of people told me to become the alpha roo by picking him up and screaming in his face, which of course I did NOT do. That is very cruel to do with any animal. Anyway, my best advice is to make every experience with humans positive. Feed him treats out of your hand and pet him before you try picking him up. Our chickens are very very tame, and even they don't like to be touched or picked up during the day. They want to run. They let us pet them and hold them when they are settled down for the night. I suggest starting to pet him and feed him then, while he is roosting.

 

[77horses]

I'm not sure if he was socialized much when he was a baby.

But my dad has been working with him. He pats him and gives him treats, like donuts and corn. Once he calms down after my dad pats him and talks to him, he does OK. But he still pecks!

 

[Smartie_Pants]

Quote:
Well, you didn't say he was doing anything all the time, just when you picked him up. So just don't pick him up. He obviously doesn't want to be held so respect his wishes.