Rooster experts, help me pls?

[marlene]

I have posted about this roo once before.
Well same problem as before, i put my hand in the brooder and he bit me real hard, this is the second time now that he has done this to me.
I have never had a roo before and had reservations about keeping one, but i figured i wanted to hatch new chicks in the spring so might aswel use my own eggs as i have had very bad hatches from shipped eggs, so that is why i kept him.
But i really cannot tolerate a nasty roo in my garden as i have young children that play out there.
Is it likely that he will keep attacking me?(he is 15 weeks old) or is it just because his hormones are starting to kick in?

 

[mommissan]

I hate to be a downer, but it's mostly worse from here. You can try the dominance game with him, but if the young children don't have dominance over him then they are fair game. Re-home him or stew him wen you're done with him. FYI: for fertile hatching eggs, they are fertile for almost three weeks after they've been bred, if that helps you plan your "egg-take".

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with the above post, no roo is worth a scared little one. If you have small children, I would not have a rooster on the place. 2 1/2 feet off the ground puts their eyes and faces well within the roo's reach. Some have claimed to train them, but you are depending on reasoning with a small brain. Mix with hormones, not real dependable

Get rid of him, and wait til they are older. Maybe not the breeds you want, but if you do some calling around, asking at the feed store, you probably can get fertilized eggs close by, or if you have a broody hen, order live chicks to come in 2-3 weeks after she goes broody, and slip them under her.

MrsK

 

[centrarchid]

Waste of time.

 

[steelersfan43]

some roosters can be very gentle and nice around small kids. However, if he is already showing aggression, it will not get better only worse. You might want to wait a little bit till the kids get older, but if you decide you do want a rooster, your best bet is to try again. The only other option is to have a rooster hut. Pretty much like a rabbit hutch, you keep him in all the time and put the girls in there to be fertilized every so often. You still run the risk of getting bit though if you go that route but you would still get your fertile eggs. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

[centrarchid]

z

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

I've had more than one rooster... Barred Rock and Barred Rock mix (the first's son)... I think being half Barred Rock and half RIR makes him a Black Star rooster? Anyway, I've never had an aggressive Barred Rock roo, and yet, they are great flock keepers, breeders, and providers. What breed is your rooster? Maybe consider sending him to freezer camp and replacing him with a more docile breed?
I've also heard, read on here, that over-handling of a young cockerel, chick, can blur the lines between people and poultry and cause roosters to be aggressive toward people; not to know or keep their place?

I have hand fed, but not handled so much mine.. just a little, now and then, when young and just "as needed" for dusting, worming, medicating, etc. when grown. I talk to all my chickens and try not to scare them.
All said, I wouldn't keep an aggressive rooster. One attack toward any person, and they would be gone... soup.
Good luck.

 

[marlene]

Thanks for the input.
He is a blue copper marans.
Probably wait another month or two for him to mature and for the weather to warm up, get some eggs fertilised from him and then if he is still showing aggression he will have to go.
At the moment the weather is too cold so the kids do not go in the garden, every one is safe for now

 

[Tripp16]

If you know where a roo is that you want to breed your hens too but dont want to take him home. Artificially inseminate them? Quick, fast and easy.

 

[darin367]

he's probably trying to tell you to let him out of the brooder,,,, for petes sake he's 15 weeks old...he wants to go be a chicken........... my kids chase them around so much from 5 weeks on that they have grown up kid friendly......