Rooster getting aggressive

[chickernewbie]

Finally got my first egg today, woohoo! But now my Rooster is getting very aggressive when I enter the coop. I have 7 hens only one has laid so far. What do I need to do to make him not be aggressive and so protective?

 

[Steve J]

A broom and just run it under him when he comes at you. Push up, he'll figure out pretty quickly he can't intimidate you, or do anything to you.

 

[sourland]

There are a variety of ways of dealing with a human aggressive rooster. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. First and foremost do not allow small children anywhere near him. It can only take one flogging attack to injure or even blind a child. What has worked best for me is forcing the rooster into submission. Forcing him to the ground and holding him there until he stops resisting. If he keeps attacking force him into submission again. Another method that I have used is netting the rooster with a short handled fishing net and carrying him around in the net while I do chores. The method that has worked best is to turn him into chicken and dumplings or coq au vin. Sometimes as they age they become more mellow, but frequently they become more aggressive. There are a lot of good roosters out there. I have never tolerated a human aggressive rooster for too long. Good luck in rearranging his attitude.

 

[Steve J]

Is it acceptable for a rooster to want to attack you, if you're catching a hen? Mine does that and never bothers me otherwise.

 

[sourland]

Is it acceptable for a rooster to want to attack you, if you're catching a hen? Mine does that and never bothers me otherwise.

It is understandable that a rooster should want to protect his flock, but he has to know that you are higher in the pecking order than he is. The problem is that such behavior tends to escalate - not always the case, but generally this happens. One thing to never do is to kick at or slap at - this tends to escalate the behavior.

 

[chickernewbie]

I am thinking and understanding that this behavior is due to the hen starting to lay. I was using a small rake to push him away as he dropped the wing at me, is the good or should I tap at him?

 

[Steve J]

I just use a broom and he comes at me, jumps I run it under him, pressing up with each jump. He doesn't like it at all and backs off.