Rooster Getting Aggressive

[Chickassan]

This! I've never had a roo with space be a butthole. Roos in runs and smaller limits yes,plenty of wonky behavior especially when they're young.

I have found that some of the cockerals that test boundaries do better when placed into larger areas or allowed to free range. Perhaps it's a fight or flight behavior and without room to run they are more prone to fight...

 

[Ruralhideaway]

The previously mentioned roo I had, possibly a silver spangled Hamburg, free ranged actively, among all the birds I had then he covered the most ground by far. Didn't matter how far away he was though, if he heard a car pull in or the house door open he made time. He was a mouthy complaining chick who got handled lots. He held no gratitude though, anyone in the yard got flogged.

 

[jthornton]

I went down to pick up the food bowl at sunset and Henry followed me. I tried to show him the roost in the makeshift shelter but it was getting dark so he started looking for a place to roost. Ended up on a briar branch so I got him down and put him on the roost. I thought he would spend the night there as it was getting near dusk. Woke up this morning and noticed a blob on the handrail over looking the chicken yard... it is Henry. I guess he followed me back up to the house... I just assumed he would stay on the roost. We got a light dusting of snow last night.

This morning about 1/2 hour before dawn I suited up and got him off the handrail and carefully made my way down to the run in the snow. He sat quiet the whole time. I held him for a while in the run before putting him down. We'll see what today brings.

JT

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

So you put Henry in his own run?

 

[jthornton]

I don't have a separate run at this time so he is back with the girls.

JT

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I hope he behaves himself.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I'm only repeating what I've read here, but maybe get a net, calmly catch him in it when he's a jerk a few times, then keep it handy? Might give him a reason to keep his distance. Other than a lead cure.

 

[jthornton]

I'm only repeating what I've read here, but maybe get a net, calmly catch him in it when he's a jerk a few times, then keep it handy? Might give him a reason to keep his distance. Other than a lead cure.

He came really close to getting lead poisoning Monday. We'll see what a week roughing it does for him. I think I'm going to try the holding him method, the intimidation method kinda backfired on the pullets. Finally got the pullets back to not being scared of me.

JT

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I bet he's quiet for a bit. Other advice I've seen is actually to kick him out for a bit when he's rude.

Again, only repeating what I read here. I failed miserably all those years ago. My guy learned not to get me in time but everyone else was fair game. Including my then 3 year old. She's in college now, she'll be able to take whatever comes with my new cockerels hormonal stage lol.

 

[jthornton]

Not one peep from Henry today, he is a new man!

JT