Rooster Gone Sour

[mosander]

Personally, I get rid of aggressive roosters but I have two 7 month old silkie roosters who are idiots and only weight 3-4 pounds. I purchased water pistols to discourage human attacks. Because the hens are annoyed at their every-2-minute bid for sex, I have been putting them outside the pen every morning so the hens can have a pleasant day. Squirting roosters with water can dampen their aggression. They are thinking about tagging me but so far only my husband and another man who came for eggs has had any trouble. Elvis and Studley may be going to the market.

 

[ShannonR]

If that rooster were around here.. he would suddenly disappear! JMHO

My thoughts EXACTLY. I think Clux is going to have an accident soon......

 

[Sea Wolf]

Talk to your "friend" and then talk to the management of the farm. You are allowing a dangerous bird access to the public .. and children. When someones kid gets bloodied (and it will happen) the farm will be hit with a lawsuit. With so many nice roosters, there is absolutely no need to keep a mean one. It is positively not "The best rooster we have". Get rid of it asap.

 

[Fishychick]

Aren't there any pens or enclosures were Clux can live without harming anyone? I have 5 roosters who are all penned in two places. I carry a snow shovel in front of me when I go in with them.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Friendly' cockerels are sometimes actually bold, and sizing you all up, and when they mature, they figure that humans are flock members who should be managed.
I hope you've been to the doctor's about your injuries, and have an up to date tetanus vaccine on board!!! Get on it today if you haven't, and charge it all to the farm owner, who's responsible, very likely legally, depending on where you live.
This rooster needs to be gone...
Children, or any visitors, shouldn't be able to chase the birds, ever. Some farm!!!
It just sounds like a bad situation on many levels here.
Mary

I've just learned this. Of a group of 8 cockerels I saved 2 for myself, one that was indifferent to me and another that seemed very friendly. Now its clear that body language that seemed friendly was him sizing me up. As soon as I get another hatch I'll be culling that rooster. No amount of correction has changed his behavior.

 

[Folly's place]

I want cockerels who spend their time interacting with their flockmates, and learning how to be good flock members, rather than following me around.
I have a flock of adults of different ages, and roosters, and cockerels, so the younglings learn by example, and by being 'squelched' by the adults. It's good to be humble, and grow into adulthood that way.
Mary

 

[aart]

@Buff-Blondie any resolution?

 

[microchick]

Really interesting, educating and entertaining thread.

I feel for the OP as they sound as though they are caught between a rock and a hard place. I was surprised that nobody raised the fact that spur or claw injuries from a bird are potentially dangerous from a medical POV until something like page 4.

I hope the owner of the farm has enough gray matter to have visitors to the farm sign a liability release in the event of an accident making them understand that a farm is a dangerous place. Also informing them that children will not be allowed to pester or torment the animals and will be kept under control or the visitor will be asked to leave the farm.

Also ask all visitors to turn off their cell phones while on the farm. The owner has the right to do that. We did it in my husband's medical practice, friends in medicine asked their patients to do it. It's just good sense and common courtesy.

Anyone injured should be immediately taken to a first aid station. The wound cleansed, disinfected and bandaged. The injured person should be made aware of the fact that tetanus shots should be up to date and the injured person made aware of the fact that infections may result in the event of a wound inflicted by a chicken, rooster or hen. I've suffered many deep scratches, some on my face from a well meaning young bird that wants to fly up and sit on my shoulder for treats. Anybody ever looked at a chicken's foot? I mean they walk in feces all day!

That takes me back to having a signed release of liability from visitors. In this sue happy society, if the owner of the farm doesn't wake up and smell the bacon about the potential dangerous behavior this bird is exhibiting, somebody besides he or she stands a chance of owning the farm.....literally.

Please take care of your wounds. If you want to gasp and say, OMG! just google 'spur wounds by roosters'. Or do a search here on BYC for spur injuries from roosters.

As for the rooster....when you get new boots make sure they have steel toes and aim for his head......

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I haven't read this whole thread but thought I'd offer up my experiences with nasty roosters.

In the early 70's my uncle almost lost an eye when attacked by a rooster in their own backyard. He still has the scars from it.

When my daughter was 5 a young bantam rooster attacked her. He jumped up and grabbed her upper thigh. He didn't let go until our dog (who never bothers any livestock) went after him. We'd raised him from a chick and that was the first time he's been aggressive. My husband took care of him that night.

We raise our own chicks so we have a lot of roosters. Personality is the #1 criteria for ALL animals on our farm. No tolerance for any critters with attitude that are not family friendly. You must assess an animal on how they are at that moment in time. The fact something was a sweet chick but is now a jerk is not enough to keep them around. I agree with what you've been told by many on here. Rooster MUST go ASAP! Or else he will hurt or maim someone. That's the bottom line.

 

[saundralea]

You have too many good things going for you to have that rooster. Don't let him scare someone so the don't like chickens or farm life. He won't get any better so cut his head off and let the public enjoy the farm. Don't keep him any longer. Let the people enjoy the farm.