Rooster help

[mlavigne78]

I have a 4 month old Dominique rooster. Right now I have him with 5 production red hens just because. He's always been a great rooster and nice as could be. This past week I went on vacation and had a buddy watch my chickens. When I got home I noticed their water was very low and I had 2 days of eggs. I called him and he said that rooster flogged him every time he went in there. Could this be b/c it's someone new or because he's going to just be like that with age? He didn't mess with me when I went in there today. I was also wondering how most people keep a rooster separated? What size pen and such? I have 12 young doms I'm waiting to get bigger but don't want him with them dummy time. Any info would be great.

 

[chooks4life]

It's not unknown for a rooster to flog one person and not another.

I personally cull them for any human aggression as my efforts to retrain have never worked long term and I can't chance a rooster harming or killing a human child. It's great to have an animal that protects your property... Unless it's doing so with violence that is not warranted, and might cost you a lot of money and someone a lot of grief and damage.

If he was inclined to be violent, he will show that trait. It doesn't just crop up out of a truly tame mentality, rather it was always lurking. It doesn't guarantee he'll show it on you, but there is a great likelihood of him passing it onto his offspring as this is a strongly behavioral heritable pattern. Any chicken that views a human as an opponent or victim to bully, I cull. That is not a normal behavior or mentality at all. Normal chickens never even think along the lines that lead to them attacking a human.

I'm not a fan of the idea that it should become a 'who's the biggest rooster? I'm the biggest rooster!' competition because... I'm not a rooster. I'm a human. Humans must be respected whether or not they can prove to the bird they are able to manhandle it by force. The 'alpha rooster' methods of dealing with a violent rooster supposedly work for some folks though. I don't breed any bird that is confused about what species it is, or I am.

You may be willing to take the chance, personally I am not, but as I said, each to their own and best wishes with whatever your choice is.

 

[mlavigne78]

I agree with what u say 100%. I just wasn't around when he flogged him. Did it really happen? I'm sure it did but I was just curious if they chose diff people. Any other rooster I've had like that didn't care who you were, they just jumped on you.