Rooster is nasty

[brown egg 25]

I have a rhode island red rooster who is very aggressive. First it was my wife he went after which isnt good but she can defend herself. Then my 2 year old daughter got scratched on her back by him while i was in thete with her. Finally past couple days hes been coming after me, I will put him in his place. We got these chickens as something to do as a family now my wife and daughter won't even go in the run and want nothing to do with them. I dont want to get rid of the rooster because he takes care of the flock hes stopped a hawk on more then one occasion and a cat believe it or not. Hes very tough which is good and bad i guess. Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[junebuggena]

Invite him to dinner and replace him with a rooster with better manners. Seriously, there are too many nice boys in need of a home for you to put up with a mean one. If you decide to hatch chicks, he will pass that attitude on to his offspring.

 

[brown egg 25]

Don't tell me that yes we planned to hatch chicks.Nothing else can be done?

 

[ChickenHermit]

It's pretty rare to get a roo to calm down once he turns out to be aggressive- it's hard-coded. RIR roos are known for having an issue with that, in particular, I believe. Might be best to give him away and not ask questions, and watch craigslist and such for a better mannered one to look after your girls.

 

[ChickenHermit]

Just to clarify- by give away, I mean to someone who may likely eat him. You would be saving a nicer rooster from the same fate, so it kind of balances out.

 

[brown egg 25]

Ok if anyone eats him it will be us. This is pur first flock didn't know roos could be nice.

 

[Paganrose]

Seriously- Mean rooster stew. with my first chickens I had a mean rooster just like that- Very good at keeping predators away and warning for hawks. He even messed up a stray dog pretty bad. I kept him to try and rehabilitate him. But his attitude never adjusted for more than a day or so before he was back to challenging the adults. Kids couldn't go near him at all. The next spring We butcher him after incubating a bunch of eggs. All the roosters we hatched we just as mean.

 

[ChickenHermit]

Some roos can be really lovely! I've had good luck with barred rock and buff orphington roos myself- big enough to protect the girls, but typically well mannered, at least the ones I have known.

 

[junebuggena]

Rooster can be very sweet and friendly. Most are at least respectful and give the humans a wide berth. Aggressive ones are dinner. Roosters that are not human aggressive will be just as good at protecting the flock.

 

[brown egg 25]

Yea well he is horrible and i used to carry him around he was my favorite of our flock but hes just different now. I guess dinner is all we can do.