Rooster is there hope?

[Tapsmom]

Hi all,
This is my first batch of chickens. We have 5 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster is an Americuana-well that's what the TSC bin said at any rate I love to hear him crow and he has been friendly so far. My youngest daughter claimed that he jumped on her leg a few days ago. I had told her previously that I didn't want her in with the chickens unless Mommy or Daddy was around BTW. She told me this yesterday. I went in and scooped him up with no problems and they came over and petted him uneventfully. My husband has commented that when he lowers the coop door in the am that Hal has been "riding" it as he opens it. He's been coming toward my husband but hasn't tried anything. My older daughter said he was trying to fly up and land on her leg the other day. She said her leg was bent like a perch and he kept trying to fly onto it. She did not feel he was being agressive-but she is 9. Today I walked in with the chickens and Hal was at the door. When I walked in he puffed up, flapped his wings and flew at me. I just reacted and gave him a kick and them puffed up and chased him around. I don't know if I acted correctly-I just reacted! He is almost 5 months old. Is this normal testing behavior or is this a sign that he is going to be a mean rooster? I went back in a few minutes later and he came near me to eat with the girls but he didn't try anything else. My girls are 5 and 9 so I am not about to take any chances. but if this is just normal "testing teenager" behavior I don't want to get rid off him hastily. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Cockadoodledon't]

I think you handled it perfectly.
He is acting out to show his dominance.
Your reaction showed him who is boss.
If he comes at you, dont back down and do just as you did and your family the same...

YOU DO HAVE TO BE SURE THAT NO ONE TORMENTS OR PICKS AT HIM OR HE WILL WANT TO FIGHT WHENEVER SOMEONE COMES AT HIM.

Once you have asserted your dominance he will get the idea.

 

[Tapsmom]

Thanks. My kids are pretty good with animals and don't torment them. They do love to feed the chickens goodies and search for eggs-we've only had 2 tiny ones so far. I don't want the kids hurt and mine on on the tiny side so I can't have a nasty rooster. In fact they know the drill. We've said "as long as Hal stays friendly he gets to stay, if he doesn't he leaves." Especially since I'm a chicken novice I do enjoy hearing him and he is handsome, but safety comes first. I am afraid that it might come to having to get rid of him but I do like him.

 

[allpeepedout]

Sounds normal from my limited experience. There are some great rooster training tips on BYC and blogs if you do some searches. There are some very specific nonviolent techniques for establishing dominance as the hormones kick in, and you need to nip the behavior in the bud immediately before it becomes habitual. I don't think any animal should be allowed to enter your space / jump up without permission--dog, horse, cat, chicken, whatever.

That being said, I gather that a even a "good" rooster will naturally challenge anything new or unusual that unwittingly enters his territory, a noisy kid, or someone wearing shorts and fancy sandals with brightly painted toes (my neighbor!), etc.

I like having a rooster but was worried at first, and we definitely had to do some work together. I'm very sad that many people view this inflexible, and recommend to kill any rooster at the first sign of any aggression, but each person has his/her own limits, bad experiences, perceptions of risk, and time to invest in livestock. You need to do what you need to do to keep your kids safe, for sure. Good luck!

 

[1320]

It's not pretty when a Rooster decides to attack....

 

[stubbornhill]

I hope for you that it is just his age and his show of dominance will end with the little that he has shown so far. My 16 week old roo has never challenged me. I am the one that feeds them. But he has tried some dominance moves towards my husband. Not aggression, just thinking about it I guess. Our kiddos are all grown up, so I don't have that to worry about. I hope that from here on out, he behaves and just does his job for you!

 

[my3jsons]

With children that small, I wouldn't keep a rooster unless you need him for breeding. Our rooster last year started out by attacking our youngest son. He's 11 but pretty small. Then he worked up the ladder attacking everyone except my husband. He didn't dare do that! Once he bruised up the front of my leg with his wings. I finally got rid of him and was so glad. The stress of not knowing if he would try something got to be too much even though I loved the nostalgic crowing.
This year one of the pullets turned out to be a rooster. So far, he is gentle but the first time he attacks anyone on this farm, he is going to lose his head, literally!

 

[Tapsmom]

He is still acting a little agresive and puffs up if I approach but hasn't tried too much. I'm giving him the weekend before make my decision. The problem is that it's an enclosed area with one entrance and he is waiting when we go in. I have been encourageing him to move back and bringing in their snacks. Once he sees that I have food he stops being agressive. So I don't know if he is testing his protection skills, pushing for dominance, or just being a bratty kid. I'm concerned that if I push back too hard I may egg him on and I may make him more agressive. Today I asked him to move away using my foot or a riding crop and gently pushed him away when he got "puffy" and tried to approach. As long as I didn't approach him directly he just continued making his chicken noises and showed no agression. I won't put up with it but I don't want to exacerbate the problem. I intend to go in somewhat frequently over the weekend to work on this. He also crows almost constantly, too. Now immediately after I leave as well

 

[Tapsmom]

Oh, and I don't need a rooster for breeding. We wanted our chickens just for eggs. Two of the ones we got were straight run and we ended up with 1 rooster and 1 hen.

 

[confusedturtle]

I agree with one of the other posters I dont believe in letting any pet jump on me unless invited. Mine also crowd around the door when I come too but if Iam afraid they will try to get out I give them a squirt with my spray bottle and they get back. So far it has helped me to break up the older hens pecking at the younger ones, a few squables and now it is my helper to keep them back. I also use it to make them go back into their coop when I need to go inside and cant let them free range anymore.