Rooster only attacks me!

[Eloradelgado]

We have a Barred Rock rooster who we've handed raised from day one and my son and my brother pick him up occasionally but I just don't really have any interest I played with the girls and he only attacks me and it's getting worse and it makes me nervous maybe that's why I don't understand what I can do and why he's targeting me I feed him I water him I'm outside everyday with snacks why is he only attacking me!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The advice to kill him is assuming you have no patience to work with him. I hope that is an incorrect assumption.

Unfortunately a lot of roosters and cockerels who aren't friendly are set in their ways. We had a bantam boy (and then his son after him) that for 2 years each we put up with and tried to work with because we wanted to keep them. Darn near lost an eye with the son. Unfortunately aggression is part genetic too. You keep roosters to have chicks. An aggressive rooster is more likely to have agressive chicks

 

[Punkybrewster]

I dont keep aggressive roosters. They can really hurt you. I put mine in the freezer.

 

[3KillerBs]

Unfortunately aggression is part genetic too. You keep roosters to have chicks. An aggressive rooster is more likely to have aggressive chicks

Well said.

 

[Jenjens]

My rooster has never tried to go after me. We raised him from a chick. He started attacking my husband with sneak attacks and every time he would pass him. It was getting bad. My husband knows how much I love my chickens and he was drawing blood on his ankles, so he worked with him. The advice to kill him is assuming you have no patience to work with him. I hope that is an incorrect assumption.

What he did was pick him up immediately and hold him, talk to him and walk with him around the yard. For at least 5 minutes. every time he would try to attack. I know it will seem hard because you are scared, but if you try to pick him up, he shouldn't be on attack mode at that point, he will be on flight mode (at least with my rooster) He doesn't like to be held. (Although I secretly think He does because He doesn't try to escape when being held) He now realizes that attacking my husband means he will be picked up so he doesn't do it anymore. Wear clothes that cover your skin and maybe gloves. My husband didn't need that because he wouldn't struggle when he held him.

I also read that when the rooster is about to attack to raise your arms up real high and wave them to make yourself look even bigger and then chase him. Some people just chase them around until they give up. The main thing you need to do is make him submit. Make him back down so he knows you are boss. When he realizes that he is not in charge and you are, he will also respect you.

There are some good articles online how to tame a rooster. You need to have patience. Chickens are smart animals. I love my little jerk to bits. SO I would try to work with a living, feeling, sentient animal first. To immediately kill an animal without trying first is a complete disregard to life.

 

[Bear1978]

“Sorry Johnny, the rooster got out of the pen and ran away to another farm I gues... Oh by the way, we’re having fried chicken for supper.. Go wash up now..”

Problem solved. Mean rooster got an early flight to the big roost in the sky.

 

[neo71665]

You gonna have to show him who is boss or get rid of him. As mean as it sounds one swift kick across the pen normally does the trick.

 

[Lovem all]

I had the same problem with my barred X austrolorp roo. His name is Ricky and he seemed to latch on to me but I was the only person who really did anything with the chickens. it would be scary walking into the coop knowing he was going to try to attack me. Eventually I would start saying allowed to me and him "if you hit me I can hit you back harder" I had to remember I was the giant and frankly could easily kill him. Ricky then ended up getting hurt and I was the one who helped him. To quote myself, he might be a butt hole but he's my butt hole. We now went from everyday attacks to having respect for each other due to just a little extra time spent together. I respect that he protects my girls and he respects that I take care of his girl. I no longer fear him and we have a wonderful love/hate relationship. He's my grumpy old man. (also I would suggest carrying a walking stick with you so if he goes at you you can push him away and keep it between ya'll when he's fired up)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Well said.

Thank you

 

[NatJ]

he only attacks me and it's getting worse and it makes me nervous...
why is he only attacking me!!

It could be something about the way you act or move.

Sometimes it works to change how you act: pretend you're so big and tough that he can't really hurt you, and go about your business knowing you're safe. The idea is to fool both yourself and the rooster. (Of course, sometimes it does not work.)

I've never had much trouble with mean roosters, but that may be caused by my own attitude: it's just a chicken, I'm much bigger than it is, and I am quite willing to eat chickens. That could influence how I act around the chickens, which could in turn influence how they act toward me. (Also, if I eat a rooster when he first becomes a problem, he never becomes a long-term problem.)

He's just like a pet and my son will be so sad they are 18 weeks old today hoping but I can try and assert my dominance but I'm so nervous! His main thing is running at me and trying to attack my feet or legs or charging at me anytime I try and give him food or fill up their feeder

If your son is old enough to care about the rooster, he's old enough to have a discussion with. Have you told him there's a problem?

Maybe you can make a deal. Either the rooster goes, or the son does the feeding and watering. He may decide the rooster isn't worth it, and then you would either butcher or re-home the rooster, and the problem would be solved.

If your son is too young to be able to feed and water the chickens, then I would consider him too young to have a dangerous pet. Also, chickens do not live forever. You son will eventually lose his pet rooster, either to an illness or an injury or a predator or something, even if you don't choose to butcher or rehome him now. So you will have to face that issue at some point. (Yes, I agree it might be easier to face at a different age.)

From what you've said, I just don't think you will personally be able to re-train this rooster to not attack you. I don't know how much of the problem is the rooster's temperament and how much is your own reaction, but trying to change both of those is a BIG job if it can be done at all. Not every chicken can work with every person, just like some dogs don't work for some people.