Rooster randomly attacks

[shannon84]

No what is that, and where do you get that type of feed? I've heard of it before but I don't know anything about it.

 

[nikkers390]

My buff Orpington rooster randomly attacks me. His behavior is crazy and so random! I never know his mood! I love him and he hasn't done major damage or anything. Just minor scratches. My husband he will do damage to him like deep cuts. Does anyone have an insight on why he is like this? He seems edgy, it's been hot here to.

I got a rooster from a friend. He was her best flock guardian but she started breeding a different breed and he had to go so I took him. He was a joy till the pullets started laying and then went Jeckyl and Hyde. I tried different methods of calming him to no avail. After he spurred my shin to the bone he became history.
I now have 6 roosters from 3 years old to 1 year old. I have NO fear of entering the pen. My main rooster keeps order and the others are submissive to him and they are ALL submissive to me. I don't feel I should put up with a nasty rooster. There are far too many good flock guardians who do not want to bite the hand that feeds them. My chickens are treated like chickens. I do not force my affections on them and if a hen or chick sit in my lap it is their choice. I don't encourage them to do it but when they do I do not discourage them.

These are my egg layers. I don't butcher my birds.

 

[Choco Maran]

shannon84 The best explanation I can give you is he does not see you as the leader. He is trying to dethrone you. He have to show him you are the flock leader and he is second in command. Do not walk around him walk thru him. In other words if he is in your way walk right towards him and make him move first. As my horse trainer all way says " He who moves first loses." Make him go around you. If he doesn't move or not fast enough give him a spank on the tail and get his feet moving. Use a light switch( small tree limb) or something like that. Have your husband do the same thing. If he is drawing blood on him it will only get worse as time goes by. There are to many good rooster to put up with that. You have two choices if this doesn't work rehome him or give him a house all to him self.

 

[microchick]

Roosters are so funny. No seriously. They really are. Where else can you find a feather covered 8 pound bundle of bravado that borderlines on being psychopathic other than in a rooster? I love my boys. They also infuriate and frustrate me. Yet last month when my favorite died of an unknown cause-possible malignancy-possible infection- I cried like a baby, then set and rocked his mirror image son in my arms until the poor bird more than likely thought I was completely unhinged.

But seriously. I currently have 14 roosters ranging from the age of 17 months to 8 weeks and my husband, who had never been around chickens until last year when we got our flock taught me the most important rule of dealing with roosters. You got to be tougher than they are.

I have one Lavender Orpington rooster who is frankly, birdzilla. He's just a honking big rooster and frankly beautiful. So beautiful that I've taken quite a bit of crap off of him in the shape of attitude trying to turn him into a decent flock master.

One day after listening to me whine and complain about 'That Blasted Rooster!' and what violence he had most recently attempted against me, he actually witnessed Birdzilla take a run at me while I was in the pen. My husband isn't a big man and both of us are a bit long in the tooth, but he threw the run gate open and went after that rooster and that rooster ran for his life, literally. I think DH tried to see if Birdzilla would fit over his size 12 farm boot and darned near came close to succeeding in a perfect fit if you get my drift. That rooster's attitude went from birdzilla to Tweetybird in record time. By the time DH left the run, Birdzilla (not his real name. His real name is Larry BIrd) was trying to blend in with the hens the best he could and turn invisible.

From that point on I figured out how to handle my problem rooster. All he has to do is ruffle his hackles at me and I am unleashing a redheaded you know what on him. For the most part he stays out of my way now. On the one occasion he tried one of his old ambush tricks on me and we wound up in a free for all that ended with me scratched up but he came out of it with a broken spur and a new respect for she who is the bringer of food and treats.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying abuse or be mean to him. Just be tougher than he is. And Show No Fear!

If you want to keep your rooster and live in peace with him, or at least in an uneasy truce, then be prepared for a tough challenge. I've had two roosters who wound up going elsewhere for Sunday dinner as I could never break them of their bad habits and tired of their nonsense. As stated, some roos are just plain mean. But if you enjoy watching your birds the way I do and interacting with them like I do then I do hope you are able to work the rough edges off of your boy. It kinda sounds like you are his last chance at a forever home.

Good luck.

 

[shannon84]

I got a rooster from a friend. He was her best flock guardian but she started breeding a different breed and he had to go so I took him. He was a joy till the pullets started laying and then went Jeckyl and Hyde. I tried different methods of calming him to no avail. After he spurred my shin to the bone he became history.
I now have 6 roosters from 3 years old to 1 year old. I have NO fear of entering the pen. My main rooster keeps order and the others are submissive to him and they are ALL submissive to me. I don't feel I should put up with a nasty rooster. There are far too many good flock guardians who do not want to bite the hand that feeds them. My chickens are treated like chickens. I do not force my affections on them and if a hen or chick sit in my lap it is their choice. I don't encourage them to do it but when they do I do not discourage them.

These are my egg layers. I don't butcher my birds.

We have a very human aggressive wheaten Maran roo. He was free ranged with a larger roo to hen ratio and he was lowest in the po. At 2yrs he's incorrigible and we will dispatch him. I don't know that they get better past a certain point. Be careful.

Roosters are so funny. No seriously. They really are. Where else can you find a feather covered 8 pound bundle of bravado that borderlines on being psychopathic other than in a rooster? I love my boys. They also infuriate and frustrate me. Yet last month when my favorite died of an unknown cause-possible malignancy-possible infection- I cried like a baby, then set and rocked his mirror image son in my arms until the poor bird more than likely thought I was completely unhinged. 

But seriously. I currently have 14 roosters ranging from the age of 17 months to 8 weeks and my husband, who had never been around chickens until last year when we got our flock taught me the most important rule of dealing with roosters. You got to be tougher than they are.

I have one Lavender Orpington rooster who is frankly, birdzilla. He's just a honking big rooster and frankly beautiful. So beautiful that I've taken quite a bit of crap off of him in the shape of attitude trying to turn him into a decent flock master.

One day after listening to me whine and complain about 'That Blasted Rooster!' and what violence he had most recently attempted against me, he actually witnessed Birdzilla take a run at me while I was in the pen. My husband isn't a big man and both of us are a bit long in the tooth, but he threw the run gate open and went after that rooster and that rooster ran for his life, literally. I think DH tried to see if Birdzilla would fit over his size 12 farm boot and darned near came close to succeeding in a perfect fit if you get my drift. That rooster's attitude went from birdzilla to Tweetybird in record time. By the time DH left the run, Birdzilla (not his real name. His real name is Larry BIrd) was trying to blend in with the hens the best he could and turn invisible.

From that point on I figured out how to handle my problem rooster. All he has to do is ruffle his hackles at me and I am unleashing a redheaded you know what on him. For the most part he stays out of my way now. On the one occasion he tried one of his old ambush tricks on me and we wound up in a free for all that ended with me scratched up but he came out of it with a broken spur and a new respect for she who is the bringer of food and treats.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying abuse or be mean to him. Just be tougher than he is. And Show No Fear!

If you want to keep your rooster and live in peace with him, or at least in an uneasy truce, then be prepared for a tough challenge. I've had two roosters who wound up going elsewhere for Sunday dinner as I could never break them of their bad habits and tired of their nonsense. As stated, some roos are just plain mean. But if you enjoy watching your birds the way I do and interacting with them like I do then I do hope you are able to work the rough edges off of your boy. It kinda sounds like you are his last chance at a forever home.

Good luck. Thank you so much! Yeah I think that's why I'm so determined on not giving up on him, I'm a sucker for unwanted animals (I don't know why) I'm just a big animal lover I guess

well I know I am lol. He just had his moments with me somedays he will be normal and ignore me and eat out of my hand and some days he get that ring up on his neck and gets all fidgety he is so random his moods are but he just did a tiny hardly there scratch on my leg but I did scream and run. But now I carry a rake around and walk towards him like I have no fear but I actually do

and he moves as fast as he can away from me

I think he could of done worse and I wouldn't re home him. He was the sweetest before I got the hens. He is unreal beautiful he turned me into a chicken person with his beauty and his goofy funny personality he makes me laugh daily. I just adore him. I've owned horses, dogs, been bit stepped on and scratch but I can't stop loving or liking them for it. But he isn't extremely nuts so I'll keep my guard up with him still lol. Thank you for your reply.

 

[microchick]

Brooms work really well also. I have a smaller broom that I use with a long handled dust pan (the type you don't have to bend over to use) that I leave sitting outside the coop door. If the roosters are in the building, all I have to do is take the broom in with me and if they don't clear out immediately make sweeping motions towards them and out they go as fast as they can. They hate that broom and it strikes fear into them for some reason. I have never nor would I ever hit an animal with a broom but all I have to do now is enter with it in my hand and 'Elvis' really does leave the building.....Thank ya, thank ya very much.

I have a roosters that can do the Jekyll/Hyde thing so fast it'll make your head spin. I spent the summer healing up a spur puncture because of one of them hitting me in the back of the leg when my back was turned (his MO). He is now on permanent time out in the bachelor run. What I have found with my flock is that the key to bad rooster behavior is the hens. When they are in the picture, the bad behaviors seem to pop up like dandelions in the spring. Some handle the hormonal surges better than others do so I am extra careful when the juvenile cockerels are around the hens along with the more unpredictable roosters...and I carry my trusty broom when I have to.

The thing is, try not to show any fear around your boy and let him know if he has the bad judgment to challenge you, there is going to be repercussions. Like I said. Use tough love. You are the ultimate Alpha and I agree with the poster that said that you have to walk through him. Also, as hard as it will be, do not retreat when he has made a run or shakes his hackle feathers at you. Larry Bird, the LO from my last post always starts offering me tidbits and moving towards me sideways when he is sizing me up for an attack. I beat him to it and he gets shoved out of my way or tackled and dangled by his ankles for awhile when he does that. You are not one of his hens, which is what he is treating you like nor are you another rooster that is challenging him for alpha position. You are already alpha and he is challenging you.

Most of all, roosters are going to be roosters. There is a post somewhere on the forum saying do not make them your pets. The hens can be pets but not the roosters. they have a job to do and that is namely protect the flock and procreate the species. Great advice.

They all have different personalities. Some will eat out of your hand and some will not give you a second glance while others will want to kill you where you stand. It's up to the individual to decide how much time, effort and blood they want to donate to the cause of turning their rooster from heathen to flock master. Plus a little 'attitude' in a rooster is a good thing. You want that boy to protect those hens and have the testosterone to stand up to a threat without retreating and yes, I believe they see you as a threat to those hens and the instincts kick in.

I'm betting your rooster is going to turn out just fine. There is a lot of good advice to be found on BYC that deals with rooster behavior.

 

[centrarchid]

If this is still going on, then get rid of him. Fighting with him will not work unless you are willing to do so every time he challenges you. What you will eventually find is that in order to whip him you will literally have to hurt him and potentially grievous to get him to back down. Even the low level aggression you will have to employ would not be looked at favorably by most observers. I am writing based on lots of experience where multiple approaches have been tried of the the years. I did not use a particular approach or on only a single birds, lots of repeats involved. My inputs are generally not held in high regard here but I do have very good relationships with roosters I have. When things not working as planned, I get them into a meal, but there other options that others employing less contact with chickens can employ.

 

[Beekissed]

Since she's only posted 4 days ago on this problem, I'd venture to say she hasn't had much time to work with the bird on any advice given and not near enough time to decide he's a total loss. It doesn't even sound like he's all that aggressive to me and could likely be changed into a good bird in a matter of minutes, just needs the right mind set. Folks sure do get in a hurry to kill a rooster on BYC...sounds like a knee jerk response to a temporary situation to me.

 

[centrarchid]

Since she's only posted 4 days ago on this problem, I'd venture to say she hasn't had  much time to work with the bird on any advice given and not near enough time to decide he's a total loss.  It doesn't even sound like he's all that aggressive to me and could likely be changed into a good bird in a matter of minutes, just needs the right mind set.  Folks sure do get in a hurry to kill a rooster on BYC...sounds like a knee jerk response to a temporary situation to me. 

Others in this thread may not know better but you certainly do know I do not give knee jerk responses. My default approach is time consuming and potentially unpleasat as it subjects you to attacks by rooster until he realizes effort is fruitless and give up. I have learned to advise that approach only with parties experienced with roosters over at least a couple of season. When a party is a novice then swap rooster out. I am not out to build a following of people that follow whatever I say. You are going to get someone hurt or at least frustrate your cadre of followers when actual understanding of chicken behaviors is not developed first..

 

[Beekissed]

I don't know of these "followers" as you speak....never had any. Nor do I need any followers but they seem to be a sticking point in YOUR mind...maybe you'd like to have some? Don't know why but some folks seem to need that.

The advice I've given is quite sound and workable for experienced and novice both and it doesn't require extensive time and repeated floggings from the bird to accomplish, as yours does. It's safe, it's effective and it's simple. Best of all, it works and doesn't have to be repeated if done properly. No need to carry a broom around or kill any roosters for going back to flogging humans.