Rooster randomly attacks

[Folly's place]

Owen is totally right! Human aggression is not acceptable, can rarely be totally corrected, and is dangerous. While the idiot is attacking you, he isn't doing his job, which is to take care of his hens and watch for actual predators. You are the giant who brings food every day! He's being a jerk and needs to go. Often the 'friendly' cockrels are actually sizing you up, and go into attack mode at some point. I've had cockrels who started attacking at eight weeks of age, and cocks who get ugly as yearlings. It's not cute or safe, and shouldn't be bred on. Mary

 

[junebuggena]

Owen is totally right! Human aggression is not acceptable, can rarely be totally corrected, and is dangerous. While the idiot is attacking you, he isn't doing his job, which is to take care of his hens and watch for actual predators. You are the giant who brings food every day! He's being a jerk and needs to go. Often the 'friendly' cockrels are actually sizing you up, and go into attack mode at some point. I've had cockrels who started attacking at eight weeks of age, and cocks who get ugly as yearlings. It's not cute or safe, and shouldn't be bred on. Mary

Right! So many new owners think their darling little rooster is oh-so-cute, following them around, wing flapping at them, wing dipping/dancing toward them, jumping on to their shoulders for a ride. Let me just say, none of that behavior is cute. None of it. At all. Ever. Those are warning signs. Those are indicators that he is going to be trouble one day. He will bury those inch-long spurs in your flesh at some point, and it won't be cute. And it won't be funny.

 

[ambergds]

Right! So many new owners think their darling little rooster is oh-so-cute, following them around, wing flapping at them, wing dipping/dancing toward them, jumping on to their shoulders for a ride. Let me just say, none of that behavior is cute. None of it. At all. Ever. Those are warning signs. Those are indicators that he is going to be trouble one day. He will bury those inch-long spurs in your flesh at some point, and it won't be cute. And it won't be funny. 

Can you give us that are inexperienced with raising roosters some tips on how to treat them. My last rooster was a jerk and I'm sure I played a part in that. I would like to do it right this time. How do you discipline your cockerel and what behavior do you consider needing discipline? Thanks!

 

[Folly's place]

Right now I have two adult cocks and (about!) twenty cockrels, ranging from six to nineteen weeks of age. I walk around my coop and run daily, and expect all of them to move out of my way. I walk 'through' them, never around. None of them get fed from my hand, they can eat goodies that are tossed on the ground. Nobody jumps on me, ever. Nobody acts towards me as if I am a chicken!!! I will try to squelch bad behavior maybe three times max, and then that idiot boy is going to the crock pot, either mine, or someone else's. I can handle flock members, even squalking hens, right in front of my cocks, and they DO NOT ever attack me! Don't make excuses for your behavior, the color of your clothes, phases of the moon, whatever. My roosters are a pleasure to have, and complete the social order in the flock. And they are beautiful! Mary

 

[junebuggena]

Understand first and foremost, that he is not a pet. Yes, some roosters are very sweet, gentle, and friendly; but those boys are not typical. Those are the very rare exception to the rule. You need to have the mindset that you are dealing with intact male livestock. He is ruled by instinct and hormones. A rooster worth keeping is one that keeps a respectful distance at all times. A rooster should never come towards you, unless you first invite him to do so. From the very moment you realize you have a male bird on your hands, start deliberately walking towards him. Always make him get out of your way. Never go around, always walk straight through, like he isn't even there. It's okay to move him aside with your foot if he doesn't get the message. If he decides to go for you, it's okay to give him a swift kick. If he mounts a hen right in front of you, push him off. Always stand tall, and move about the coop/run with a sense of purpose. Never turn your back on him. And be warned. A rooster that has attacked the flock keeper, will not hesitate to challenge (attack) any other humans. For most, they are too much of a liability, and must be sent to the soup pot.
You have to keep in mind, in the chicken world fear is respect. Think about. The alpha hen is the alpha hen because if a bird does something she doesn't like, she attacks them. The other chickens give her a wide berth and don't disobey her rules, because they are afraid to. They know she will beat them up. It's the same with roosters/cockerels. You need to have an "I am in charge, don't you dare try anything," attitude. And you need to back that attitude up, if he challenges it. Make him move away. If attitude alone doesn't do the job, then you must physically drive him back. However, a rooster that pushes things that far is too much of a risk to keep or to rehome.
Around here, I have a one strike rule. That's it. I have a tenant that lives on my property. I have young children. I will not have the risk of a bird that is aggressive.

 

[junebuggena]

Don't make excuses for your behavior, the color of your clothes, phases of the moon, whatever.

I find those things to be the most ridiculous excuses. He doesn't care what color your shoes are! He's not sitting there thinking "Hmmm, she wore the red sneakers today instead of the black flats. I think I'll kick her rear today..."

 

[Beekissed]

Can you give us that are inexperienced with raising roosters some tips on how to treat them. My last rooster was a jerk and I'm sure I played a part in that. I would like to do it right this time. How do you discipline your cockerel and what behavior do you consider needing discipline? Thanks!

One thing to realize is that chickens don't "get embarrassed" so any and all advice to pick them up and carry them around to embarrass them in front of their hens is pretty laughable. That's a complex emotion that one cannot attribute to chickens. Roosters do not even comprehend what carrying them around could possibly mean other than they are trapped by something and being moved from one place to another...means absolutely nothing to them other than potential danger.

When raising males from a chick leave them alone, give them feed and water and a secure place to live. No hand feeding, handling, petting or otherwise treating them like a pet or baby. They are a male animal, soon to be breeding, fighting and doing what roosters do all day that comes natural. As you move through their space, expect them to move away from you, walk right through them if you have to, but make them MOVE. If they take too long, reach down and give them a goose on the tail feathers. If you raise them properly, you should never get to see the wing dance, the hackles raised or any type of flogging maneuver. A well raised rooster is a good buddy down through the years and you can even have a closer relationship once you know he can be trusted. If not, then you have a job to do.....see below.

Any pecking of your hands when you reach for another bird or for him, gets a swift and light cuff to the head. Just enough to get his attention. If he does a wing dance in your space, advance on him and get him moving and keep him moving. If he's too fast, take a light rod of some kind and keep touching him with a tap to the head or back until he's moving away from you and wanting to stay away from you. Then lay in wait for him to return to that area and is relaxed, eating or doing his own thing, then start in on him again...tap, tap, tap, move, move, move. He's not allowed to be where you don't want him to be at any given time. This lesson should only take a matter of minutes, so don't think you have to do it for a long time or daily even.

All of this can be pretty enjoyable if you approach it in the right manner and you really shouldn't have to repeat this lesson more than once if you are doing it with intent and good purpose...if you are a nervous or scared person or "don't want to hurt my baby", you can forget it..it's likely you'll have many roosters who attack you down through the years and all the while people will tell you to kill them and eat them because they are bad. They aren't bad...I've never met a bad rooster in 40 yrs.

Pretty soon you'll notice he's looking over his shoulder for you and already moving away when you enter the coop or run. Keep him that way until you've established a mutually respectful relationship. He's not allowed to touch your body, you are allowed to touch his any time you wish...when he gets that in his head, you can start trusting him.

For roosters that have not been raised properly and are already flogging humans, the training is much more aggressive. What he does to you, you lay in wait and do to him...and you keep doing it until he doesn't want to be within a mile of you if he can help it. Don't run, flail, kick or shout if a rooster attacks you...those are all defensive, knee jerk reactions that will only invite him to do it again. Stand your ground, move towards him instead of away. If he moves away, let him go...but lay in wait for him to come back...have that rod handy. When he's in the coop or run and relaxed and least expecting it, surprise him with a little flogging of your own and don't stop until he's looking for the exit or trying to make one of his own. Done right, this lesson too will only have to be done once and only takes a matter of minutes.

After these lessons, you won't have to carry a stick with you or be on your guard at all times, just continue to own your space, your coop and your run and keep that rooster looking over his shoulder for you instead of the other way around. Hope all of this helps.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

While all this may work for others I've not had to do any of it to keep my roosters peaceful and loving. Mine are pets. While they have tried to push boundaries once or twice I have managed to control them with love. Not saying that works for all roosters but I don't think they can all be thrown together as brutal creatures who don't understand love and can't be pets. If people have these problems they may just not have learned how to keep them as pets. You have to treat the animal for what you want it to be. It's the same with any living creature. You kick a dog it's going to bite you. You show it love but also disipline and it becomes your best friend. It all takes work and it's much easier to just blame it on other stuff so no one geels guilty..

 

[shannon84]

Thanks guys for your advice! I don't think I'll be cooking Franklin anytime soon though haha. I'm going to work with him and try different stuff to try and earn his respect. He was dropped off here for probably his bad behavior I'm thinking most likely. As far as breeding i won't ever be doing that. Never had plans or interest to do so. Thanks for the replies!

he is an absolute gorgeous bird. With a bad attitude

I'll keep everyone updated on him

 

[keesmom]

Lol oh no! I hope Franklin (my rooster) doesn't get that bad. He was the sweetest and most loving rooster ever, then with the hens he slowly change. He likes me the most out of everyone, but this is the second time he attacked me but he barley got me I think he hurt my feelings more then anything lol. He is so huge and it's pretty scary when he gets mean

i ignored him all morning bc he was wanting out to free range so as soon as I let him out he got me. Totally shocked.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise. You posted 2 weeks ago that he attacked you, and that he will go after anyone else. He definitely should not be allowed to free range.