Rooster started attacking us

[Grind Hard Farm]

He needs to be soup. The best way to get a nice cockerel is to not put up with a mean one. Behavior modification rarely works with cockerels and if allowed to breed he'll pass on his terrible temperment to his chicks (sometimes even the females). If you want a rooster, I'd wait until you have more experience, your grandchildren are older and your hens have enough seniority to thump some manners into a young cockerel

That's what our first mature rooster is gonna be

 

[gimmie birdies]

I remove a young aggressive rooster from hens his age and put him in with older hens they will beat him up but he will learn to be more polite.

This may not also be your case, but sometimes people accidently train a rooster to be mean when he starts to show aggression, do not offer a broom, or a boot to fight. When ever a rooster gets near me I pick him up and carry him about, soon they avoid me so they will not get picked up, or the come to be picked up this will not work with the granddaughters. If it was grandsons I would say watch so they don't tease a rooster on purpose.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Eat him.

 

[SE_Gardener]

Our 4 mo old barred rooster has started attacking me and my granddaughters. He was raised with all 4 pullets if the same age. Now that he's mating he attacks us. I sprayed him with a hose a few times & it got better but didn't last. I've read to hold them down and push they're head down to show them you're in charge . My question is when do I do this ? When ge attacks or later? I'm scared to reach for him when he's mad plus he's hard to catch .I don't want to get rid of him without trying everything. If I separate him from pullets will he get worse ? We aren't wanting babies either

The indiscriminate breeding barns of commercial hatcheries have produced inferior chickens for years. Typically docile breeds, including the Barred/White/Partridge Rock chickens are increasingly more skittish and aggressive. I maintain closed flocks and when bringing diversity into my flocks and unable to source locally, I'm left with commercial hatcheries. Knowing I'm not getting the best of the breed I ordered, I cull at 8 wks 12 wks 16wks an final cull at 18-20 wks. I watch my new chicks carefully and weed out slow developers, obvious deformities (curled toes, cross beaks, tortured gaits) AND temperament early. Chicks that aggressively peck at brooder mates will continue the bully behavior into adulthood. I have no time for skittish chickens - even one will spoil an entire flock. I look for calm chicks, how well they interact with the other chicks and ME the food lady. It's not unusual out of 15 or even 25 order minimums, 75% or better do not make the final cull. In my experience there is NO training aggression from a rooster - it will only get worse. I believe the intense populations in commercial breeding barns actually fosters aggressive behaviors - food, water competition and with high rooster ratios - breeding/protective aggressions - traits that pass to offspring and with NO selection by hatcheries, your odds of receiving chicks with inbred negative behavior traits is quite high. More and more flock owners are noticing roosters so rough on hens they buy "aprons" which solve nothing and allow the rooster to continue his savage breeding. I say ditch the rooster. And with increase automation and less frequent human interaction that may be hurried/abrupt or interpreted as aggressive - more birds become skittish and even aggressive. Nature (genetic) and Nurture (environmental) are both active in chicks developing. So if your rooster is attacking - it's well beyond protecting the hens. While it's in early stages, my advise is to depopulate the rooster - and please don't pass him off on an unsuspecting new owner.

 

[SE_Gardener]

Is he actually flying at you and hitting you with his feet? Or pecking you? are you doing anything in particular when this happens?

They do get a little feisty with puberty but he shouldn't be trying to kill you.

If he's not hurting the girls I wouldn't separate him. You could try taking him off the roost in the evening and carrying him around. But if you're terrified of him he probably knows it.

ALL animals can sense fear and take full advantage of it.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Chicks that aggressively peck at brooder mates will continue the bully behavior into adulthood.

Not true. Usually this a pecking order establishment amongst the chicks.

Most aggressive hatchery breed I've ever raised were Hoover's Line of Rhode Island Reds. Raised too many over the years, & pretty much every cockerel/Rooster wanted to kick my butt. Only had 1 friendly rooster out of the last batch.

Only had 1 human aggressive silkie cockerel, which became soup of course.

 

[Rock and Rhode]

I have an aggressive rooster but he is fenced in. Also I do not have small children.
Time for him to go to the freezer

 

[SE_Gardener]

Not true. Usually this a pecking order establishment amongst the chicks.

Most aggressive hatchery breed I've ever raised were Hoover's Line of Rhode Island Reds. Raised too many over the years, & pretty much every cockerel/Rooster wanted to kick my butt. Only had 1 friendly rooster out of the last batch.

Only had 1 human aggressive silkie cockerel, which became soup of course.

Raising closed flocks of layers and meatbird/dual purpose - "pecking order" among chicks is not the pecking order seen in hens. When I see a chick pecking at another, it has nothing to do with "order" - it's pure aggressive behavior.

 

[Nanook33]

Our 4 mo old barred rooster has started attacking me and my granddaughters. He was raised with all 4 pullets if the same age. Now that he's mating he attacks us. I sprayed him with a hose a few times & it got better but didn't last. I've read to hold them down and push they're head down to show them you're in charge . My question is when do I do this ? When ge attacks or later? I'm scared to reach for him when he's mad plus he's hard to catch .I don't want to get rid of him without trying everything. If I separate him from pullets will he get worse ? We aren't wanting babies either

I have the same problem here. "Buddy" came with the 7 hens & 3 "other roosters". The other 3 were a nightmare---flying at us, feet extended--trying to knock us on our fanny so we had no choice but to rehome them. Buddy was always friendly-he liked to be hand fed grass or greens, etc. Lately he has been running at us & several times tried to fly at us. I always take a small rake in with me when I feed the ladies & kind of shoosh him away. Maybe he thinks he's protecting his girls, I don't know. I, too, would hate to get rid of him-he's like a pet to me, not a meal. However, I'm 81 & have had knee surgery & have arthritis so I'm no match for this guy. If he keeps this up/gets worse, he'll have to go. (It would break my heart) But I would NOT try to catch him & hold him down & would not suggest you try it either. It might make Mr Rooster blazing mad then he might come after you full force--he would not be playing games. My neighbor sprays vinegar at her aggressive boys--I have never done this nor would I suggest it until looking into it further. I hope you find a way to calm him down & if you do, please share it with me. Best of luck.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Raising closed flocks of layers and meatbird/dual purpose - "pecking order" among chicks is not the pecking order seen in hens. When I see a chick pecking at another, it has nothing to do with "order" - it's pure aggressive behavior.

It's not, Pure aggressive behavior. Chicks start out with sorting their pecking orders early, & adjusting as they get older.
I've raised many chicks that are assertive, & they grew up normally like any other.