Rooster Starting to Attack!

[Crooked Chicken]

For now, I worry about our small dog who has completely accepted the birds and they have no fears around her. She wanders around right in the thick of them all the time. That doesn't mean at some point he may view the dog as a threat because she does sniff the hens bums occasionally.

I just encountered this same issue yesterday.

My property is separated by fencing into about 5 sections, with the backyard around the house surrounded by chain link. My little dog, Ruby, only goes in this part of the yard. The chickens have the run of the property during daylight hours. Ruby hasn't shown any interest in the chickens since they were moved outdoors. They love to come into the yard by the house -- maybe because that was their first outdoor space.

Late yesterday afternoon, Ruby was doing her squirrel patrol and Red Rider, my Rhode Island Red rooster, ran after her and grabbed her tail. Ruby yelped and tried to bite him. Neither had injuries, but she got a good scare and he got slobbered on.

Since he isn't a fence hopper like some of the others, I will just not leave the gate open anymore.

Lisa

 

[SpaghettiJo]

I was just about to share Bee's post as well,

Agreed.


Yep, a change in the pecking order could give him more confidence which could result in aggression.



Me too!

You have three basic options. 1. You can keep going as you are, having a human aggressive rooster on your hands. 2. You can try "rooster rehab" if you really feel you want to keep him. 3. You can cull him. ("Cull" does not necessarily mean to "kill". It simply means to remove from the flock. In this situation, he'd be going into my crock pot. I would not give away or sell a bird this aggressive without full disclosure.)

If you decide he's worth giving a chance, I would suggest you read the post below by Beekissed. I haven't tried rehabbing a cockerel this way, because it's how I treat them from the beginning. I haven't had to deal with an aggressive rooster (or cockerel) in a very long time, and I feel it's because of how I act around them from day one.

If you decide he's not worth the risk, there is nothing wrong with that, either. There are plenty of nice roosters (or cockerels) around that could use a good home. You may even find you don't want to keep a rooster around at all.

Here's Bee's post:

"I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby."

and I would like to add that if you are in any way thinking of maybe keeping your rooster in hopes of training him...but you still aren't sure, it won't hurt to try this method before you cull him..

Rooster aggression:

I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

 

[Patinas]

....Late yesterday afternoon, Ruby was doing her squirrel patrol and Red Rider, my Rhode Island Red rooster, ran after her and grabbed her tail. Ruby yelped and tried to bite him. Neither had injuries, but she got a good scare and he got slobbered on....

That was exactly my worry! Although, I was more worried he would actually jump on my dog and start pecking away at her. I also figured if he attacked the dog, maybe I was next...or vice versa.

To update my original post, I got tired of always worrying about me and the dog when tending the flock so I re-homed my rooster a few weeks ago. He hadn't attacked anything or anyone but I realized I was never relaxed around him.

Now that he's gone, I enjoy much more just hanging out with the flock when they're free ranging and I even let the dog stay out with them now when I'm inside the house which is really nice because she actually has turned out to be a really good flock watcher for such a small, very cute mutt!

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I agree that is better to get rid of a rooster if you are not breeding and have need to worry. Your little dog is adorable. All I have to do is keep the gate closed for now, but my roos are still young and time will tell. I already have one 1-eyed chihuahua and don't want Ruby to lose one too! This was taken 2 months ago -- Ruby on squirrel patrol and has no interest in the chickens.

 

[Crow-ded house]

Mr Spot my HUGE barred rock protected me from Rudy when he attacked. Rudy was just a straight out a-hole and we had some memorable fights. But when Spot got confident, I never had to watch for Rudy again. I would here Spot stomping the ground as he came running and I would glance over my shoulder and see Rudy(not sure of breed) flying head over but by the tackle Spot gave him. Rudy has been gone a year now and Spot is still the sweetest boy. The vet was really amazed at his demeanor. We are lucky he has his good nature due to his size. He is a talker and runs up everytime he sees me chattering away and follows me everywhere.

 

[BCLegbar]

My rooster became aggressive towards me. During one of his attacks, I dumped water on him. He definitely didn't like that and completely backed down. He's changed his tone since he's been splashed with water and somewhat leaves me alone. I like the watergun idea mentioned previously in this thread. I've read somewhere that Cream Legbar Roosters can get aggressive so I suspect it has something to do with the breed.

 

[aligarysmom]

My mother had what we called the bad bad rooster. She would take a small bamboo cane in with her if she fed the flock and would knock him out of the air when he came at you. She would always say don’t forget the stick if you’re going
In. He never stopped coming until the wack got hard enough to knock some sense in him. He never did think anyone was above him even with the wacking. I didn’t mind but he was never permitted to leave the run so he didn’t attack
Anyone else that didn’t know about his behavior. He was very pretty. But a little bit of a b@@@@@

 

[Nayday]

Hello, everybody! I have nineteen chickens in the run, and two of them are roosters. One's a barred rock, another's breed is not identified yet. They're about six months old, and the barred rock rooster is the sweetest thing a rooster could be. It comes near me, lets me pet it, and hand feed it without pecking me or ripping my skin off.

The other rooster is terrible. At first, it seemed like a rooster who wandered around without bothering the humans. I didn't really hand feed that one or pet it, because 1. I didn't trust it, and 2. It was pretty hard with its pecks.

Today, I was about to dump some water into the bucket they drink from, but it came at me, ruffled feathers, and its talons were about to connect with my skin when I reacted and kicked it, albeit very gently, away from me. I had researched chickens very thoroughly before purchasing my first ten unsexed chicks, and I knew that roosters were prone to get aggressive, and I had my suspicions about this rooster. I had always kept an eye on him whenever I went to feed them some grains or scraps.

It kept coming at me, and I kept kicking it away gently, and it managed to get a sharp peck on my ankle, tearing the skin. I kicked it away harder after that, and it fell on the ground, getting up again to attack me once more. Finally, it stopped, eyeing me, then wandered away. I carefully left the run, staring at him to make sure he didn't run at me again, then limped away to put something on my torn skin.

I know I should have grabbed him and pinned him to the ground, but my hands were full of water containers, and I couldn't exactly grab him.

Luckily, his spurs are not grown yet, otherwise my leg would be bleeding right now. There's plenty of room, plenty of food, and plenty of water. I didn't provoke him, he just came after me with murder in his eyes.

Can anybody tell me why this rooster is so aggressive, and how to deal with it? Answering the poll would help too. I really would appreciate hearing about all your experiences. Thanks!

Just got rid of mine. Not worth having to keep 1 eye on him at all times. The ladies come to me and i think he was jealous...his job is to protect....but not from me!!!
He went to new farm