Rooster struck at husband, now me. What can I do?

[chickencoop57]

I have a columbian Wyandotte rooster who started to fly at me and stalk my grandson. It happened over night this last summer. The rooster will be 1 in April. We removed him from the hens and free ranging with them as I can’t have him attacking the grandchildren or me when going into the coop. He is with another rooster in the bachelor pad. Lately now he stalked me when I go in to feed them or change water. What’s up with that? I don’t trust this rooster and he is big. Those spurs aren’t in yet and I’m worried for when they do come in. The other rooster just avoids me and is a good boy. Any suggestions?

It has been my experience the rooster will get more aggressive and you have to either get rid of him or have a chicken dinner.

Right on!

 

[susans1950]

The other day my husband was feeding my two chickens and he said that the rooster flew at his hand when he tried to pet him. I didn't see it, but today when I was feeding the chickens, my rooster struck at my hand...twice.

I'm not sure what to do or how to nip this behavior to get my precious boy back...

I'm a little bit emotional about it because I have been going through some health issues and the chickens have been one of the few joys in my life right now.

Hopefully it's not too late and he is doomed to be a mean rooster from now on...help!

I never make pets out of roosters. They generally will become aggressive. I ignore them & make them scared of me. Roosters can cause a lot of damage, especially to young children. I really don’t know if his behavior will change.

 

[EggWalrus]

Lots of them turn into Man Eaters once their hormones start to rage. I usually give another 6 months to cool their heels. Something that definitely helps is having several Adult Roosters to teach them chicken manners and keep a foot in their butts . Makes them a little more polite.
But if after a whole year they still think that they are the Godfather of this place, I let them know different. That night, he'll be Sleeping with the Dumplings.

 

[pasdechat73]

Cockerels raised in a flock with adult hens and a rooster will learn humility, and can be better behaved as adults.
Also, it takes experience to 'read' behaviors out there, and often it's best to only have pullets that first year.
Mary

Agreed. The first year I raised babies there were no roos in the mix. The second year, we adopted Napoleon who then taught the postdate cockerels that my Fanny raised to respect the hierarchy (me included). Don't try to reward him if he's acting like an ass. Invest in a good hose and a hockey stick. That will teach him who is boss in the rink!

 

[SavvySilkieMom]

The other day my husband was feeding my two chickens and he said that the rooster flew at his hand when he tried to pet him. I didn't see it, but today when I was feeding the chickens, my rooster struck at my hand...twice.

I'm not sure what to do or how to nip this behavior to get my precious boy back...

I'm a little bit emotional about it because I have been going through some health issues and the chickens have been one of the few joys in my life right now.

Hopefully it's not too late and he is doomed to be a mean rooster from now on...help!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...top-crowing-anyone-ever-heard-of-this.669608/
Link to an interesting forum about hormonal implants.

 

[Folly's place]

Trimming spurs matters if they are interfering with his walking, in other words, if they get really long. That happens over a couple of years, at least. Then, it's a heavy duty trimmer, or a dremel, with one person holding the bird, and the other person cutting.
Nasty cockerels or roosters will hurt you, spurs or not!
No human aggressive bird stays here that long!
Mary

 

[calboy147]

I have a columbian Wyandotte rooster who started to fly at me and stalk my grandson. It happened over night this last summer. The rooster will be 1 in April. We removed him from the hens and free ranging with them as I can’t have him attacking the grandchildren or me when going into the coop. He is with another rooster in the bachelor pad. Lately now he stalked me when I go in to feed them or change water. What’s up with that? I don’t trust this rooster and he is big. Those spurs aren’t in yet and I’m worried for when they do come in. The other rooster just avoids me and is a good boy. Any suggestions?

A Whiffle ball bat works well.

 

[jjaazzy]

Do you have food available for them all day/night in a feeder, if not they are doing this because they are hungry. Not to say you can't get a bad behaving rooster, I have. But what you describe sounds like mine when I had a bunch living upfront out of the back coops. I was hand feeding like you described and it just wasn't enough. These buggers eat and they eat a lot and I find if you are hand feeding like you are they panic because they have to gobble it up before the next guy and it really isn't enough. I have since put a peddle feeder same as what is in my back coops that holds about 40lb of feed. We keep it supplied and they have stopped this behavior immediately. Rooster attacking is more like you go to open your coops and the next thing you know it they run from behind and hit your calf with their wing feathers. It's startling and then it progresses from there where they actually pull their feet in the air as they are doing it and jab you with their spurs. Don't put up with this, do some research as to how to deal with it.

 

[jjaazzy]

So I have a rooster named Rudy. He is a silkie he’s supposed to be VERY docile and he attacks me all of the time! We are now arch enemies he’s small and doesn’t hurt at all but he really pisses me off. He is also very young.
I pick him up too I used to be super nice to him but he’s just a jerk. It’s his personality. My Sebright bantam rooster is a way better protector than him and he never goes at me ever and he’s also young.
I’ve tried being nice... now when he does it I just grab him by his tail feathers scoop him up and hold him for a while because I know he hates it. I read for them to respect you you have to peck them. I’ve pecked him on the head too I just tap him a little with my finger.
Honestly I used to be upset about it too but now he just pisses me off.
I agree with everyone maybe it’s just a phase but maybe he’s just a jerk. He thinks he’s protecting his girls it’s his nature you’re big and “scary” it’s just how it goes. I say if you have to choose choose your safety especially if he’s hurting you and give him some pecks.
Rudy’s always scared of me when I do that and then all of a sudden he flys at me like a bat out of hell when I’m putting down the water. So don’t worry you won’t hurt his feelings too bad.
I guess you can try to go the nice route too but I’ve read that doesn’t really work and they will just view you as weak. So I don’t know that’s just my opinion.
Here’s the demon giving me the stare down. I still would always protect him and never hurt him but I enjoy giving him a nice kick in the butt sometimes lol.

There are so many really beautiful nice roosters that folks that breed can't keep. My suggestion is move on, because what will happen is someone will walk though you place and have a small child and the child will get nailed. There is only so many slots for a rooster and it's sad that the good ones don't always get a home.

 

[Bantam BCM]

I don't really understand all i know about rooster behavior. My year old Brahma Rodger has seemed to develop a dislike or mistrust for my wife lately. I get along with him fine; and i do sit and handle him quite a bit. And if i sit in one of the lawn chairs and cross my leg, Rodger will jump up and roost on the arm or my ankle.
He tends to follow me around quite a lot as well. He has never displayed any aggression toward me but my wife and brother in law claim he goes after them nearly every day.
I tend to think he goes after my brother in law because he only sees him a couple times a month. And since my wife works six days a week and do to the shorter daylight she no longer releases the flock in the morning or give them their morning snacks, Rodger may not be sure she belongs here.
I really like him and he is a pretty good flock leader/protector as he didn't hesitate to go toe to toe with a large fox that had terrorized the ladies. The fox was dead in my drive but when Rodger came running he did not stop to check for vitals before flogging the fox.
So i have my wife grab him and hold him down every time he goes after her, as recommended by others at BYC.
Another quirk involves Rodger and my 6mos older Silver laced Wyandotte hen. She has gone from main hen to total outcast. seemingly because she absolutely refuses to submit for Rodger. She is like a Ninja to his Sumo so he can never catch her. And if he does manage to accidentally corner her she will fight him like a Ninja as well.
So now i worry about her because she is always foraging alone.
I even have to hide when i put out scratch for her or the others will see her and run her off.
I love having chickens because there is never a dull moment.

Thats my kinda rooster! I tossed a trophy coon on the dirt in front of my lads a couple times and even the bravest of them sounded like Yoko Ono until they were certain it wasn't there for lunch. Then they all started claiming they were the ones stayed up all night waiting to even the score. The hens saw through their bs and sang songs about how I was their hero.
I'm a legend around here the way they tell it.
But ya yours is another example of the importance of maintaining ones place in the pecking order with a roo getting a tad big for his britches. Good story.