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

[Chickin Out]

Treat him as you would a dog. When he picks or charges, tell him No! Loudly and firmly and restrain him or use something such as a broom to push him away. I have a Cochin bantam rooster, now 5 years old.
He was a rescue chick that was always treated as a pet. He was friendly and docile. Around 18 months he got suddenly aggressive and would attack me and draw blood. I was puzzled by his sudden change but determined to get my sweet boy back. Eventually, I figured out that a rat was getting into the coop at night and alarming him. After the rat situation was handled, he slowly returned to himself again. About a year later, my sister came to stay awhile. The chickens, unaccostomed to anyone but me, were not pleased. Rooster again went on the attack, but after we kept correcting him, eventually stopped.
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[HENS-and-MARES]

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!

Is he pecking you, or is he leaping up a scratching you. Is he puffing his neck up?

 

[calboy147]

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!

When i was a young lad, i decided i wanted to learn deer hunting. I read every article i could find about the ways of deer, and how to hunt them. After several decades of reading and profitable hunts, i have learned one thing for sure about deer. Whatever you think they are going to do, they will do something completely different.
I am seeing the same pattern with this aggressive rooster business. I have not had any bad behavior toward me until "maybe" yesterday. But i have read several lengthy articles about it, trying to find a way to calm my wife and possibly protect my granddaughter.
None of the supposed triggers are, at least, apparent. And my wife has repeatedly tried the grab, hold, calm and pet method. To no avail.
Yesterday i almost killed him; intentionally as well as accidentally.
All my flock hang around me while i work quite often. My "around the house" work nearly always involves a power tool of some sort. But for some reason diptstick decided he did not like my circular saw, although he has been around it dozens of times. However it is big, bright yellow and noisy.
So maybe after 18 months or more of seeing and hearing it, he decided he had enough, and attacked the saw.
Another unfortunate aspect of the saw is it does not have a blade brake to stop the blade from turning when i release the trigger. I would normally leave it in the wood till it stops but yesterday i needed to beat the rain and was in a bit of a hurry so i just picked it up and let the guard slide into place as i was sitting it down. As i was sitting it down, @#%^&&^%$##$$%%^^Rodger decided to flogg it.
Thinking about that brand new blade spinning at 4500rpms and his feet and beak trying to kill it nearly caused me to have a stroke. He could have lost a foot and i would have had to kill him. He could have lost a beak and i would have to kill him. At best he could have cut his head off, and i would not have to kill him.
Mind you he has always been my buddy for the past year and a half so it scared me so bad i could barely breath for the next hour. Needless to say when he made his second charge i beat the living crap out of him. Now he tends to avoid me when i have all my tools layed out and start work.
Not so much when i am just piddling or letting them out or locking them up.
I am going to be good with that. If it keeps him out of harms way.

 

[HENS-and-MARES]

kcan2
If he is just pecking you then he’s just telling you to cut it out, if he is puffing his neck up then he is trying to challenge you. Never back down from an attacking rooster. This tells him that he is dominant, and thus feels the right to do what he wants with you. If he puffs his neck up at you, first get low and big, putting your arms out, and look at him straight in the eye. Hold your position until he backs down, or attacks. If he attacks you then run at him. A rooster will usually give up in attacks if he feels he is no longer the one attacking. Pin him down, or hold him upsides down. I like to hold him upside down, set him on the ground and hold him down, and pick him up right. When you set him down make sure he doesn’t try to leap from your arms. If he does, hold him with is feet on the ground until he stops moving them let go. I got myself a rooster named Joop.

 

[Folly's place]

About the rooster and the circular saw; as cathartic as it was for you to wallup him yesterday, it likely didn't make the desired impression on him. I hope so, but doubt that your reaction related, in his tiny brain, to his plan to kill that saw!
Get it out and see what he thinks, but I think having him fenced away from it will be safest in the future.
Twice I've had roosters over one year of age (one was two years old) decide to start attacking familiar people. Who knows what they were thinking either! In both cases, they departed before causing any injuries.
I'm curious in how your bird does, and sorry for the thread hijack.
Mary

 

[jjaazzy]

I didnt take the time to read everything. But I run a free range poultry farm. At times I can have 80 roosters running around. My birds have access to feed 24/7 if they need it it's there in the coops. Which are opened up for them in the morning. I had a separate group that lived in a different location I was hand feeding as you described. These birds acted the same way flying up to my hand. They are not aggressive they are HUNGRY! There is a difference, a Rooster that sees you as an outsider to his girls will run up behind you and send you a warning shot. This behavior will get worse if not addressed. Some you can't change their chicken brain. But what you described is simply hunger. Put out a feeder and fill it up. Problem solved.

 

[kcan2]

Just wanted to drop an update on my rooster boy as I believe understanding, respect, and awareness has cleared up all human/chicken miscommunications.

An incomplete list of Perceived Threats (as exampled by a bantam rooster who only recently learned to perfect his crow)

List of Perceived Threats as follows:

1. A rustling bag of cheese
2. A cat whose innocent misfortune it was to come between the aforementioned rooster and the cheese
3. A suspicious large rustling weed that was being pulled up at the time, hence, the rustling
4. A rustling golf bag
5. A plastic starbucks cup with scratch (which in and of itself is good) but making a suspicious shaking sound (which in and of itself is bad)
6. Unfamiliar gloved hands (also known as "Hands under Disguise" and/or "Stranger Danger")
7. Rude dogs who want to sniff him and don't ask permission first
8. Shaking keys which are unidentified foreign objects and are swiftly dealt with

The common theme seems to be rustling and moving sounds which are only threatening if misunderstood or occurring unexpectedly. He works hard at his responsibility of serving and protecting his harem (which for the time being consists of one hen).

Things have changed a bit and he has grown up but he has done his best to fit into his big boy britches (which are feathered and shaped like bell-bottoms). It does take a little patience, but as long as I am aware of what I am doing, where he is, and how he might perceive what I'm doing, no problems. He is certainly not people aggressive (thank goodness). But, as I have witnessed, a rooster will not stand down when they think there is danger and it is an amazing, self-sacrificing and stubborn courage that makes them what they are. He is a sweet boy and is kept more like a pet BUT with the respect and awareness he deserves. So, a happy ending for both of us won through good communication and understanding (on my part).

 

[centrarchid]

Just wanted to drop an update on my rooster boy as I believe understanding, respect, and awareness has cleared up all human/chicken miscommunications.

An incomplete list of Perceived Threats (as exampled by a bantam rooster who only recently learned to perfect his crow)

List of Perceived Threats as follows:

1. A rustling bag of cheese
2. A cat whose innocent misfortune it was to come between the aforementioned rooster and the cheese
3. A suspicious large rustling weed that was being pulled up at the time, hence, the rustling
4. A rustling golf bag
5. A plastic starbucks cup with scratch (which in and of itself is good) but making a suspicious shaking sound (which in and of itself is bad)
6. Unfamiliar gloved hands (also known as "Hands under Disguise" and/or "Stranger Danger")
7. Rude dogs who want to sniff him and don't ask permission first
8. Shaking keys which are unidentified foreign objects and are swiftly dealt with

The common theme seems to be rustling and moving sounds which are only threatening if misunderstood or occurring unexpectedly. He works hard at his responsibility of serving and protecting his harem (which for the time being consists of one hen).

Things have changed a bit and he has grown up but he has done his best to fit into his big boy britches (which are feathered and shaped like bell-bottoms). It does take a little patience, but as long as I am aware of what I am doing, where he is, and how he might perceive what I'm doing, no problems. He is certainly not people aggressive (thank goodness). But, as I have witnessed, a rooster will not stand down when they think there is danger and it is an amazing, self-sacrificing and stubborn courage that makes them what they are. He is a sweet boy and is kept more like a pet BUT with the respect and awareness he deserves. So, a happy ending for both of us won through good communication and understanding (on my part).

View attachment 2160405

He appears paranoid.

What is deal with white bird behind him?

 

[Sublight]

Just wanted to drop an update on my rooster boy as I believe understanding, respect, and awareness has cleared up all human/chicken miscommunications.

An incomplete list of Perceived Threats (as exampled by a bantam rooster who only recently learned to perfect his crow)

List of Perceived Threats as follows:

1. A rustling bag of cheese
2. A cat whose innocent misfortune it was to come between the aforementioned rooster and the cheese
3. A suspicious large rustling weed that was being pulled up at the time, hence, the rustling
4. A rustling golf bag
5. A plastic starbucks cup with scratch (which in and of itself is good) but making a suspicious shaking sound (which in and of itself is bad)
6. Unfamiliar gloved hands (also known as "Hands under Disguise" and/or "Stranger Danger")
7. Rude dogs who want to sniff him and don't ask permission first
8. Shaking keys which are unidentified foreign objects and are swiftly dealt with

The common theme seems to be rustling and moving sounds which are only threatening if misunderstood or occurring unexpectedly. He works hard at his responsibility of serving and protecting his harem (which for the time being consists of one hen).

Things have changed a bit and he has grown up but he has done his best to fit into his big boy britches (which are feathered and shaped like bell-bottoms). It does take a little patience, but as long as I am aware of what I am doing, where he is, and how he might perceive what I'm doing, no problems. He is certainly not people aggressive (thank goodness). But, as I have witnessed, a rooster will not stand down when they think there is danger and it is an amazing, self-sacrificing and stubborn courage that makes them what they are. He is a sweet boy and is kept more like a pet BUT with the respect and awareness he deserves. So, a happy ending for both of us won through good communication and understanding (on my part).

View attachment 2160405

Glad to hear it. Our young boy has started bowing up to us a little.

My plan seems to be working fairly well. We feed them scratch and spend more time with them.
I want him to view me as the one he is excited to see, not the one he needs to challenge.

We are also trying to be less threatening towards him. We don't walk directly at him, etc.

Please keep us updated as he gets older.

 

[kcan2]

He appears paranoid.

What is deal with white bird behind him?

I believe he suspects a conspiracy therefore he does spend a lot of time being suspicious. I think white bird was busy doing chicken yoga while preening.