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

[Chickin Out]

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

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It usually does! as with my little rooster, they are just frightened of a threat to the hens, and bravely trying to protect them

I'm glad you worked it out. Your rooster is gorgeous! And a really nice setup you have there too

 

[minaayindra]

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).

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You are hysterical, and so is he! Thanks for taking the time to relate to him on his own level; as annoying as some of their negative behaviors can be, they really are just doing their gig in life. I would make maximum effort to avoid any types of bags, shakers, plastic, and Stranger Danger gloves on the future- love it!

 

[calboy147]

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

Nothing cathartic about it at all. It was to save his life. It seems to still be keeping him at a safe distance. I will kind of miss him sitting on my feet and following me around, but he is just as pretty and funny at a [safe for him] distance.

 

[Folly's place]

Saving his life was a good thing! I'd hate to think that the saw got him, awful!
Mary

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I may be the odd voice out here, but I am going to say it. Your first obligation is to the safety of your child. An aggressive rooster can do serious damage to an adult, never mind a small child whose eyes are at the same height as a rooster's beak and spurs. Roosters taste like chicken and there are plenty of well-behaved ones out there. I was patient with a rooster until he really hurt me and changed my attitude toward them forever. I now have a "one strike, you're out" policy.

 

[kcan2]

Nothing cathartic about it at all. It was to save his life. It seems to still be keeping him at a safe distance. I will kind of miss him sitting on my feet and following me around, but he is just as pretty and funny at a [safe for him] distance.

Scary story, that would have given me a heart attack! That would have been a brutal ending, but so glad it ended well.

An aggressive rooster can do serious damage to an adult, never mind a small child whose eyes are at the same height as a rooster's beak and spurs

Agree! It's definitely never ok to endanger a person, especially a child. I was pretty relieved to discover my guy wasnt attacking me, just unfamiliar objects. Keeping that in mind, I'm grateful to be a part of my guy's trusted circle but in truth he does most of the communicating, and I do most of the understanding.

Here is a pic of him coming over to see what's up. Also pictured: his "big boy britches" worn to the 1978 prom.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Love the "big boy britches!"

 

[Zeeb]

I had a beautiful barred Plymouth Rock Rooster that was so tame I could hand feed him and pet him but once he got near adulthood he started to attack me everyday. One day I got home from work parked and saw him run full speed from the bottom of my driveway (500 ft) up towards me. I ran to my front door and he attacked my back as I was running in the house.There were no hens anywhere near me so I couldn't understand why he was attacking me. He also jumped at my grandson (5 years old) and scratched him a few times so I got rid of the roo, he was vicious.

 

[calboy147]

I may be the odd voice out here, but I am going to say it. Your first obligation is to the safety of your child. An aggressive rooster can do serious damage to an adult, never mind a small child whose eyes are at the same height as a rooster's beak and spurs. Roosters taste like chicken and there are plenty of well-behaved ones out there. I was patient with a rooster until he really hurt me and changed my attitude toward them forever. I now have a "one strike, you're out" policy.

Sadly all my children are grown and spread out across the nation. I do have one granddaughter that lives a couple hundred miles away but seldom visits. I have explained to her daddy, if he knows he is coming give me a little notice and i will make sure Rodger is kept up.
I don't mind Rodger's antics myself and my wife doesn't put up with it. Not sure how effective her approach is. If she put her arms around me and rubbed my neck and wattle every time i kicked her, i would be kicking her constantly...lol
In most things i have a three strikes and i am through rule. But ZERO tolerance if it is dangerous or harmful physically or emotionally for a child.

 

[mowgli]

I would like to say first and foremost I am an animal lover.My first year of keeping chickens I had a mean bantam rooster.That was what brought me to this thread.I tried everything.One day I was crouching down pulling weeds and didn’t see him coming.He sliced my face open very close to my eye.I thought he had put my eye out.We lived in the woods.That night I put everyone in the coop except him.This went on until the owl took him.I no longer waste anytime with aggressive roosters.I like my eye site and was happy my face didn’t scar.