Rooster

[annie3001]

hello.

I am looking for positive advice, or suggestions please.

I have almost 2 year old rooster, that lives among 9 other hens and 4 ducks. over the years he's been wonderful. however the past 6-8 months he has gotten very agressive. anybody that enters that part of the yard. he charges. guess he's got alot to protect. we have fenced off our animals from our children. for our childrens safety of course.
today, i was outside, (it was raining a bit) but i was outside with the animals as they free ranged. (there was a hawk incident, another thread)) anyways, as i was finding some juicy worms for some chickens, the rooster was always close by. just as i saw (i though was hawks) were actually crows, i called out to the animals "girls get in" to get them back into their covered run etc. .... I am walking quickly with all of them. (they are following me). my rooster starts attacking me.

so much so, left my hand bloody and my rear end black and blue. he was jumping and attacking me! I turned around (i actually thought it was my dog, shes a small little jumper) then i realized it was "him". i turned around and said. "what are you doing, i am protecting your girls. really? really?"

i didnt think to grab my shoe and whack him with it.

he backed off. i ran back to my house. left all of them out there. my husband was home, came outside. my hand was bloody and was like "what the heck happend"

he told me "get inside hon, get cleaned up, maybe a hawk will carry him (refering to the rooster off).

i am shocked he went after the person who takes care of him, feeds him. my knuckle hurts too.

i wonder why he went after me. was it because i was getting worm for his girls? my comment about "run girls" loudly.
i know lots of people will say. " he should be dinner". but he's very beautiful and he does a good job protecting them. but to attack me. thoughts and advice please. please be kind and civil.

 

[annie3001]

btw: i have tried to be the boss. has not worked.

 

[Davian]

If you've already tried to reassert your place at the top of the pecking order (ie, made him squat for you, picked him up and carried him around "his girls" to humiliate him, etc) and he's still doing this, you dont have many good options. You could do the following:

1. Adopt him out to someone's stewpot.
2. Put him in your own.
3. Keep trying with him for a bit longer.

Personally, I'd go with Option 3 for a bit as I'd be leery of getting rid of a rooster who's good with handling his flock.

Also, I'd wear thick gloves around him from now on.

BTW, I agree, he's a beauty of a rooster.

 

[annie3001]

thanks, good , i like option 3...

 

[sourland]

He has one loyalty - to his hens. It's not personal. Everything else he feels a need to prove his dominance to so that they will not 'mess' with his hens. I would be concerned as to what might happen if he got out of the pen or your daughter wandered into the pen. You have experienced how quick and powerful he is. Just imagine that attack on a child. If he were mine, he would have to go. I couldn't take the chance however slight it might be.

Oops, my mistake. The 1 year old, Molly, is your dog.

 

[annie3001]

Quote:
no problem,

We have given it thought about getting rid of the rooster. we have 2 kids, they have another part of the property and fenced between them, as the animals cannot get to my kids. however, when my kids are outdoors, i am always with them, incase the gate to the other side of the yard is open. i need a bigger broom for protection.

 

[donrae]

So, he attacked you and you went away, right? He really doesn't care what you said, just what you did. IMO your chances of changing his behavior are now nil. If you don't naturally assert your dominance it's all but impossible. He now sees himself as totally dominant over you and will attack you at will. I mean, why shouldn't he? He did before and won, might as well do it again. I'd butcher him or give him to someone who wants to. There are many many roos who are good with protecting the flock who don't draw blood.

 

[deChickyHen]

I have got 3 roos, and the 1st one who decides to attack me is gonna be made an example of really quickly!!!!!

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

I know he's beautiful, I know he's good with his girls. But like Sourland said, paraphrasing here, accidents happen and what if it were your kids? Yes, you may have every intention of being outside with your kids, but if he happened to get out and attacked your child, are you 100% sure you could keep your child safe? I had a mean roo once. It only took a few times of him acting aggressive before I found him a home where the new owner knew of his aggressive tendencies. I don't know for sure what ever happened to him, and to be blunt, I don't care. He was a liability waiting to happen around my house. I now have a gorgeous rooster who keeps his distance from me, but even when I have to handle him he is very submissive. However, he is the big man amongst his ladies. He has never, ever, ever challenged me. Even when I picked one of his girls up and she squawked. He knows I am the true boss and he accepts it. But he has attacked the cat and a dog over his hens. My kids, however, can hand-feed him and he is very friendly to them as well as respectful.


My vote is to find him a new home where the new owner knows of his tendencies...

 

[annie3001]

thank you for your advice. i am still puzzled by him (rooster) wish i knew he was going to a good home, if that's what we end up doing. i dunno. gonna go have a heart to heart talk with the rooster tomorrow. not sure what ill say, just know, that i am considering re-homing him. just a very sad thought. my kids come first, without any doubt.
hubby is unsure what to do to. ill keep the thread here updated, just as soon as a decision is made. thanks.