Roosters are no joke?

[BarnyardChaos]

I also catch them and then they get to spend teo hours in the house on my lap watching a movie with me.

I have to know which movie. Godzilla? Jurassic Park? So many good teaching opportunities lol

I don't know if you should show him this one, but I couldn't resist:
(NOT for children, nor weak hearts!)
Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462485/
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi848085785/?ref_=tt_vi_i_1

(edited to link video with age restrictions)

 

[sdm111]

I have also found the less confident you are about being in their space the more willing they are to try you.

A daughter of my friends like to come over and help with the chickens but she lacks confidence and acts weary around them. I have 9 cockerells 6 of them never try anything with me or my brother. We move through the yard like we own the place. Only have minor issues with the 3 that like to test their boundaries. The young daughter tho they all kinda act like they want to test her.

I dont let her tend them with out me or my brother because of this. I coach her as we go and when she stops being nervous they stop being shady fellows and go back to normal.

I'm not having as many issues out of the 3 that where doing the kicking at my legs now but I still keep my eyes on them and talk to them.

The one Spitzhauben Ship Head is very good for the flock. He is always last up waiting on everyone even the other roosters to put up before him. He seams to listion to me as well. I'll tell him to round them up and he starts trying to entice them in to the coop. But he still try's to kick me if I don't pay attention. If I do he watches for a while the goes about his business. None are super aggressive and I think age is bringing them wisdom as well. Fewer sneaky attacks. They actively try to get my attention when in my vicinity. Still going to have to cull some but Ship might not be on the block because he's good for free ranging the girls.

That first sentence is so true. If you're scared of an animal it's time to get rid of it. If you show fear practically any animal will hone in on it and make you miserable.

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

My daughter who has been raised handling livestock has had a side huustle taking care of people's animals when away. She has started taking me with her because they have two beautiful very large barred rock roos..now to be clear there is a hen with a chick in the house/run so..but she is suppossed to collect eggs,leave in house, feed,water,lay eyes on all of them.. so i went after she was flogged the night before.

One would guard the hen,one would come at you, they obviously werent expecting when they leapt up to flock me that i would grab them and flip them over.. i held them like this for a minute then flipped them under my arm and just stood..put one down he ran to guard thehen,the other came did exact same thing..they left me and my daughter alone..they guarded their hens but stayed 4 feet away.. now,there spurs have been dubbed ...but pretty much almost all the farming people etc especially older kept game fowl ,even after fighting became a felony.. instead many raise and sell breeding stock,especially overseas.. some show their birds ..now ..there are some much gentler than those i saw as a child,as in the hens wont kill each other as long as they have enough room,great free ranging and if they hatch a clutch amazing moms..i digress.. anyway, these boys have never been challenged, the owner says she just locks them in oppossite house or run to do chores.. or does chores while they are out,but they dont free range everyday.. anyway,we will see today.. they have a pet hog ( not a pot belly, he is like 500-600 lbs) an elderly show horse,hunting dogs and barn cats too


My sebright roo is aggressive,but at a pound with no spurs at almost 11 months old..he has nubs.. he doesnt bite ..he is too good a roo to put down as even bare legged he does no damage

Pro
Very protective of hens
Gentle with hens
Fertile
Excellent aerial predator alertness
Takes good care of his flock
Doesnt tolerate squabblingalways lets the girls. Eat,drink,dust bathe get treats first
Never hurts them
Puts them to bed
Gets them all moving at same time in am
Tolerates subflocks,prevents dangerous aggression towards younger subflocks

Corrects juvenile roosters 4 times or more his size and they are afraid of him despite being sexually mature

He even watches for the subflocks when their younger roosters miss a predator he alerts and pushes them to safety
He also went after one of younger roosters who was being very very rough,like i was a day from sending him to a friends flock where they free range 100+ birds for eggs and meat and cull/process 4-6 times a year

All of a sudden after a couple corrections he is very respectful iisnt pulling feathers,isnt thundering to treats and food ( i have foodd out 24/7 treats are their food mixed with seeds and dried fruit pieces) he now stands like Timmy allowing all the hens and chicks to arrive and eat staying on the edge watching eating them only after they start to disperse


I dont think i can replace timmy

Who knew a pound and a half hen feathered sebright would turn out to be so good..with that said there are no children around at all

 

[The Birb King]

I just try not to fall down in the run cause I know they would eat me in a heart beat if I couldn't get up

I dont think they could actually. They would probably just walk all over you and use you as a new perch

 

[The Birb King]

Because there are always questions about whether or not to keep a rooster after it has attacked someone I found this article interesting. And sad.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...n-massive-bleeding-attacked-Ireland-home.html

Wow I have never heard of that before!It must be extremely rare for that to happen. It probably happened because he already had health issues and the spur hit a weak spot. Do I need to be careful of my bigger roosters now even though they are not aggressive?

 

[The Birb King]

Honestly, I dont think this is something to get worked up over. Yes it is sad and unusual, but the chances of a rooster killing a human are Extremely rare and this is the only story about it I have ever heard. Dogs kill thousands of people each year, but we still keep them inside and treat them like family. There are a lot more animals that are much more likely to kill you than a rooster.

 

[Krugerrand]

The occurrances of a rooster killing a human are so small on the what's likely to kill me list that they are completely insignificant.

killing yes. causing significant harm .... not necessarily so small. Know the risks of the choices you make.

 

[NagemTX]

Thought I would post this here. Its copied from an article or thread dealing with rooster behavior. Im going to try this method with my testy boys.

Saw this on another post as I was looking into a similar situation. I saved it to word, so I cannot give credit where credit is due. My apologies to the original poster.

"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."

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Wow I have never heard of that before!It must be extremely rare for that to happen. It probably happened because he already had health issues and the spur hit a weak spot. Do I need to be careful of my bigger roosters now even though they are not aggressive?

I think you're good. This guy had health issues like you said so he probably should have put the rooster in a pot for attacking his granddaughter because he was at higher risk if it attacked him.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

It's so sad! I feel for his daughter when she says she knew the rooster needed to be put down... what a weight to carry.

Having a good rooster just totally spoils you on putting up with an aggressive one ever again.
We have 8 mature roos at the moment, none have crossed us (one strike and they're out, don't care what kind of assault it is).
Yet it's amazingly different, peaceful, to walk through the yard with Clifford the Orp's flock or sit out there in a camp chair watching them. Even when he watches us, his eyes are soft and gentle. It makes chicken keeping SO much more enjoyable.

Yes! Clifford is a totally different kettle of fish ... um I mean rooster