Rowdy Rooster

[HeiHeisMom]

Have a six month old Black Star cockerel who has suddenly started demanding attention.
He usually follows me around and chatters non stop. We'll carry on back and forth conversations and I swear he understands me even when I can't figure him out.
Lately the hens have been running him off and the older Roosters try to ban him from the food.
Two days ago his "henfriend" passed away and her sister is mourning and beating up on the little guy.
(He had nothing to do with her passing)
Any way yesterday he started pecking at the back of my legs or my boots.
Today he began jumping at and biting my arms and hands. Biting, not just pecking
IvI' been bit at least two dozen times today alone.
I pick him up and Cary him around and fuss at him for biting, even "roo in" up to him.
He stops for awhile, but as soon as my attention is off of him the biting starts all over.
After he bites I tap his beak, tell him no and talk to him for a minute.
Am I unwittingly reinforcing his biting?
Is the sudden biting a sign of mourning??
It's annoying as heck!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He's maturing and becoming hormonal. Handling and petting roosters will often confuse them about your relationship with him. His behavior will escalate. I prefer to raise my roosters with a hands off approach to prevent this type of familiarity. He's trying to dominate you. Generally it's quite behavior that's hard to correct.

 

[HeiHeisMom]

He's maturing and becoming hormonal. Handling and petting roosters will often confuse them about your relationship with him. His behavior will escalate. I prefer to raise my roosters with a hands off approach to prevent this type of familiarity. He's trying to dominate you. Generally it's quite behavior that's hard to correct.

So how do I correct this?
Start ignoring him?
I'm ready to go all out rooster on the little fart.
All the older Roosters would do the same, following me around and talking to me, but they each weaned themselves at different times. Kind of like kids do, gradually distancing themselves.
This little booger refuses to be ignored! I've been trying,but the behavior esclates.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

There has been different threads on how people try to fix this behavior. I've only had one human aggressive rooster. I tried every technique here and nothing worked. He only got worse. If you can figure out a way to make him keep his distance, 10 feet is a good number, you could maybe turn him around.

Some recommend squirt guns or bottles, hoses, or a long stick to poke him away. You don't want to do anything that will look like you are fighting with him. He will actually like that.

I personally use a fishing net. I would scoop him up, and put him in a crate or pen. Leaving him there either temporarily or long term. He may calm down as he matures. Penning him would allow the habit of attacking you to break.

You will probably get some other opinions I'm sure. Roosters seems to be a hot topic with multiple ways to deal with them.

I now raise all roosters with a hands off approach and none are ever aggressive with me. You need to find what works for you.

 

[Roo5]

I use water hose, but I start teaching males early on and stop the little things they form into,your current situation.And I raise all males to be friendly,or somewhat “friendly”.Unfourtently he’s too late to use my technique and probably won’t be able to be kept as a pet any longer,if rehabilitation doesn’t work you may have to eat em’,or give him to someone who wants to deal with that.

 

[Folly's place]

Beekissed has a good article here about managing aggressive roosters; it may help with yours.
I manage my cockerels like Oldhen does, and have zero tolerance for human aggression in any here. In my experience, it's hard to alter their behavior reliably when this gets going. The hormones overrule their few brain cells!
Mary

 

[HeiHeisMom]

Last time he bit I stood up picked him up locking his wings down and tossed him into our "hospital room", lights off, door closed ( my daughter brought him inside because he got beat up by a flock of younger hens) all alone. He fussed for a few minutes then sang to us for a minute or two through the door. My daughter says, "Mom, Dean's apologizing!". Lol

 

[Shadrach]

At six months old he is becoming interested in mating. If the hens won't crouch for him and the rooster drives him away, you are all he's got.
It reads to me that he is probably trying to mate with you and in this case your boot. Don't worry about it. It doesn't do any harm and keeps him away from the hens and the senior rooster.
Ignore all the nonsense above about aggressive roosters. He isn't being agressive, he's just hormonal and needy.
If you drive him away he is likely to become aggressive. The biting is what a rooster would do to the neck of a hen in order to maintain his balance while mating.
Given you have been picking him up, this is now 'mating' to him. If you pick him up correctly then he shouldn't be able to bite any exposed flesh because your hand should be at his rear end.
Picking him up is fine. I've done it with cockerels here. However, until he manages to attract hens of his own, you will become his hen. It takes a couple of months usually from this stage to the stage where you will get dumped for proper hens.
You can limit the biting by not putting your hands near his beak. Pick him up very very slowly. Slide both your hands towards him at wing level and gently grasp him around the body, your thumbs covering his wings. Slide your right hand under his body while he is at waist height lightly gripping his right thigh between your index and middle finger. You will find you can hold him one handed like this and even carry him around while you do other things.
Seriously, forget all the aggressive rooster nonsense, he's just randy and needs a friend.

 

[Roo5]

This is not breeding,or at-least it doesn’t sound like it,ba video would help.
Even if it is,he shouldn’t look at you as a hen,bbecause what does a rooster do to hens,he over powers them, which means he’s gonna fight you till eventually you give in,I don’t see this working out in your favor.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

At six months old he is becoming interested in mating. If the hens won't crouch for him and the rooster drives him away, you are all he's got.
It reads to me that he is probably trying to mate with you and in this case your boot. Don't worry about it. It doesn't do any harm and keeps him away from the hens and the senior rooster.
Ignore all the nonsense above about aggressive roosters. He isn't being agressive, he's just hormonal and needy.
If you drive him away he is likely to become aggressive. The biting is what a rooster would do to the neck of a hen in order to maintain his balance while mating.
Given you have been picking him up, this is now 'mating' to him. If you pick him up correctly then he shouldn't be able to bite any exposed flesh because your hand should be at his rear end.
Picking him up is fine. I've done it with cockerels here. However, until he manages to attract hens of his own, you will become his hen. It takes a couple of months usually from this stage to the stage where you will get dumped for proper hens.
You can limit the biting by not putting your hands near his beak. Pick him up very very slowly. Slide both your hands towards him at wing level and gently grasp him around the body, your thumbs covering his wings. Slide your right hand under his body while he is at waist height lightly gripping his right thigh between your index and middle finger. You will find you can hold him one handed like this and even carry him around while you do other things.
Seriously, forget all the aggressive rooster nonsense, he's just randy and needs a friend.

Totally agree. Well said and thank you.