scared of my roo. (pic), few questions...... please help!!!

[luvmesomechicks]

About a year ago I moved into a house in which I am responsible for some chicks. Now these are grown up and after some investigating I found out I have some american game fowls. Mind you, I have no experience with chickens and took some getting used to. Out of all 14 that were born (and after nature took its course) I was left with 4 roosters and 9 hens. Now I got rid of two of the roos about a month ago because they were just way to aggressive. I have a 4 year old and she is my concern over the roosters.

So now I have two roosters and sure enough one is turning aggressive like the two I got rid of. I have come to appreciate my birds and I really like everything about them. I can't let them free range with the hens cuz im afraid they are siblings (and I have no way of finding out if they are or not). So he is separated (as well as other rooster) from all the hens. Im pretty sure him being alone in a 3' x 5' cage has definitely made him aggressive. Yesterday he tried flogging me when I opened the door to change his water. While he didn't succeed in flogging me he did succeed in scaring the crap out of me. I have been flogged once or twice by the other roos i got rid of and luckily not been injured. Now I am a grown man but im scared of these roosters and I would have no problem culling if it came down to it.

Yesterday after his attempted flogging he stood there and looked at me from behind the cage and if I read his mind right he was saying "yeah I did it. What you gonna do about it? Come back in here and see what happens. " and if I didn't walk away we probably would still be staring each other down. So my questions are as follows:

Is it possible to tame him at this point?
HOW IN THE WORLD AM I SUPPOSED TO PICK HIM UP WHEN HE WONT BACK DOWN AND STANDS HIS GROUND???
Do I just have a breed that is impossible to control?
Do they sense fear?










The flogger

 

[Grand-hen-ma]

Hi, I had a Roo like that. I was tired of getting bloody legs, hands and arms so I went to Walmart and got a large squiet gun from the toy department. Every time I went to see the girls and the Roo would attack, I would blast him. He doesn't attack me any more.

Also we have an African gray parrot that is quite nasty to me and my grand kids. A friend who works for Bush Gardens, in the avairy department said to get cheap, orange colored mouthwash and make a 1/2 and 1/2 half solution of that and water and when ever the nasty comes out, give the bird a blast of the solution. It won't hurt the birds. They just don't like the taste. Now all we have to do is hold uo the squirt bottle and threaten with it and the nasty behavior stops.

Might help your problem. Good luck

 

[mamabigbird]

Well I have studied the photo thoroughly ... and, Sir, I do believe you have been served "THE STINK-EYE".
And as you apparently looked away first ... he wins.
Seriously though, I believe you have a sexually frustrated rooster which is motivation in his mind to murder the #$@&(#$&@# that is keeping him away from the ladies.
If you are worried about the rooster being related to the hens perhaps someone else can answer as to whether that is a concern.
Or could you get him a couple of hens of his own. Maybe that would soothe the savage breast.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
Do you have good reflexes? If so.. here's what I do with snakes (yes, I catch rat snakes barehanded).. distract then with one hand.. they while they are engrossed in watching your hand.. swoop in with the other and grab their neck. A rooster will beat you with his wings when you do it.. but it will also scare the crap out of them in the process. As soon as you have his neck.. take the other hand and grab his feet. I've only had to do this with a couple of roosters.. the others I just grabbed their feet out from under them.

 

[menageriemama]

IMO
1. Its not going to be possible to tame him.
2. Pick him up at night when he is asleep, very quickly by the feet. Have a sharp knife and an appetite ready.
3. Not sure about the breed/aggression issue.
4. Not sure if they can sense fear. I am pretty sure that his testes are ruling his behavior.

Good luck

 

[Blue]

I would put him in with the hens. Even if they're brother and sister, it shouldn't do any damage. The way that most breeders attain breed perfection is through specific forms of inbreeding (linebreeding - which is mating the mothers to sons and the fathers to daughters). Brother to sister would be a closer relation, but if you're worried about having deformeed or mentally challenged chicks, I don't think that's really a concern, at least not until you get into several generations of the brother/sister breeding. The rooster will be happier, and you might end up happier as well.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Yes a bird knows when a person is afraid.


They read body language - instantly.




Do you like this bird? Deep down, do you really like him (he has the confirmation you are looking for in chicks, he has the color, he has the right size - what ever, do you like him?).......or if in the morning you went out to feed and did not need to even think about him - would you feel good?



Use the two handed trick - it works. Grab him around the neck, or the tail base - then grab with the other hand. Be prepared for some battle scars (or wear gloves).

 

[allieloveschickens]

that is definitely some stink eye! I would either get rid of him, or let him out with the girls- it won't do any damage if they are related for several generations, you could also bring in a few new hens. If he continues to try to flog you even once he is out with the girls there are some techniques to try to tame him, but you may just have to get rid of him. Good luck!

 

[CupOJoe42]

Quote:
Do you have good reflexes? If so.. here's what I do with snakes (yes, I catch rat snakes barehanded).. distract then with one hand.. they while they are engrossed in watching your hand.. swoop in with the other and grab their neck. A rooster will beat you with his wings when you do it.. but it will also scare the crap out of them in the process. As soon as you have his neck.. take the other hand and grab his feet. I've only had to do this with a couple of roosters.. the others I just grabbed their feet out from under them.

I was waiting for you to say "... and PULL HARD!"

 

[rancher hicks]

" I had one too that pecked at my legs, so I swatted him with a piece of board. He watches out for me now." ---- Minnie Rose Lovgreens Recipe for Raising Chickens. ( You can find this book on line).

If you don't need them then trade both away and get your self a nice Delaware roo.

Rancher