Should I provoke my roo?

[ManyQuestions]

Hey all,

Wondering should I provoke my roo to the point where he attacks?
The background to it is my roo attacked me some months back. I searched the site and read about various ways to let him know he's on your turf, not the other way around.
So off i went and anytime he got too close or appeared to be posturing at me, he felt the tip of my boot (a shunt rather than a kick), and that would be the end of his aggresiveness for a week or so.
My reasoning in relation to the provoking of him is that if i impose myself on him, he wont flare up at me, or worse - one of my kids. Im thinking that this way, i can in a sense 'control' when he turns into The Feathered Hulk, as we call it.

Any thoughts either way?

 

[WingingIt]

Personally, if he continues to come back and attack he'd be gone. Tons of people have roos that, while maybe they aren't lap sitters to let you pet them, they are calm enough to not attack and I'd keep looking until I got one. Good luck!

 

[Akane]

Usually all provoking an animal does is teach it to attack every time it sees you. Trying to prevent the behavior and show you are boss before he attacks would be a better idea than trying to get him to do it.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Mine stopped after I held him daily for about a week.

 

[Bantimna]

I don't suggest you provoke him to attack you. Just carry on with your tasks around the coop and ignore him.
But if he does decide to attack you, then give him a lesson on who is the boss.

 

[missionarywife]

I have 3 roosters and tonight my 12 yr old and I went out and doctored 2 of the ladies. They didn't attack us. Though I was worried.

 

[columbiacritter]

A breeder I know has an interesting way to deal with nasty roosters. The first time they try anything he grabs them by the neck and squeezes for a long count of three then tosses them down. The next time they attack it's a count of 6, then 9 then 12, after twelve he offs the roosters. His opinion is a nasty rooster isn't worth the risk to him, his kids or guests to his farm and I agree.

 

[ManyQuestions]

I dont want to dispatch him though, for all his tantrums, hes a good bird to his hareem and looks after them well.
However, if he ever tries to attack anyone but me, well......it will be one of his last actions.

 

[GreenGoddess]

I am in the same position as you! We have two roos.. One is Clucky, our main roo and he belongs to my husband.. Then we have Ollie, MY roo! At this time we only have 7 girls and poor Ollie get terrorized if he even TRIES to come out of the coop into the run.. So, almost daily (weather permitting of course) I let Ollie out alone to free range and get some mommy time.. When I clean the poop board, gather eggs or refill the water, he jumps onto my back.. The ONLY problem I have with him is if I try to put him back into the coop before HE is ready, he bites my arm when i try to pick him up.. I can't say I really blame him.. Other than that, he talks to me, gets yummy treats and is basically spoiled... Clucky on the other hand....... I've told my husband a million times that he's lucky I love him!! Don't get me wrong.. Clucky is really good when it comes to finding treats for the girls and protecting them.. But, he is a rapist as far as chickens go.. He's not as gentle as he could be when he mounts them! When he first started mounting them, I thought my girls were going to be brain damaged because he would grab them in such a fashion that when he hopped off, they walked backwards, shaking their heads.. Their coordination was absolutely gone! Luckily, this has stopped! Not I just have a problem with him attacking ME! I hate that bird with a passion!! I currently have a lump on my hand where he attacked me a few days ago and bruised the bone.. I had to keep telling myself (with flames coming out of my eyes!) "I love my husband... I love my husband... i love my husband!!" LOL... As for only having 7 girls, I have 10 more 3 week old chicks in the brooder now and they will be Ollie's girls so that will solve the ratio problem! For two days after Clucky attacked me, 2x a day I would go in the coop, grab him, hang him upside down and then hold him like a football the entire time I was watering the garden and bamboo!! If he started to raise a fuss, i would tap him on the beak and tell him to hush! I cannot get my husband to understand that in most flocks, he'd been dinner a long time ago!!!!

What are the chances he will calm down after I integrate the girls into the flock and how do I make sure Ollie has his share of the girls? Or will this sort itself out??

Goddess

 

[Beekissed]

I don't provoke roos but I will advance on them if I feel they are getting too comfortable in my presence. If they don't move away to avoid me I will startle them with a lunge in their direction. This will usually put one to flight to get away. I don't want him to feel like the top roo is getting lax in his position but I don't think it's necessary to loft him unless he is showing overt aggression of any kind.

I also will not let him eat when I am in the coop or breed a hen nearby. Stomping your foot next to the breeding pair will usually send him running and doing the quick advance towards him while he is trying to eat will get the same reaction.