Taming a Rooster?

[WindingRoad]

I’ve discussed culling him a few times with my husband and he’s very hesitant to do it. I’m worried that come summertime when I’m outside with my 2 year old that he will fly out of the fenced in area, and that’s the last thing I need is to have to worry about my son getting attacked.

Please Please don't do that. I saw a rooster attack a little 3 year old girl for no reason he come up behind her and spurred her face terribly. This was in the early 60's and I'm sure she has scars today. Plastic surgery wasn't in vogue then. It was awful. Luckily she didn't get infections from it. A rooster will take down a child that small. Please consider getting rid of that rooster sooner rather than later. Be proactive.

 

[Cryss]

Cover your coop top with hardware cloth. He won't be able to fly out and hawks, owls, climbing raccoons, etc. won't be able to get in. Keep little children safe.

 

[Mary Chapman]

I keep breeder roosters. If it were not for the fact they are for showing I would cull them. Our neighbor gave me a rooster that got her young sons face. That jerk attacked me so many times. But I only took him for a meal later. And he was the first one I butchered. He got my leg I don't know how many times. I still have a scab on my wrist from my Jersey Black Giant rooster attack. Before that he got my thumb. He is not allowed to run freely. He has a pen with a run. To keep from being injured, which I just done today to mine, trim and file down to round off his spurs, and his beak. You can watch videos on how this is done. He may still attack you, but won't do much damage. My Black Copper Maran is such a sweetie. I can pet him and he has never showed any aggression. Even my grand kids love him.

 

[MROO]

Thank you. That seems like a good idea. I have went out there the past couple of days we got a new automatic water feeder for them and I was taking up the wood chips and noticed he wouldn’t come near me while I had the rake. I also just stood in there at one point with my husband and he was fine. I am getting more and more confident each time I do go out there with being around him so that definitely helps

The more calmly confident you can be around him, the better he will accept you. He needs to know that his threatening antics have mean absolutely nothing to him, because he is no longer in charge. You are.

 

[ellend]

I was attacked by a banty rooster when I was 12. Felt like a sledgehammer hitting my !shin, and I wasn't a crybaby! My aunt took a large dog and a board into the henhouse with her...but my mischevious cousin locked me in barefoot to see if I'd panick. I'll never forget his look of horror thru the window as he saw the roo attack me, poor kid. If I had been a toddler, that roo would absolutely have gotten my face, maybe eyes. I love all animals. I don't kill ANYTHING, including insects, if it is unless it is suffering or I REALLY have to. That said, I'd cull that rooster. There are many sweeter roos being culled whom you could save, while keeping your child safe. Good luck.

 

[ellend]

I’ve discussed culling him a few times with my husband and he’s very hesitant to do it. I’m worried that come summertime when I’m outside with my 2 year old that he will fly out of the fenced in area, and that’s the last thing I need is to have to worry about my son getting attacked.

Don't ask your husband to do something that you won't. Step up and do what needs to be done. If you're going to keep animals, you have to grit your teeth and take care of hard things. Allowing yourself to dodge the hard stuff does your animals a dis-service.

 

[ellend]

My previous post sounded very harsh. It's not meant to be. I dread and HATE killing a pet chicken, or other small pet, or wildlife that I just can't cure. If you are going to be an effective caretaker of small things, though, you must force yourself to get on with it for their sakes. You don't want your surgeon to hesitate when you need a painful procedure done; you want decisive action to get it over with. Your chickens will at some time need your care for injuries, and if you've trained yourself to not dodge the necessary, they will be much better off and so will you. Best of luck. Remember; you can save the life of another cockerel when the aggressive roo is gone.

 

[centrarchid]

I am one that manages roosters and has had little kids around. The aggression issue can be managed, but not by all parties. Get rid of bird by any means necessary and consider carefully before acquiring another. It is likely not just a rooster issue, but for now assume it is.

 

[Nin8705]

Don't ask your husband to do something that you won't. Step up and do what needs to be done. If you're going to keep animals, you have to grit your teeth and take care of hard things. Allowing yourself to dodge the hard stuff does your animals a dis-service.

I never said I wouldn’t kill him myself. My husband wants to keep him until we get another rooster that’s why he’s hesitant. I know how to “handle the hard things” thank you very much

 

[Nin8705]

I never said I wouldn’t kill him myself. My husband wants to keep him until we get another rooster that’s why he’s hesitant. I know how to “handle the hard things” thank you very much

I’m very aware of what it can do to a child, I by no means would ever put my toddler in harms way. I’ve grown up in the country my entire life and have had to deal with taking care of the wild animals that come around. When I said we discussed it it wasn’t meant in a way that only he would do it. He was giving reasons why he wants to keep it. I’m not a weak person that candle handle doing what needs to be done. I would just like options on if he would ever chill out before the decision was made to kill him