Topic of the Week - Aggressive Roosters: What is the best way to handle them?

[Shezadandy]

KDOGG- I will do it after work tomorrow. Please know, I have not kicked him, but a few times, and it was after repeated unprovoked charges, more of a toss with the top of my foot, because man, that one time he pecked my foot, he made it count!! Anyhow, that said, I will absolutely follow through, but would love to know what my chances are of getting pecked as I grab him. Why am I such a wuss?! I was a vet tech for 25 years and have been bitten before, by things that likely hurt me more than this guy can... Anyhow, It's just my son and I, so that's why I am bummed about him not wanting to go out back. That means I never have help with feeding and my mare only gets visits from me. Is it an option to throw a little towel over him to make it easier to grab him? I really appreciate the advice, I am not one to give up without a little bit of effort.

Here's an idea about catching him- I had a 3 foot x 3 foot frame of hardware cloth hanging around from another project- the frame is just 2x2's screwed together with hardware cloth stapled on. Maybe you've got something similar hanging around that can help you.

It should be strong enough to hold them- i.e. cardboard they can just push past, and tall enough to keep them from jumping out easily- not so tall that you can't reach down easily to pick him up. It just extends your reach and ends the fiasco of him bolting out one side or the other of a corner as you're reaching down. It also provides a barrier in case he decides to pull a rooster kick move on your legs in an effort to escape. If there's a spot where you can corner successfully, you can also wait a few seconds for him to calm down without him escaping, or use the towel at that point. If there's an area smaller than your backyard to star the catching process, that might be a better bet. Anyways, just a thought.

 

[coop410silkies]

@ Cari C in Phoenix: I so very much empathize with your rooster situation. Here is what worked for me, and I am the greatest Wuss I know. I have been stalked, attacked, and almost crippled by roosters whom I never provoked, intended harm, or threatened. I was not afraid of some, and of others I was terrified. Not only do I abhor the thought of picking up a rooster and carrying him around for a bit, I don't have time for it. Nor the patience. Nor the the speed to catch them. And I'm tentative. Unless I am wearing chain mail armor, I CANNOT walk through a challenging rooster. (Wearing protective clothing does help, however, but who wants to in Phoenix heat). When it got to the point where it was Me or Them, I decided I needed to do corrections that counted, and putting the fear of the almighty into them helped a lot. But who wants to become a cock fighter if he doesn't have to be one. I started using a fishing net to manage them. EASILY I could manage them - push them off the hens when I was feeding, corral them into and out of pens, catch them, move them, whatever - with the mere flex of my eyebrow and a wrist. And yes, they would move out of my way when they saw me coming. BUT, they could revert at any time - and I always had to have my net with me, even if for just my peace of mind. And I still had to watch my back. Sooo, in the long run, I ended up eating the most incorrigle and saving two of the most promising for breeding, in pens I never have to enter to feed and water. In other words, if you don't need them, get rid of them. If you have to keep them, treat them as wild animals in a zoo, under lock and key, and never trust them. I DO have plenty of very decent Roos whom I keep solely because they are great pets and good to their hens. Here's a pic of one come to visit in the basement.

 

[ShrekDawg]

KDOGG- I will do it after work tomorrow. Please know, I have not kicked him, but a few times, and it was after repeated unprovoked charges, more of a toss with the top of my foot, because man, that one time he pecked my foot, he made it count!! Anyhow, that said, I will absolutely follow through, but would love to know what my chances are of getting pecked as I grab him. Why am I such a wuss?! I was a vet tech for 25 years and have been bitten before, by things that likely hurt me more than this guy can... Anyhow, It's just my son and I, so that's why I am bummed about him not wanting to go out back. That means I never have help with feeding and my mare only gets visits from me. Is it an option to throw a little towel over him to make it easier to grab him? I really appreciate the advice, I am not one to give up without a little bit of effort.

Oh yeah, I knew you just pushed him off as self defense rather than actively kicking him all the time or anything, I had read your other posts, so sorry if my post implied otherwise. I can certainly understand self defense and know you don't abuse him however that said, even if he provokes it, I do think it could potentially make him worse since you're becoming another rooster to challege as wel las proving he's right that you are a threat. Instead what I recommend is next time he comes after you, just catch him mid air if you can and hold him. Also when you pick him up and hold him every day, you can try talking to him and/or offering threats to help calm him down and show you're not a threat. I don't think he'll peck you or it shouldn't be too bad. My hens squat when I pick them up, which makes it very easy adlnd hard to get pecked, but I'm not sure a rooster would squat. But if you pick him up from behind instead of the front it will make it harder for him to peck you, hopefully. What I usually do, which I learned from a friend recently, is I just tuck them up under my arm. Sometimes they even settle in and they can't get away or peck as much. And oh sorry about that! I thought I saw mention of a husband but I may have mixed it up with another post or simply assumed. Sorry! But anyway, I can definitely understand why you'd be bummed about that and I'm sure the horse is too. And that's yet another reason why you need to get the rooster under control or get rid of him one way or another. I think the towel would probably help or the method below. If you can corner him it may be easier. You're very welcome! You seem like you're pretty tough and not likely to give up on him so I think you have a pretry good chance of helping him, especially since he doesn't seem too bad yet. but you do need to try to convince your son to try all this too, although maybe after you get him under control. Another thing you can try if this doesn't work or in addition to this is penning him up or crating him, it might deflate some of his ego and when you out him back he might behave better.

am I correct that he is a Sussex? That was him standing between me and some of the girls while they ate breakfast.

He's a gorgeous roo!

Here's an idea about catching him- I had a 3 foot x 3 foot frame of hardware cloth hanging around from another project- the frame is just 2x2's screwed together with hardware cloth stapled on. Maybe you've got something similar hanging around that can help you. It should be strong enough to hold them- i.e. cardboard they can just push past, and tall enough to keep them from jumping out easily- not so tall that you can't reach down easily to pick him up. It just extends your reach and ends the fiasco of him bolting out one side or the other of a corner as you're reaching down. It also provides a barrier in case he decides to pull a rooster kick move on your legs in an effort to escape. If there's a spot where you can corner successfully, you can also wait a few seconds for him to calm down without him escaping, or use the towel at that point. If there's an area smaller than your backyard to star the catching process, that might be a better bet. Anyways, just a thought.

Great idea!

 

[newhamplover]

My son is 18, he's a tall, but quiet kid. The rooster never bothered him until he took a couple friends out to visit my horse. I am guessing that Tobias, my rooster, felt threatened with 3 tall kids, and was a jerk. Most of the time he does not rush me, but on the days he does, it is aggravating. Tell me what I need to do, and I will see if it works. I stand my ground and walk through him most of the time, but sometimes I just walk where he isn't. I don't like to kick him, but I don't do it hard, just sort of get the top of my foot under him and send him flying back a bit. Should I not do that? It is my last resort. He tends to give me a wide berth if I just quietly carry the broom. I thought maybe it was because I didn't hold him when he was younger. I am hesitant to send to the killers and get another, because he really is good to the girls, but I wasn't able to even pick them up for a month or two, I finally got fed up and I pick them up anyway. He hasn't bothered me about that in over a month. Thank you for helping. I just want to do the right thing. I always say it's just as easy to feed a good horse, as it is a bad one, so I am on-board with giving a good one a home if this guy is going to be too much trouble.

I think a lot of animals that sense if a person is apprehensive around them will take advantage. They are not mean, they will test their boundaries. I once watched a chihuahua in an obedience class just go for his owners face. That dog knew it had no boundaries. The way I have done Harry & really all of my animals is talking to them. When I hatched out the 7 I did the same thing. Every morning when I see them I start clapping my hands & saying "oh all my pretty babies". They just run to me it is an enjoyable time....we are glad to see each other.I I clap my hands & tell Harry to crow for me & he does.The more I clap the more he crows. I think the clapping, which they are so used to, is my signal that I am here & I am the leader. It is my signal of my presence. I think it is important that they know your signal & your presence. Every day as I am cleaning out the chicken house Harry comes in to inspect & to chit chat. I talk to him the whole time. He gets up in the shelf & talks what I call baby talk to me. A soft low cooing sound. I tell him you big old boy talking baby talk. The more he coos the more I praise him. Every day around 3:00 they know it is mealworm time. I hand feed them & Harry will come directly around to my side, right next to me, to eat his after the girls have eat. I have always done this with all of my animals. When I have been gone for some of the day & come home, I chap my hands & tell them I am home & they come running to me. They associate the clapping to a happy time & we are all happy. It also lets them know I am here, I am not apprehensive about being here.

 

[coop410silkies]

am I correct that he is a Sussex? That was him standing between me and some of the girls while they ate breakfast.

Sussex have pure white or pinkish (hormonal affect) shanks and feet, if that helps. Bye the way, pinning an aggressive foster down with a net may serve the same purpose as carrying him around. It is embarrassing to the rest of the flock to be held immobile and may very well lower his rank, it's easy to do. it doesn't hurt, it frees you up to do your tasks, and, IME, does not make the Roo more hostile.

 

[coop410silkies]

Sussex have pure white or pinkish (hormonal affect) shanks and feet, if that helps. Bye the way, pinning an aggressive foster down with a net may serve the same purpose as carrying him around. It is embarrassing to the rest of the flock to be held immobile and may very well lower his rank, it's easy to do. it doesn't hurt, it frees you up to do your tasks, and, IME, does not make the Roo more hostile.

. I mean "aggressive rooster"

 

[Lisa Wood]

Yes it does.  I consider Harry to be a great roo. That is him in my avatar. But when he was a teenager did he do wild stuff?  Some.  He raised his hackles at me a few times, mostly in the morning when he first came out of the coop. One time he flew up at my husband but never with his spurs. He had went all night & was primed.  I would laugh at him & say oh Mister Harry is really feeling frogy this morning.  He wanted to be a little over aggressive on the 2 young hens but Miss Henrietta taught him proper roo behavior very quickly.  One day she went head to head with him like 2 roos.  She flogged the heck out of him.  From that time on he started learning to be a real gentleman.  He is about 2 1/2 now & there has been no aggressive behavior since he was a young teenager.  In fact with the young 5 month roos he really should have been but never from the time they started going to the yard did he ever lay a beak on them.  Alice got a hold of them a few times but they needed more.  It is much better in my opinion if you have an older hen to teach them manners & proper behavior.  IMO people can't do the proper teaching.  

Yes I see. I wish I had an older hen. But my big girls rebuff him. Maybe I can rent an older hen? Or just add one?

 

[Lisa Wood]

I definitely agree and you said it wonderfully! For the first few years I just thought my dog was stubborn or lazy (which admittedly he can be lol) but then I realized I was just boring, repeating many of the same tricks over and over and not that good of rewards, so then as I learned more I started adding new stuff to teach as well as higher value treats and sometimes I get more excited when he does it right, I was really boring before and he got bored versus getting more excited about it. I also realized in some cases play motivated him more, getting to play after, etc. But sometimes he's not interested or it gets him too riled up. I've been bad about training lately but I'm going to start getting back into it and he's great at obedience now. Heck, I've even taught the cat some tricks lol it's definitely fun when you get it right.

In my book, if you taught a cat tricks, you are gifted!

 

[ShrekDawg]

In my book, if you taught a cat tricks, you are gifted!

Lol thanks! It took a little while but wa spretty easy with treats they love. She knows sit, up (she lifts up her front paws, kinda like sit pretty but usually i have to bribe with a treat so she's essentially stretching up to fet a treat lol) and we're working on high five. And she comes when I whistle. I taught the last cat sit too but she's the first one I've taught more too. She's pretty smart. And for a good treat she's willing to do just about anything lol it's kinda like training a dog except it takes longer and sometimes she doesn't feel like doing it. That's the thing with cats, there has to be something in it for them, hence the treats, but yeah.

 

[Lisa Wood]

I always wonder about our human perceptions reflected onto the birds. It's hard to be completely unbiased, as we only have our own experiences to go from. However, animal behavior and complex human thought are not even close. Animals work on pure instincts, where as people use emotion and our stories to understand the world. When I catch myself anthropomorphizing onto the birds, I have to laugh, as the birds are only thinking of food, shelter, water, and biological function. They don't have the same kind of experience we people have, and are much more simplified. 

Ok, this is like the fourth or fifth time I have read not good to anthropomorphize. Attribute human emotions or logic to animals. I did a paper in college on this word, over 20 years ago. Since then, there are numerous studies prooving that is not exactly true. I will not start giving examples, because of the abundance. I am sure we can just look at elephants and agree, aye?
And while I am expressing my views on a word study, lets talk about using the term "rape" only as it applies to humans. Again, just one.
Dolphins, who can recognize themselves in a mirror, reported to save drowning humans. Young bachelors will group together, maybe three or so, and ABDUCT s female for sexual use. Against her will. Dont let her leave. Is that called "abduction, kidnapping, or rape?" Dolphins are one of the few species like us who have sex for pleasure.