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

[Phaedra Geiermann]

We have 3 roosters, and it's the consequence of my hesitation to set up a broody cage. So now I am living with my improper decision.

One of our hens (Padovana) got broody badly this spring, and I tried different ways to break her broodiness, except sending her inside a broody jail. The situation lasted for a while, and I surrendered. I bought 10 eggs from one farmer and let her be the Mom.

7 are hatched from 10, when the rest 3 are not really fertilized. However, one didn't make it during hatching and went to the rainbow bridge beforing seeing the world. So we have totally 6, 3 roos 3 hens - I guess the chicken God showed some mercy on me, as I just started rasing chicken from 2020.

Roosters are more active than hens when they are still young. I have to admit that they are all lovely.

Very soon those young birds became "huger" then their mom, oohh, and of course, mama hen "abandoned" them quite on-time, about 7 weeks old.

I am thankful to join this forum, it's the lighthouse, if I have to describe.

When the cockerels started showing interesting to mate (about 20-weeks, and they are NOT interested in pullets, only in those adult hens), I seperated them to an independant pen.

Now they are 6-month old, huuuu, they are really HUGE compared with all other hens we have, almost trippled size to the super slim Leghorn hens. They do crow a lot - the light level matters, and other noisy roosters across the street also matter. We have talked to the two neighbors right next to us, and thankfully they realize that's the nature of roosters.

We used rooster collars, besides, those boys need to stay in their own coop until at least 0830 in the morning. So the power of their morning singing is more or less reduced.

When they crow again before sunset, I will sprinkle some goodnight grains - then their attentions will fully go to who can find and eat the most food (and shut up). Basically they are quiet after going to bed.

Prevention is better than cure - I also learned and tried to "tame" them, although they show no aggressive sign and still eat from my hands. I know it might be too early to feel relieve, but I am willing to put efforts and keep trying.

I don't have a plan to eat them, BUT, frankly speaking, they look much more delicious than hens (really no meat). Every time I have to hold them, holy molly, I confess that I gave them too much good food.

However, the real "prevention is better than cure" lesson I have learned: Don't hesitate, use broody jail.

 

[BigTex19]

I have 5 full grown Roos… one boy decided that he didn’t just have to rule the flock but me as well…
I handled him the only way he would understand that I was the dominant one not him…

I did the rooster dance…
Wing (arm) out to the side feathers (fingers stretched)
Leaned slightly shuffled my feet and went round in a circle and then a few steps sideways towards him..
He saw my challenge and tried charging me so I charged him
Head down and out straight both wings (arms) out behind my back and charged straight for him
He just stood there dumbfounded so when I was close enough I scooped him up and gave him lots and lots of “sloppy” mummy kisses and cuddles right in front of the other boys… only took a few weeks of doing this with him now he’s a big sook and doesn’t try challenging me or anyone else anymore….

Lol lol

 

[calboy147]

We have extended our "lets just get along" time frame quite a bit. So much so that i have got out of the habit of noting when the fights have been taking place. Rodger acted like he wanted to fight two days ago and the best guess is we are at 123 days since our last round. He did his "float like a butterfly sting like a bee" dance 3 days ago but did not slap me. I also heard him trying to do something behind my back, lol, about a week ago.
I have switched back to my lightweight summer cap in preparation for his, possible, upcoming refresher course.
I am praying that does not happen.

 

[calboy147]

Wonder if that is hormones, he grew older, changed and just turned more aggressive? The butt whoopin works for only so long and you still, constantly have to worry about, ok when is he going to need his next one. You don't need to be distracted working on something only to have the bird sneak attack you from behind and end up bleeding.

Hopefully he learned the pecking order and YOU are the Alpha Rooster in that lot, but time will tell. Good luck.
Aaron

It has been sometime since our last chest puffing contest, so i am hoping and praying for the best. As long as i do not see him attack anyone but me i am ok with it. The only part i do not like about it is the fact is i am really good to all my animals and they all reflect that when around me. Except Rodger and my wife's cat CRAZY GRACIE. I am becoming more and more ambiguous about which one is going into a pot first. But leaning toward the cat.
LOL, i forgot to mention he Rodger Rooster has recently; last summer; given me 5 large and one HUGE young sons. I have decided to keep the XXL one. So if Rodger decides to attack anyone but me? Well lets just say hia son is bigger and prettier and shows no signs of aggression. Only time will tell if he can take care of the flock as well as Rodger.

 

[calboy147]

I guess i should have kept my mouth shut. I apparently jinxed our relationship.
Yesterday was the day my burly buff Brahma Rodger rooster decided he wanted to go another round. LOL He didn't give any sign like normal so caught me entirely off guard. So much so that my instinctive reaction caught us both by surprise.
Was really a comical sight. He jumped up and kicked me on my right hip. Lol i am cracking up remembering it. But when he kicked my hip i kneed him in the crotch which sent him about 6 feet in the air, at which time i slapped him , putting him in a flat spin.lol The spin caused him to not recover properly and he landed head over tea kettle on a plastic tote i had sitting about 6 feet away. His weight caused the tote to flip over and as he hit the ground he jumped up and hastily strutted across the yard around the house.
Of course by now i am worried about him and had to go find him , pet on him and share my Little Debbi cake with him.
So we reset the countdown clock at day (1)=01/13/2022

 

[Ascholten]

Ok, so, beat up the human and get a snack for it ?? Yah that's showing him!!

Im going to ask a sensitive question, don't answer if you dont want to.
Are you a female? If so, what stage of your cycle are you in? That might be setting him off, pheromes possibly?? Just a guess.

Aaron

 

[Mrs. K]

As Calboy has a wife, I don't think it is hormones. READ the post.

 

[Folly's place]

This rooster will only get sneakier; his goals won't change, just his attack plans.
Mary

 

[Ascholten]

Introduce it to the stew pot. Probably the ONLY way to make it stop attacking.

 

[calboy147]

Ok, so, beat up the human and get a snack for it ?? Yah that's showing him!!

Im going to ask a sensitive question, don't answer if you dont want to.
Are you a female? If so, what stage of your cycle are you in? That might be setting him off, pheromes possibly?? Just a guess.

Introduce it to the stew pot. Probably the ONLY way to make it stop attacking.

I started to reply to the pheromes(?) but see someone else beat me to it. But the chicken & dump'lins is off the "table" until and if Olaf my young rooster proves to be as good at being a rooster as Rodger. And then only if Olaf proves to be more sociable. I am not buddying up with Olaf the way Rodger and I did when he was just a younster to see if that was the problem, as some have suggested.

However; if Rodger should ever attack the grand baby, all bets are off. And it is quite possible he would immediately become dog food.