Watching neigbors house - need help with aggressive rooster !

[morrginme]

I don't own chickens. My next door neigbors have them and I am taking care of their garden and chickens while they are gone for two weeks. Their rooster (he's all orange and white) is pretty young. He just got the crowing thing down last month. He has five hens with three being younger than the others.

They have this spot they like behind the neigbors shop. It's slightly forested with low branches and kind of a compost pile nearby. Well I noticed out of the corner of my eye the other day when I was in my backyard my 10 year old step daughter was off our property near them bent over trying to get a close peak at them. Suddenly she was running with him chasing her. I made sure he stopped by cutting off his path to her. Soon as I turned to walk away he chased after me. I tried making myself look bigger with my arms, making noise, and charging him but it didn't work. He just stands there ready to chase me again. I wasn't happy with him or her. I told her to leave them alone.

Yesterday my 3 year old daughter was playing in the neigbors sand box while I watered their garden. I seen the rooster start to walk near her. She waved at him like she was going to pet him (maybe provoke him) and then she lost interest and went back to playing in the sand box. While her back was turned he charged her and ran up her back. I chased him away but it was hard because he kept coming back at me.

The rooster has never done this to his owners. I want them to have a peaceful vacation and not be bothered with problems at home. What can I do? What do I need to know to not provoke him? What do I need to watch for to know when he's thinking of attacking? I see and hear him crowing, flapping his wings, and puffing out his neck feathers whenever I come around. I assume he's trying to tell me something about how he's top of the flock and maybe me too. These chickens come on my property too. Every morning they come on my back porch because they like the bird seed the wild birds drop from the feeders. Sometimes the roam far from their coop. They've been known to go across the road two houses down for no obvious reason. Please help. Sorry this is so long I just didn't know what information might be relevant to my problem.

 

[sbhkma]

I'd keep a hose handy or a super soaker and try that. It won't hurt him, but most chickens aren't too fond of water, especially sprayed hard in the face. I've never had to deal with an aggressive rooster, so others may have more pertinent information.

 

[BigECarter]

Can he be kept locked in the coop until the neighbors come home? It sounds like a dangerous situation for your daughter.

 

[meloreskovich]

Agree with above poster. I have a 3 year old and would be very worried to have that rooster anywhere near her.

 

[morrginme]

I just got back from checking on their food and water. Since I was giving them water I had the hose. When he started to come towards me I started to spray it his direction. Him and his hens walked away and stayed away the rest of the time I was there. I was surprised. He usually stays a distance away from me....
I just got back again because I heard my daughter yelling out our back door. Then I heard a crow and knew he was on our back porch again. I pulled her back in and chased them off and this time had our hose when he thought he was going to come back to get me. They ran back to their house.
.....I was about to say he usually stays a distance away from me but still close enough and this time he went far away without coming back to stare at me.
I think this is working so far.
I feel so bad though because he wasn't like this at all when his owners were here! He only started doing this after they left three days ago.

 

[meloreskovich]

I would feel bad too. Personally I think if he can be locked in while they're away, you would avoid any more confrontations. And you wouldn't need to spray him with the hose. Do they need to free range the whole time your neighbors are gone? Is their coop/run big enough to keep them in there all day?

I watched a friends hens for her and came over every other day to change water, food and hay. She never asked me to let them out and they stayed in the coop/run the whole time they were gone (about a week)

I felt bad...but they all survived and got to come out as soon as their owners came home