Well my RIR roo has finally done it!

[TexasChickenLady]

Well I was in the back yard "multi tasking" with a shovel in one hand I was turning off the water hose, and going to put away the shovel and take the quilt off the line. All in the mist of these duties my 30 week old RIR roo came up to me and Flogged me in the leg. My only reaction was to knock him with the shovel. I'm not kidding, I hit to kill, and he did a back flip and ran away. I was positive that if I did'nt kill him then, he would sertainly die from internal injuries. He ran off by himself and went to the front of the house at the frond door and was squalking something fearce, as loud as he could. As if telling on me. I went over there to see if there were any cuts, guts, blood anywhere. nope. The rest of the afternoon, he stayed way off in the distance from us and all my hens stayed right up underneith my feet. Next day, back to normal. I'm worried that he'll try this with my kids and I'll have to kill him for sure. He left a bruse on my leg. Stinker! A few days prior I had notice he was getting very close, I just figured it was cause they thought I was giving goodies.

 

[debilorrah]

You have t be careful with roos. I know ours has, so far, been pretty smart and stays away from me unless I am bringing treats. I think after that whack with the shovel he may be thinkin "Oh yeah SHE'S the boss".

 

[hatchaholic]

I am having the same problem with my soon-to-be 20 week old RIR!! He has jumped on me three times, once bringing blood, and threatened it a few more. DH thinks it's just a teen-age phase, but I'm not so sure. I don't want him to hurt my kids, or me for that matter. Problem is, he's the prettiest cockerel I have...Figures!!

 

[ams3651]

i do the same things to him that he does to me, when he would come after me I turned and chased him. Ive booted him with my foot and swatted at him with my hand. And, just as he does, some days for no reason I jump toward him, flap my arms and essentially, Im attacking him. Im securing my place as alpha rooster. He rarely comes after me anymore but you have to keep your eye on him and turn on him the second he comes after you. He comes at my 6 year old and although Ive told him to kick him off he wont, he just stands still. My older son is 17 and taller than me, hes only tried it with him once or twice. You cant be afraid, you have to show him. Rooster-red has a good page on rooster behavior if you can locate it on here, I just dont have the link. Some also advise picking him up and carrying him around for 1/2 an hour to prove your his boss.

 

[ams3651]

found it

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2588-Roo_behavior

 

[hatchaholic]

Thanks for the link. I don't know if I'd be able to pick Buddy up and hold him...

 

[vfem]

One neighbor's one year old RIR rooster took a jump over the fence and chased my other neighbor on her riding mower with her son on her lap. Got bad when it got on the mower and went after the kid. Needless to say, we just moved in that week and they brought us FRESH bbq chicken that night!

 

[ams3651]

Quote:
ive only picked mine up on 2 occasions since he was small, and that was to check for injury and band him. IIt took 2 of us to catch him but he didnt mind being held. ts just my actions that keep him from challenging me, you just cant be aftaid.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I see that ams3651 has pointed you in the direction of rooster-red's page on dealing with roosters, which was exactly what I was going to do! It is so very important to make sure that you hold your roo every so often so his head doesn't get to big and do something like this. I know that scared you do death! I would have screamed for sure! Rhodey, my RIR roo, had bit me on the hand once, only once, and I dealt with him just like rooster-red says to. He has never done it again. You need to make sure that your rooster knows who is the alpha roo in the yard and that you most certainly won't take that kind of behavior. They are very smart and will learn right from wrong very quickly if you take the time to teach them. I would most certainly start to hold him and make him be submissive to you. If you don't, he most certainly will attack your kids in time.

 

[mamaKate]

I know how disturbing a rooster attack can be and I'm glad your O.K. I had a Jersey Giant that was VERY agressive. I penned him up to protect my four year old. Then one day, as we were walking toward the car, he flew out of the pen and went straight for Ben. It was quite a battle to pull him off! My son had some scratches and bruises but he was all right. I stuffed the bird in a crate and headed for the sale barn where he was donated as Sunday dinner. Please be careful and don't trust him with your kids. You can find a nicer rooster.