What do I do with this rooster??

[Maddihaschickens]

We’ve had this Brahma rooster for a few years. He used to just be a normal chicken and honestly there was very little to say about him. He lost his entire flock his first year due to predators (otherwise known as neighborhood dogs) and he spent a winter alone. We often talked to him and I carried him around a lot. Eventually he started jumping at me and freaking out when I came in his pen to feed him, but only occasionally. Eventually, spring came and we got new chickens. He mixed with them fine, no problems. But he has gotten very aggressive towards us, my 3 year old sister CANNOT walk in the yard because the rooster runs to attack her, and I’m covered in bruises and scars. I can still pick him up, and I do a lot, but the minute I turn around he flips out. What is his problem? And what should I do? I’m not gonna give him away. If we can’t find a solution we’ll have to cull him.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

I had a rooster like this. Your only options are to either pen him up separately or cull him if you don’t want to get rid of him.

 

[Maddihaschickens]

Absolutely no other way? It’s a real shame, since he does an amazing job protecting the flock. A dog started to bother the chickens and by the time we managed to intervene, the dog was already running away.

 

[centrarchid]

We’ve had this Brahma rooster for a few years. He used to just be a normal chicken and honestly there was very little to say about him. He lost his entire flock his first year due to predators (otherwise known as neighborhood dogs) and he spent a winter alone. We often talked to him and I carried him around a lot. Eventually he started jumping at me and freaking out when I came in his pen to feed him, but only occasionally. Eventually, spring came and we got new chickens. He mixed with them fine, no problems. But he has gotten very aggressive towards us, my 3 year old sister CANNOT walk in the yard because the rooster runs to attack her, and I’m covered in bruises and scars. I can still pick him up, and I do a lot, but the minute I turn around he flips out. What is his problem? And what should I do? I’m not gonna give him away. If we can’t find a solution we’ll have to cull him.

You had a problem evident when he started getting scared of you. You can carry a rooster about and even cuddle them a bit, but how you do it can be important. I am unable to determine from your account what has gone wrong. It takes effort most people are not willing to invest to correct and a little kid complicates things a lot. Pen or cull. To keep things moving forward I would cull and get a mature replacement that you handle less and avoid doing things he thinks are acts of aggression or submission.

It takes some learning for some people to learn how to interact with the rooster and other members in flock such that the rooster does not see aggression as something that benefits him. Do not do the dominance game. It is something I avoid and my roosters are very people friendly, with exception of some in the heavier part of molt cycle.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

Absolutely no other way? It’s a real shame, since he does an amazing job protecting the flock. A dog started to bother the chickens and by the time we managed to intervene, the dog was already running away.

I mean...you could wear all leather so he can’t hurt you. I’m not sure if there’s much else you can do. You can make the rooster respect you, but your younger sister...not so much.

 

[Mrs. K]

Your three year old sister is who I worry about. Roosters ruin the whole chicken deal for a lot of people. I know I would cull. I just don't like an aggressive rooster, where I can't really be off guard. I don't ever handle my roosters, and they give me space likewise. I am always aware of my birds, but aggression, and it is just not worth it.

MRs K

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I’m sorry, this may sound heartless, but he needs to go, you can’t risk him hurting anyone especially a younger child.

 

[bobbi-j]

I wouldn’t keep a rooster that continually attacks a young child. If he were to fly at her with his spurs out, he could do some severe damage. I wouldn’t keep one that leaves me covered in scars and bruises, either. I don’t have the time or the tolerance for that. He’d be in my freezer.

 

[Maddihaschickens]

You had a problem evident when he started getting scared of you. You can carry a rooster about and even cuddle them a bit, but how you do it can be important. I am unable to determine from your account what has gone wrong. It takes effort most people are not willing to invest to correct and a little kid complicates things a lot. Pen or cull. To keep things moving slowly I would cull and get a mature replacement that you handle less and avoid doing things he thinks are acts of aggression or submission.

It takes some learning for some people to learn how to interact with the rooster and other members in flock such that the rooster does not see aggression as something that benefits him. Do not do the dominance game. It is something I avoid and my roosters are very people friendly, with exception of some in the heavier part of molt cycle.

So I do have a couple questions, I’m not supposed to handle my roosters?? He never seemed upset by it, he would walk up to me so I would just pick him up and he’d hang out and sleep on my lap or steal my food or whatever. We’ve always tried to handle all our chickens a lot so that they’re not afraid when we have to pick them up if they get injured or lost somehow.
We try different things with each batch. We have one where we barely handled them and although the Wyandotte roosters don’t bother anyone (honestly I’m not sure if they’re even aware that they’re male), none of the hens and our buff Orpington rooster will come anywhere near us, unless we have food. The Orpington gets so freaked out that he’ll try to climb up the side of his pen in terror, it’s really quite sad.

 

[centrarchid]

So I do have a couple questions, I’m not supposed to handle my roosters?? He never seemed upset by it, he would walk up to me so I would just pick him up and he’d hang out and sleep on my lap or steal my food or whatever. We’ve always tried to handle all our chickens a lot so that they’re not afraid when we have to pick them up if they get injured or lost somehow.
We try different things with each batch. We have one where we barely handled them and although the Wyandotte roosters don’t bother anyone (honestly I’m not sure if they’re even aware that they’re male), none of the hens and our buff Orpington rooster will come anywhere near us, unless we have food. The Orpington gets so freaked out that he’ll try to climb up the side of his pen in terror, it’s really quite sad.

You can handle them, but there is the issue as to how you are doing which to this point I can not determine based on descriptions you provided. Most of my roosters are handled only a few times in their life, but I do it in a manner that does not cause as much stress nor is it likely to be construed as an act of aggression (discipline by me). I have several other roosters that are handled literally thousands of times by almost as many people as they are used for work involving the public. I know my stuff, otherwise I could not do that type of work without people getting pecked, flogged or scratched.

I have rules that I make certain are followed by novices and sometimes even through with chicken experience. If some opts not to follow, then they are immediately not allowed to handle the birds.

When handling, do so in a manner that does not involve chasing the bird around. Do not grab a the bird from above midline of body and avoid grabbing at legs if you can. I like to treat my birds like a fragile football where I reach around to back side of their body and pull them too me, gently when possible. Another preference is to not look directly at the bird when doing so.

If you are going t get rooster accustomed to handling, then put him up on a table at roughly chest level and handle him there.

You are in a backyard setting with a small number of roosters. That makes it easy to do some really easy training to get rooster to do what you where he moves to where you want him.

His being scared of you before being aggression means you need to explore how you interact with him in general. This bird will be difficult to correct because both parties will be having to learn new tricks. You handling is part of the problem. His genetics may be involved as well.