What is my Rooster trying to tell me?

[BelovedBirds]

You'd be wise to heed the warnings and keep him away from your kids because when his hormones tell him to attack he will .You'll want to kick him across the yard when he does.
Good luck!

I don't think that's the way to handle this. You don't make a rooster think you aren't a threat by becoming a bigger threat to him...

 

[McChooky]

I don't think that's the way to handle this. You don't make a rooster think you aren't a threat by becoming a bigger threat to him...

The best want to handle a mean rooster that attacks people is keep it in a pen where it can't hurt anyone especially kids (same reason people keep aggressive dogs in kennels or on a leash)I'm not condoning violence but you can't allow them to hurt your kids.Knowing its already attacked others is tempting fate.If you wouldn't be tempted to kick one that attacked your kid in the face you have no protective instinct whatsoever.Its the action you take not the temptation itself.

 

[Karasu]

I don't think that's the way to handle this. You don't make a rooster think you aren't a threat by becoming a bigger threat to him...

This depends on why the rooster is attacking. If the bird is afraid, you are absolutely right. However, they can become aggressive due to being overly confident around people and thinking they can dominate you or otherwise rank above you. In those cases, limited physical correction is very effective and I do endorse it when done judiciously. The trick is knowing when and how to use it, as done wrong, it is the fastest way to worsen an existing aggression problem. Generally, if I want to hand raise a rooster, I will at some point have to correct them physically to help them even out and become reasonable to cohabitate with. I don't have to do so when I raise them hands-off. These are both general cases. I have rehabilitated many aggressive roosters this way and I feel comfortable saying it will work in most cases IF done properly which is rare.

I don't have any input on the OP's rooster specifically as I think it has been hashed over already but I did want to say this.

 

[BelovedBirds]

The best want to handle a mean rooster that attacks people is keep it in a pen where it can't hurt anyone especially kids (same reason people keep aggressive dogs in kennels or on a leash)I'm not condoning violence but you can't allow them to hurt your kids.Knowing its already attacked others is tempting fate.If you wouldn't be tempted to kick one that attacked your kid in the face you have no protective instinct whatsoever.Its the action you take not the temptation itself.

There is nothing wrong with my intincts. If kicking an animal was the solution, but it is not. There are other ways of handling the situation-number 1 being preventing it. I would never have my child IN that situation to begin with. Any birds that pose a risk would be in a secure place away from any harm that they pose or they themselves could be in.
It wouldn't be good to just cage a dog, or leash it- it's a temporary solution. It has to be trained- and not with abuse.
Roosters have a job to do, they have instincts, hormones, and they don't deserve to end up hurt for doing it. There are other solutions much kinder.

 

[McChooky]

There is nothing wrong with my intincts. If kicking an animal was the solution, but it is not. There are other ways of handling the situation-number 1 being preventing it. I would never have my child IN that situation to begin with. Any birds that pose a risk would be in a secure place away from any harm that they pose or they themselves could be in.
It wouldn't be good to just cage a dog, or leash it- it's a temporary solution. It has to be trained- and not with abuse.
Roosters have a job to do, they have instincts, hormones, and they don't deserve to end up hurt for doing it. There are other solutions much kinder.

I agree prevention is the key. If the kids want to help with chores the op can put him in a crate until she leaves.

 

[BelovedBirds]

This depends on why the rooster is attacking. If the bird is afraid, you are absolutely right. However, they can become aggressive due to being overly confident around people and thinking they can dominate you or otherwise rank above you. In those cases, limited physical correction is very effective and I do endorse it when done judiciously. The trick is knowing when and how to use it, as done wrong, it is the fastest way to worsen an existing aggression problem. Generally, if I want to hand raise a rooster, I will at some point have to correct them physically to help them even out and become reasonable to cohabitate with. I don't have to do so when I raise them hands-off. These are both general cases. I have rehabilitated many aggressive roosters this way and I feel comfortable saying it will work in most cases IF done properly which is rare.

I don't have any input on the OP's rooster specifically as I think it has been hashed over already but I did want to say this.

you make sense, and I respect that- though it depends what you mean by physical correction.
I agree with blocking, pushing away, etc etc
But inflicting force on them, kicking and even worse which I've heard of, (hitting with sticks, brooms, even shovels) is definitely wrong.
If the rooster is attacking because it's protecting his hens, from threats, then hurting or scaring him isn't going to help. That would make a person more of a threat, not less.
Which again, takes us back to what you said about fear. And I would agree.
But I don't think it's black and white- it isn't always just fear or just aggression.

 

[Karasu]

you make sense, and I respect that- though it depends what you mean by physical correction.
I agree with blocking, pushing away, etc etc
But inflicting force on them, kicking and even worse which I've heard of, (hitting with sticks, brooms, even shovels) is definitely wrong.
If the rooster is attacking because it's protecting his hens, from threats, then hurting or scaring him isn't going to help. That would make a person more of a threat, not less.
Which again, takes us back to what you said about fear. And I would agree.
But I don't think it's black and white- it isn't always just fear or just aggression.

Oh, of course not. Those are very broad categories that I've found make up the functionally most important delineations involved in handling aggressive roosters. I "kick" my roosters when needed, but it's really just a moderate shove with the side of my foot that moves them to the side by about a foot or so to inform them I'm not happy with what they're doing. I don't feel that that's wrong, and it's certainly less wrong when you have a rooster that is aggressive for a reason that won't respond to kindness - if the alternative is a bird that can't coexist with humans.
My goal is never to make the bird scared of me, which they will become if you hurt them. Birds use physical contact all the time between themselves, it's part of how they communicate - whether it's a hen preening a rooster's face, or an older hen giving a brief tap to a younger upstart. I never use more force on a bird than they use among themselves and I think that's important. I use physical contact rather as a tool for communication, a way to say "Hey, this isn't cool. You need to stop." Since we as humans can't perfectly emulate chicken body language due to our shape, this is a more effective way of communicating. I like to use face preening on fear aggressive roosters, because once they let me touch their face and realize I'm being gentle, they immediately relax.

I don't like using tools to physically correct birds as it's hard to measure force and it tends to inspire fear as compared to a casual push with the side of your foot to get them out of your personal space.

I think we have pretty similar views, they're just stated somewhat differently. I also agree that management by fear is cruel and unnecessary and that's not at all what I suggest - I want to be absolutely clear about that.

 

[Karasu]

Ultimately the goal of any correction or interaction is to make the intensity of personal space "zones" more compatible. I want a rooster that's comfortable enough around me to close his eyes and sunbathe while leaning against my leg, but one that's not attempting to overtake my personal space either. I want him to learn we can be close without him being able to take over or me taking over his. In a way, I'm trying to tell him, using various communication strategies, that I'm not part of his pecking order - he can relax, and not worry about being above or below me. This is the impression I get from my roosters, at least, whether that's fully accurate, I make no promises.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Oh, of course not. Those are very broad categories that I've found make up the functionally most important delineations involved in handling aggressive roosters. I "kick" my roosters when needed, but it's really just a moderate shove with the side of my foot that moves them to the side by about a foot or so to inform them I'm not happy with what they're doing. I don't feel that that's wrong, and it's certainly less wrong when you have a rooster that is aggressive for a reason that won't respond to kindness - if the alternative is a bird that can't coexist with humans.
My goal is never to make the bird scared of me, which they will become if you hurt them. Birds use physical contact all the time between themselves, it's part of how they communicate - whether it's a hen preening a rooster's face, or an older hen giving a brief tap to a younger upstart. I never use more force on a bird than they use among themselves and I think that's important. I use physical contact rather as a tool for communication, a way to say "Hey, this isn't cool. You need to stop." Since we as humans can't perfectly emulate chicken body language due to our shape, this is a more effective way of communicating. I like to use face preening on fear aggressive roosters, because once they let me touch their face and realize I'm being gentle, they immediately relax.

I don't like using tools to physically correct birds as it's hard to measure force and it tends to inspire fear as compared to a casual push with the side of your foot to get them out of your personal space.

I think we have pretty similar views, they're just stated somewhat differently. I also agree that management by fear is cruel and unnecessary and that's not at all what I suggest - I want to be absolutely clear about that.

No I agree with you, a gentle but firm push away is more than fair. I don't have roosters, I have ducks, and I use physical communication regularly. positive, and as reminders. They were hatched and raised by myself, so they are very confident with me. They are never aggressive, but sometimes if they get too excited, they may mouth/nibble at my hands a little too rough, and I would gently cup a hand around their bill and tell them to be "gentle" (very loosely, they can move away and open their beaks, just without hurting me!) and instantly they would calm and continue "grooming" me very gently- at which point I would reward them. I am very gentle with my birds, and am never upset with them- honestly I've been blessed with extremely affectionate ducks! But contact is definitely not a bad thing, as you say, they use it with eachother to communicate. A nudge with a hand, or foot, fine, I accept that's reasonable

Often though sadly when I hear of folks disciplining roosters, they are inflicting fear/pain- which I definitely find unreasonable. Kicking "across" the coop, or yard, is with a fair amount of force- which is where I take issue!
Anyway, I do agree with you- you sound pretty fair!

 

[Karasu]

No I agree with you, a gentle but firm push away is more than fair. I don't have roosters, I have ducks, and I use physical communication regularly. positive, and as reminders. They were hatched and raised by myself, so they are very confident with me. They are never aggressive, but sometimes if they get too excited, they may mouth/nibble at my hands a little too rough, and I would gently cup a hand around their bill and tell them to be "gentle" (very loosely, they can move away and open their beaks, just without hurting me!) and instantly they would calm and continue "grooming" me very gently- at which point I would reward them. I am very gentle with my birds, and am never upset with them- honestly I've been blessed with extremely affectionate ducks! But contact is definitely not a bad thing, as you say, they use it with eachother to communicate. A nudge with a hand, or foot, fine, I accept that's reasonable

Often though sadly when I hear of folks disciplining roosters, they are inflicting fear/pain- which I definitely find unreasonable. Kicking "across" the coop, or yard, is with a fair amount of force- which is where I take issue!
Anyway, I do agree with you- you sound pretty fair!

Yes, that is the kind of communication I like to do with my roosters. Sounds like we're on the exact same page there.