What should I do? Sweet buff Orpington cockerel turns mean.

[apryl29]

Than get yourself a tool and work on keeping him away from you, you also need to dominate him, so do as your hens are doing. You can get rid of him later if he becomes worse.

I use a couple driveway markers. They're light weight and give me several extra feet on each arm. And giving them a swat doesn't injure them. I previously used a yard rake, but it was hard to maneuver quickly. When I walk away I swing one back and firth behind me to discourage my leghorn from coming at me. He jumped at my leg once when I was feeding them and seemed surprised when I didn't budge. Now when he acts like he's going to charge I move on him first.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

My rooster used to attack me, but then I started chasing him each time he challenged me. He isn't aggressive to me anymore.

 

[Saint_ Marwenne_Chickens]

We have one pain of a roo who we've quarantined with a couple of hens. Our other one conveniently died fighting a snake - maybe you could use snakes!

 

[MommaHen2Many]

This was advice I was given after asking the same question on the "rooster" forum. I have implemented it. Benjamin was a cute little chick, & growing up. Always nice, acted like a dog. Came when he was called. Ate out of our hands. Nice to the kids, would sit in your lap.....then over night biting me, my 8 yr old multiple times---for the first time I couldn't turn my back to the "chickens" without being concerned!
This advice has helped me TREMENDOUSLY. Anytime he shows rooster behavior to ME, I challenge him, and make him back down. So here is what I was told: dont let him follow you, like he is herding your...make him go out front. Dont feed out of your hand anymore. Dont let him sit on you/your lap or anything! Make him keep a 3-4 foot radius around you, if he doesnt push him out of the way with a stick or something.
I have been working on remodeling the inside of my coop, when thats done, he will be housed in one section until he "grows" up a bit. The teenage years are horrible!!! After this advice I have been watching how my Barred Rock roo "Rocky" behaves around me. And wow is it different! I'm hoping my Benny will settle down as he gets over---he's got some awesome qualities---he chases other birds out of the coop/chicken yard who are trying to eat their food! LOVE THAT! good luck

 

[The Moonshiner]

Yes, You will need a tool like a fishing net, plastic rake, broom, driveway markers, fishing pole, stick or what have ya.
Go straight up to him and knock him in the head as hard as you can.
An aggressive rooster is a lot easier to replace then fool with.

 

[BYCforlife]

My rooster always acts big when I'm on the other side of the wire. He slams into the wire to try at attack me, so I go in there. He flees to the other side of the run.

 

[Leighe]

I have had only two roosters that ever acted out and I got both of them from other people. My main rooster is a Buff Orpington, Golden, and he actually went after a rooster that looked like it was headed toward me. I've seen with my own eyes Golden staring down a coyote! I ran outside with my 22 and Golden had all the ladies in a kennel and he was standing out in front of the coyote....could.not.believe.it. The rooster I got from someone else who said he was a nice rooster, probably was at their place (they didn't want to put him down). He was submissive to Golden for the first three weeks, then one day I came home and couldn't find Golden....searched everywhere, called him and called him...finally he ran from where he was hiding straight to me and stood there and shook and ducked his head. Tears are running down my face as I type this...."Rusty" had beaten Golden to a pulp. I won't list all the injuries but I will tell you I went in the house, got my 22 and went to Rusty and stood there shaking and crying because I don't kill out of anger and I even apologized to Rusty but this wasn't going to happen again. The second rooster I carried a PVC pipe with me and would use a garbage can lid in the pen. He attacked that lid 6 times one day. I know now I will never take a rooster acting anything but kind and definitely submissive to me. As Pyxis stated, there are too many good roosters to put up with that. All of Golden's sons have been calm and friends request them so I have rarely had to cull them. When you find a great one, you never fear walking around your chickens.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Recently my buff orpington has started to peck and charge at me. He who I thought until recently was a she. He is 13 weeks old and is starting to become aggressive. He has been very sweet until a few days ago. I have been on the fence about keeping him but now I feel like he is not what I want if he continues this behavior. Any tips?
I have held him on the ground after he has pecked me. I hold him and pet him too.

Pick him up. Pick him up a lot. Carry him around while multitasking. Tuck him under your left arm and squeeze and message him with your Right hand. Show no fear. Show him you are a friend not a foe. At first he will be feisty. Start doing this in the late evening while he is dormant. Reward him with a snack like a meal worm or bread ball after releasing him.
A roo will feral by instinct without human interaction.
I hold all my roos. All seven of them. But I live outdoors. And they are used to my presence. I am not a part time poultry owner. I love my boys. (And girls)
They will still be mean in my breeding pens. Till the day I remove their female friends away. They are hardwired.

The Beatles said.. "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make".​

 

[Leighe]

Pick him up. Pick him up a lot. Carry him around while multitasking. Tuck him under your left arm and squeeze and message him with your Right hand. Show no fear. Show him you are a friend not a foe. At first he will be feisty. Start doing this in the late evening while he is dormant. Reward him with a snack like a meal worm or bread ball after releasing him.
A roo will feral by instinct without human interaction.
I hold all my roos. All seven of them. But I live outdoors. And they are used to my presence. I am not a part time poultry owner. I love my boys. (And girls)
They will still be mean in my breeding pens. Till the day I remove their female friends away. They are hardwired.
View attachment 1078223 View attachment 1078226

The Beatles said.. "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make".​

I've actually read this and have seen it on YouTube. Must have time and patience, and NO FEAR. If you really love this rooster it would certainly be worth it to try.

 

[andreanar]

My Buff Orp roo was a jerk. He was fine with me, gave me a wide berth, either accepting that I was the alpha or was just waiting for me to be in a position of weakness before attacking, I don't know. But, even tho he was respecting me, he attacked my sister. IMO, A roo that attacks, even if he learns to respect you, he cant be trusted to give that respect to other people and other people aren't safe.