When to cull agressive rooster?

[coffeenutdesign]

Oh, I guess the moral of my story is that I had one beyond rehabbing. He had to go. But I also ended up with one that has worked out well so far after rehabbing. I think it all just depends on the rooster.

 

[Mattemma]

I have a nice roo I got as a year old.Never attacked.Would not put up with an attacking roo after having experienced this fella.Shoot, I chase HIM around the yard! Sometimes they are just nonaggressive.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

I just wanted to add that you don't have to put up with an aggressive rooster. I had one for almost 3 months and he too started out small like yours but it escalated to me getting flogged in the back of my legs every, single time I went in the run. The last day he was around was when he jumped up at my face and flogged me, cutting me just an inch below my eye.

I now have a sweetheart of a rooster who is no problem at all. He has never even tried anything funny with me and will walk away if I even take a step towards him. He's a good protector of his girls and always on alert looking out for them. I think I'll keep him around.....

 

[Red Barn Farms]

You should never have to put up with an aggressive rooster. There are to many friendly ones out there. Never take the chance on one hurting a child or neighbor. You will live in constant fear just wondering if he might hurt someone. When to cull an aggressive rooster? ASAP!

 

[speckledhen]

Some of whether or not you can "rehab" him can be age. If he is pre-mating age, pre-maturity, some perceived aggression is just boundary-testing. Even Isaac bit me at 14 weeks of age. Grabbing him up and holding his beak shut for a few seconds the two times he did that fixed him for good because he wasn't programmed to be human-aggressive in the first place and he was very young. If he had ever started the flogging, that would to me have signaled that he might be beyond redemption.

Biting is not a biggie and it can usually be nipped in the bud, no pun intended. Flogging is, IMO. I don't put up with it and 99% of backyard flock owners just don't want a rooster like that. You don't need it!

 

[Fentress]

Thanks again for your comments. We are at 20 weeks now, so I could have preemptively started handling my roosters of choice weeks ago to try and habilitate them. Just a thought. Another question if you don't mind. The cockerels at 20 weeks taste better than at 16 weeks, but I had to cull most of them at 16 weeks due to flock behavior. The dominant cockerels were guarding the food and too many chickens were hiding on their roosts, not out on the range. In the future, could I separate the cockerels from the pullets and keep them longer? How much longer? Would they have to be out of site of the pullets? I am assumming that absent the pullets their behaviour would be better.

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks again for your comments. We are at 20 weeks now, so I could have preemptively started handling my roosters of choice weeks ago to try and habilitate them. Just a thought. Another question if you don't mind. The cockerels at 20 weeks taste better than at 16 weeks, but I had to cull most of them at 16 weeks due to flock behavior. The dominant cockerels were guarding the food and too many chickens were hiding on their roosts, not out on the range. In the future, could I separate the cockerels from the pullets and keep them longer? How much longer? Would they have to be out of site of the pullets? I am assumming that absent the pullets their behaviour would be better.

I honestly cannot answer that one since I've never separated my males from my females. I've only processed one cockerel, ever, and that was for aggression at 24 weeks of age, a Delaware. He made wonderful stew, best I've ever had.

 

[Folly's place]

I've had a few aggressive roosters over the years, and eating this guy is the best solution IMO. You've got too many boys for 19 hens anyway, in my experience. ONCE one of my year old roos moved to another small flock where he was the lone rooster, and calmed down. ONCE. Life is too short to deal with an idiot manfighter. Good luck, Mary

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Couldn't agree more, Mary.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

We have a Barred Rock and Sussex cockerel who are 18 weeks of age. They are both good boys. Our BCM is 6 weeks of age as is the Welsummer and so far so good except the BCM cockerel is already trying to crow. LOL which is too funny. Our two buff orpington cockerels are both 20 weeks of age and at the moment share the same location together. Just last week when I was picking up the bigger of the two the smaller one charged at me with wings flapping and making a gawd awful sound. Once he got right to me he turned around and hauled his butt away. I took this as the first sign of aggression from him. I was picking up the bigger cockerel to give him his once over weekly check-up. Checking him for signs of lice, etc. I suppose the younger of the two took it as if I was going to hurt his friend? However, I hope this doesn't happen again. Has anyone ever had this happen? Should it actually be taken as an aggression sign and something that needs to be watched out for in the future? The smaller of these two BO cockerels always starts making a 'leave me alone' cluck cluck sound whenever you go into their pen area.