Why do the roosters HATE me???

[freestargirl]

Let me start by saying that we have 5 Golden Comet hens that we got as day-olds at the beginning of the summer. This is our first venture and our hens are good little girls and while they aren't exactly puppies, they're sweet & docile and we can handle them easily.

Our friend B got some day olds about a month earlier than us, and they are Black Langstrom mixed with something else black. She had too many roosters and offered us 2- we decided one for roostering purposes & stew pot for the other. We were deciding between the 2 roosters- one would peck at the hens, and he started showing aggression towards us so we decided he would be the one. We just *never* got around to butchering day for him, and though the other rooster didn't show aggression towards us at first, he started to. It was only in the mornings, for the most part, but most of the time in the evenings when I would go to shut the coop for the night, they'd already be in the house. And when I say aggression, I assume this is flogging, but they would run at me sideways, launch themselves at me- at first they'd just do it once, or twice but the end they would keep at it. My hubby said to carry a stick & this made them attack much sooner & longer. I tried offereing them food as soon as they came out the door, having a food pan near the end of the ramp for them, etc. I could not win over those roosters.

So when B said 'do you want another rooster?' I said yes, with the intent that we would would butcher the new one and the one that showed aggression first. Morning of, the one we were going to keep came down the ramp & at me so quick, I didn't even have a chance to dump the hens food.

So when B dropped the new roo off, I asked her 'what do you mean by feisty?' They free-range at her house, and he'd run up on her 3 year old daughter, but he'd never attacked, he'd just watch you very closely, she said. A call to my other 'chicken friend' J said roosters are dumb, you can't change their behavior, get rid of the 2 mean ones and start out with this one with no other roosters.

So Pretty Boy is in the freezer & Red Floyd is leftover chicken & dumplins in my fridge. This all went down Saturday. Sunday AM I go to let the chickens out, and new Red watched me, like 18 inches away, glaring at me. Monday, he got ready to attack and flapped his wings but I held my foot up ready to kick him if he launched himself. This morning, he did the full launch, several times, but he didn't get me with his claws like old Red & Pretty would. Also Sunday afternoon he hopped the fence & we got a call from our neighbor, but by the time we got home it was dark and he'd hopped back in and was roosting in the coop.

My hubby has not had a problem with him- mind you he didn't have a problem with the other 2 til he went in to catch them. My friend J has a rooster also from B also, and hasn't had a SINGLE problem with hers. I told the hubby that he would just have to start taking care of the chickens in the mornings before he goes to work.

My hubby said 'I think it's just you.' But I'm the one who lets them out everyday, and thats always when they attack. I always wear the same stuff. I told the hubby yesterday that we should butcher this one soon, since we weren't going to try to hatch until spring anyway. Get a day old rooster in the spring and coddle the crap out of him.

Why do the roosters hate me????

 

[Crippledturkey]

I have a RIR roo who every once in a while will come at me, usually when I am in the coop collecting eggs. I just corner him and make him submit like a hen and put his beak to the ground, and he is okay for a coupe of weeks. It is just normal for some roos, I have a EE Roo and 2 CM Roos that just keep to themselves. Sorry for your frustration though, roos just aren't usually warm and cuddly like their girls by nature.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Actually, in my experience, coddling won't make a good rooster, which may seem counter-intuitive.

First, I just don't like roosters that aren't gentle and easy going. Period. But if I can dominate one successfully, perhaps, perhaps he get a second chance. That is the key. Your husband is right. It is you. Roosters read people well, as their instincts are keen. He is determined to dominate. He dominates the hens, breeds them by dominating them, sometimes much too much, wearing the girls out.

If you cannot dominate him by forcefully walking toward him aggressively, showing him who is boss, then he will continue and he too should become your next side dish. If you can push him down, hold him down, or carry him about, which intimidates him. Unless you are able to do those things, he's gotta go.
Roosters charging up to inspect young children frankly bothers me as well. That isn't good.

If the roosters dance around you, or try to give you pebbles, etc, he is treating you as a hen HE owns, not as his flock keeper.

 

[yinzerchick]

Talking from little experience, just have had my flock a little over 7 months now, but I think you should do research, research, research, on the breeds and then get a day old roo. I chose a Gold Laced Wyandotte rooster. I didn't even know which one was the roo out of the 26 chickens I got so they were all treated the same. I didn't handle them a lot, but apparently enough. The hens are easy to handle, and very friendly.

Anyway, Earl, has turned out to be a really good rooster by most standards. He protects and takes care of his hens, and doesn't challenge me. He pecked the back of my leg one time, got kicked, and has never done it again. I don't even think the peck was meant as an attack, just a "Hey, where are you going so fast?!" But, again, he has never been the least bit confrontational with me. I don't try to pet him, I do talk sweet to him and tell him he's a handsome, good rooster with a lovely voice.

He will eat out of my hand, but I do not make a habit out of feeding him that way, just once in a great while if he seems to be looking like he wants a little attention.

I also rake the run in the mornings before I let them out to range, and they all seem to think I'm scratching for them, providing for them, so maybe that makes it seem like I'm the one in charge...? I don't know. I have also read that GLW's are usually relaxed, gentle roosters, so I'm sure that has a lot to do with why he's become such a good roo.

I did have a Polish crested roo that came as a "free rare breed" with my order, but unfortunately he was not able to see very well, and became my only casualty, so far...he was a nice roo, he only got to be 5 1/2 months, but he was much more nervous and jumpy than Earl.
All that said, I do have 24 hens and 1 roo, so perhaps he's not so relaxed, just too wore out to bother me.

Good luck!

 

[Pele]

Roosters are ALL about dominance. It's pretty much all that goes through their little chicken brains all day long. They watch for it in your body language, how you move, how you look at them, etc.

That's why some people don't get attacked, and others do. It's all about how you present yourself, and how you act. If you simply fend off his attacks, and he suffers no consequences for the attack, he sees it as weakness on your part, and that he just has to get craftier.

Your rooster has to learn that there ARE consequences to attacking you. These consequences don't have to be violence (though a lot of people will tell you it does).

The next time you go outside to tend your chickens, wear long sleeves and gloves. When your rooster attacks, ambush him by pinning him against the ground. Don't hurt him, but DO NOT let him up until he stops struggling. The goal here is to humiliate him, and show him that YOU are dominant. I usually hold my roos down for a good 5 minutes, just to get my point across.

Also, the next time he squares off with you from a distance, face him immediately, open your arms, and slowly walk towards him. He'll eventually back up when you get close (you're bigger and that eventually registers to him). Keep backing him up all around your yard until he turns and leaves. It's his way of cedeing to your dominance.

Don't fear him, and don't take guff from him, and he'll respect you and leave you alone, just like your husband.

 

[Pinky]

Fred's Hens :

Actually, in my experience, coddling won't make a good rooster, which may seem counter-intuitive.

First, I just don't like roosters that aren't gentle and easy going. Period. But if I can dominate one successfully, perhaps, perhaps he get a second chance. That is the key. Your husband is right. It is you. Roosters read people well, as their instincts are keen. He is determined to dominate. He dominates the hens, breeds them by dominating them, sometimes much too much, wearing the girls out.

If you cannot dominate him by forcefully walking toward him aggressively, showing him who is boss, then he will continue and he too should become your next side dish. If you can push him down, hold him down, or carry him about, which intimidates him. Unless you are able to do those things, he's gotta go.
Roosters charging up to inspect young children frankly bothers me as well. That isn't good.

If the roosters dance around you, or try to give you pebbles, etc, he is treating you as a hen HE owns, not as his flock keeper.

This I agree with^
freestargirl, do you still have one of the roosters? If you do, get some gloves or a towel/blanket, and next time he charges out at you, grab him. Once you have him, hold him down and keep him down until he stops trying to get away. I heard holding them will work too, but never tried it.
Also if you get a different rooster, I would make sure to do this to him the first day you have him, so he'll know who's in charge from the start.​

 

[bobbi-j]

For the sake of keeping peace with the neighbors, I'd get rid of him. Or, if you keep letting him out and he keeps going over to the neighbors, they may solve the problem for you. If you're the one doing the chores, you should be the one to decide if the rooster lives or dies.

 

[freestargirl]

Well this morning, I was late going down to the coop- I hadn't heard him crow all morning, so I was secretly hoping he'd mysteriously died in his sleep.

As I was putting my shoes on, I heard him start up. I almost took a blanket with me incase he got close enough I could throw it over him and grab him, but I decided to see how it went first. I went down, normal routine, but with the attitude that I was going to 'play' with the rooster. He didn't come out the chicken door as quickly as he has, so I dumped the food and went to leave. He came out then and started to run at me, and since there was more distance between the 2 of us than normal, I moved towards him, stomping my feet. He ran away, so I chased after him for a minute or two.

Do I want him to be afraid of me? Where do I draw the line at showing my dominance over him, versus him running away every time he sees me coming? He's not a pet, we have him for flock protection (and hopefully hatching) which so far he seems okay at- his brother thats in the fridge was excellent at protecting the hens, whereas his brother thats in the freezer got so scared the first time he heard a chain saw, he hopped the fence.

 

[aoxa]

Wow.. I have such nice roosters.. Mine are complete cuddle bugs.. Though my younger one often mistakes my fingers for food when I had feed them (OUCH).. Hope I don't experience this when my little boy gets bigger, but I do have a 1+ year old roo that is as tame as my hens!

I wouldn't put up with an aggressive roo.. I got rid of one that fluffed (not sure correct terminology) his hackle feathers when I went to catch him. He's not being eaten, but he is being housed by someone less likely to handle him. I need to be able to handle my roos without fear of being bitten/flogged.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think if you handle your birds from youth they'll be better.
I don't handle my birds so sometimes the rocks will be a bit aggressive and end up in the oven.
I like flighty breeds for that reason. I've never had a Penedesenca attack a human.