Why is my Rooster showing aggression towards ME!

[Bettyboop7499]

Hello,
So, I don't know what is going on with my 7mo.old Sebright Rooster. Just out of the blue he started showing aggression toward me, (now) there is only four hens and him in the pasture. I'll be giving them treats and he'll jump up and flog me! Lizzy use to let me pick her up and so when I'd start to talk to her he'd run over and spread his feathers making himself all big! I've caught him trying to sneak up behind me...creepy! It has happen several times now. I'm not scared of him or anything he is a little thing, I would be if it were Big Red he was huge! But Mr. Rooster is a Sebright he is approx. 7" tall.

But why and how do I stop it. If I wasn't paying attention he could get my face.

 

[Pork Pie]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-roosters-what-is-the-best-way-to-handle-them

 

[SunHwaKwon]

He thinks he can challenge you, as in you are another chicken and potential mating competition rather than a force to be respected.

Many people say this occurs from coddling a young cockerel, but I personally have not found that to be the case. I have seen no difference in frequency in the occurrence in this behavior - which in my experience is not that common - whether it is a babied chick or one that I was very hands off with.

He may outgrow it. Picking him up and carrying him around against his will sometimes helps, as it lets him know that you dominate him. If he is trying to creep up on you, turn around and face him and challenge him. He shouldn't be allowed to get the impression that you are intimidated by him.

Some people automatically say to kill him, but sometimes it is just a matter of doing the things I've mentioned and waiting for him hormones to calm down. Generally you would not want to "rehome" such a bird though, at least not without informing potential owners of his behavior; you especially wouldn't want such a bird at a home with small children.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

He thinks he can challenge you, as in you are another chicken and potential mating competition rather than a force to be respected.

Many people say this occurs from coddling a young cockerel, but I personally have not found that to be the case. I have seen no difference in frequency in the occurrence in this behavior - which in my experience is not that common - whether it is a babied chick or one that I was very hands off with.

He may outgrow it. Picking him up and carrying him around against his will sometimes helps, as it lets him know that you dominate him. If he is trying to creep up on you, turn around and face him and challenge him. He shouldn't be allowed to get the impression that you are intimidated by him.

Some people automatically say to kill him, but sometimes it is just a matter of doing the things I've mentioned and waiting for him hormones to calm down. Generally you would not want to "rehome" such a bird though, at least not without informing potential owners of his behavior; you especially wouldn't want such a bird at a home with small children.

Well I can put the coddled roo theory to rest-he was not coddled! I knew he was a roo a just a couple of days, he just had that chest out head back kind of presence about him.

Every time he has come at me, I stomp toward him aggressively and he will eventually walk away. What worries me a little is twice now I was squatting on the ground and he came he came at me, got my arm but could have gotten my face.

I will try picking him up, if I can... I did pick him up off the perch one evening after he started this but he continued. I had to do it at night because he is so hard to catch!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

What works for me is striking a 'friendship' with my rooster rather than try to intimidate him and bully him. My rooster was never really that aggressive but have kicked me a few times, each time he kicked me I would grab him and hold him and pet him for a minute or two.... he would then relax and I would set him down. I continued to do that each and every time he kicked me and after awhile he realized that I was NOT a threat to him and it seems like he now somewhat enjoys my company whenever I go in the pen to replenish the waterer and feed. To me, I'd rather be on the friendly side than be enemies..... with enemies you can never trust yourself to be safe around them.

 

[Biddybot]

Your saucy little rooster is aggressive towards you because he sees you as just another animal, maybe even as a weirdly shaped, big ol' fellow chicken, who really knows, but that perception needs to stop. What he needs to learn is that you, all humans really, are minor gods of a sort...a 'giver of pain and delight', to quote a really lame-ass old Star Trek episode, although I'd personally replace that 'pain' aspect with 'discipline'. To that end, do something god-like anytime your little monster tries to menace you by PICKING HIM UP and HOLDING HIM just as long as you like while you otherwise go about your business. And no, you don't shake him, or yell at him, and you NEVER hold him in any way that makes him uncomfortable. What you want is for him to relax and start enjoying being held, at which point you can add to the 'delight' by gently stroking him and telling him how you can't believe how anything so cute can be so very very naughty before setting him back down at your leisure. Hopefully, that'll suffice to interrupt his attack plans, at least for the moment, and be the start of a change in his attitude towards you.

Me, I've always found roosters to be very perceptive creatures. They're exquisitely attuned to visual cues and they're designed by nature to size up opponents and challengers of all sorts in a hurry so they can decide whether to fight them, if need be, which is why confrontational methods just don't work well with them IMO. Behaving aggressively towards a rooster just 'drops' you down into his world. Being hit, kicked, threatened with various objects...these are things they understand and may well retaliate against. On the other hand, being matter-of-factly lofted off the ground and then restrained, not in a way that hurts, but restrained nonetheless...this is something outside their normal expectations and it usually shuts them down in a hurry.

Since your little guy already has some hens to hang with, a good thing to try with him is to get a step-stool once you've got him in hand, set it down where the hens are, and give them their treats while you let the little guy stand on your knee and watch awhile, then set him down and see if he won't take some treats from you to feed to his hens plus maybe take a treat or two for himself now and then. Roosters like it once they grasp that you can help them look after their girls. They start seeing you as a helpful resource rather than as a menace or a challenger. I'm convinced that roosters--or cockerels--can tell whether you truly like them or not. I know that the good ones appreciate gentle handling and respond well to kindness.

Good luck with your naughty banty and here's hoping he'll get to seeing you as the benevolent god of the flock before he gets TOO much more annoying... Bet he's a good candidate to learn to fly up on your forearm on command--the saucy ones are usually the best at learning tricks!

 

[MissChick@dee]

At 7 months he’s in full swing to mate or fight. His hormones have control of his brain. For me this is when you find out what “kind” of Roo your going to end up with. Good luck to YOU!

 

[Chickassan]

Little man syndrome! I haven't had a tiny rooster in a long time but when they'd get out of hand i'd slip my hand underneath and tickle their bellies just barely lifting them off their feet. It must confuse the crap out of them because it stopped the sass. I did have a few that liked it and would try to "steal" a belly tickle.

 

[cmom]

What works for me is striking a 'friendship' with my rooster rather than try to intimidate him and bully him. My rooster was never really that aggressive but have kicked me a few times, each time he kicked me I would grab him and hold him and pet him for a minute or two.... he would then relax and I would set him down. I continued to do that each and every time he kicked me and after awhile he realized that I was NOT a threat to him and it seems like he now somewhat enjoys my company whenever I go in the pen to replenish the waterer and feed. To me, I'd rather be on the friendly side than be enemies..... with enemies you can never trust yourself to be safe around them.

I have done more or less the same thing. I pick them up and hold their head to their chest and after he has calmed down and hasn't struggled for a few minutes I put him down and every time he does it I repeat the process. They usually figure it out. I had one though that I gave away. I told the person about him but they wanted him for breeding. Not sure if the change in environment and becoming low man on the totem pole changed him or not going into a new flock.

 

[Melissa_WV]

I had a similar experience with my young rooster, he had been a perfect gentleman for some time, then began to get aggressive with people. Too late we realized that he was freaked out due to predators and was reacting badly to us because predators were after him and then hens. Turned out we had a malfunctioning automatic door and predators were getting in the henhouse at night. Consider watching the rest of the flock to see if they are unsettled or nervous, your boy may have a reason for upping his game!