FishingCreek
Chirping
- Jul 31, 2020
- 14
- 32
- 76
We have a young rooster (21 weeks) who is feeling pretty good about himself. He has 8 hens in his flock and free range almost every day, and the hens began laying about a week ago. No issues at all up until about 3 or 4 weeks ago when he decided he was going to challenge humans.
I was the first person he tried it with and to be honest, didn't even realize what he was doing at first. Standing there in my pajama pants and slippers, I opened the gate to let them out for some free range time and he started getting low and staring at my feet. As I went to step around him, he shuffled and moved in front of me, eventually pecking at my foot. I reached down to pet him, as I have done with all of them since they were chicks, and he pecked me. So, I stood up figuring he was just in a grumpy mood that morning (funny how they get those) but then he started to jump at my shins. At this point I'd had enough and basically launched him with my foot without actually "kicking" him and off he went.
Thanks to some great articles here on BYC, I did some more reading up on roosters and now have a better understanding. So next time he came at me, I tried the "tap him on the back of the head/neck" as I stepped aside out of his charge. Did that twice and he ruffled his feathers a bit and walked away, hopefully with a bruised ego. However, that did not last and he tried me again within a day, so my next method that worked wonderfully was to simply walk at him and not stop until he was going away from me. At that point, I walk about two more steps and stop while staring right at him. If he turns and starts back, I repeat. If he stops and/or walks the other direction, I take a couple more steps and stop, pause, and then go about my business as he goes about his. Typically, he will fluff up afterwards, crow a bit as the girls surround him and console him words of encouragement (I swear that's what it looks and sounds like they're doing), he might have a few quickies and then all is good around the yard and we're all back to whatever we were doing. With this method, he and I maintain a good and respectful relationship where we give each other the once-over but no fear, I often offer him first dibs on treats, and everyone is happy. He's only tried it with me directly one other time in the past few weeks.
The problem though is that now my wife and kids are afraid of him as he will challenge them whenever they walk out there. It's not a full rushing charge, but he does walk over, fluff and jump/peck/scratch at them. I've tried to coach them to do what I did, but it doesn't seem to work and he will not stop with them until I go after him with the above method. My guess is that he's establishing dominance as he would with any other chicken and knows that they're afraid while I'm the Alpha, but that may be fanciful thinking. I'm not sure what to do at this point as my family are really enjoying the chickens, but not if they have to constantly worry about being attacked. So far it hasn't been anything serious until just the other day when he jumped up high enough to scratch my 11-yr-old's thigh in a full frontal attack. I was hoping they could work it out with him as I did, but that's fading fast.
Anyone have experience with this and ideas on how to correct or is he destined for the dinner table? I may have to get rid of him regardless since he has become quite noisy (I note this in another recent post) but really do enjoy watching him and the benefit he brings to the flock.
I was the first person he tried it with and to be honest, didn't even realize what he was doing at first. Standing there in my pajama pants and slippers, I opened the gate to let them out for some free range time and he started getting low and staring at my feet. As I went to step around him, he shuffled and moved in front of me, eventually pecking at my foot. I reached down to pet him, as I have done with all of them since they were chicks, and he pecked me. So, I stood up figuring he was just in a grumpy mood that morning (funny how they get those) but then he started to jump at my shins. At this point I'd had enough and basically launched him with my foot without actually "kicking" him and off he went.
Thanks to some great articles here on BYC, I did some more reading up on roosters and now have a better understanding. So next time he came at me, I tried the "tap him on the back of the head/neck" as I stepped aside out of his charge. Did that twice and he ruffled his feathers a bit and walked away, hopefully with a bruised ego. However, that did not last and he tried me again within a day, so my next method that worked wonderfully was to simply walk at him and not stop until he was going away from me. At that point, I walk about two more steps and stop while staring right at him. If he turns and starts back, I repeat. If he stops and/or walks the other direction, I take a couple more steps and stop, pause, and then go about my business as he goes about his. Typically, he will fluff up afterwards, crow a bit as the girls surround him and console him words of encouragement (I swear that's what it looks and sounds like they're doing), he might have a few quickies and then all is good around the yard and we're all back to whatever we were doing. With this method, he and I maintain a good and respectful relationship where we give each other the once-over but no fear, I often offer him first dibs on treats, and everyone is happy. He's only tried it with me directly one other time in the past few weeks.
The problem though is that now my wife and kids are afraid of him as he will challenge them whenever they walk out there. It's not a full rushing charge, but he does walk over, fluff and jump/peck/scratch at them. I've tried to coach them to do what I did, but it doesn't seem to work and he will not stop with them until I go after him with the above method. My guess is that he's establishing dominance as he would with any other chicken and knows that they're afraid while I'm the Alpha, but that may be fanciful thinking. I'm not sure what to do at this point as my family are really enjoying the chickens, but not if they have to constantly worry about being attacked. So far it hasn't been anything serious until just the other day when he jumped up high enough to scratch my 11-yr-old's thigh in a full frontal attack. I was hoping they could work it out with him as I did, but that's fading fast.
Anyone have experience with this and ideas on how to correct or is he destined for the dinner table? I may have to get rid of him regardless since he has become quite noisy (I note this in another recent post) but really do enjoy watching him and the benefit he brings to the flock.
