Advice on how get our rooster to accept our family

[Silkie fluff butts]

We have a flock of 9: 5 mature hens, 3 7 month old hens and 1 7 month old rooster. The youngers are Salmon Faverolles. All were raised in the house until they were big enough to live in the coop. The flock gest along well. They have a coop and pen, but free range our large backyard as well.

My daughter and I have handled them all lovingly, and until recently, we haven't had a single problem with our boy. I wouldn't say he likes to be held or is affectionate, but likes to follow us around and be near me especially. But lately, he has given some "hard pecks" and has even jumped at my husband (while squating down and talking to him), son who seldom interacts with the chickens), and now my daughter who raised him. He left a red mark on her thigh. He has never done anything like that with me.

I know there are lots of great articles here, but I don't have time right now to read them all right now. We would love to win his trust. I'm considering bringing him in the house for a few days to love on him. We've done this for 3 of our hens at various times when they were injured. It was a bonding experience for sure! Now they REALLY LOVE US! So, that's what I'd like to try with him.

He is only our 2nd rooster. The first one was super aggressive pretty early on and had to be rehomed. Is there anything I'm missing? Would he instead be very frustrated, knowing the hens are out there without him? I don't want to unknowingly make things worse.

Thanks for your input!

 

[nuthatched]

Rehome or cull.
Petting, holding and other coddling usually ruins roosters, it tells him "you (him) are the boss here, I will give you treats and treat you nicely since you're above me in pecking order, I'm yours to treat you please."
Aggressive behavior is genetic and can be compounded by raising.
Sometimes you get a good roo that doesn't go aggressive from being made a "pet", but it's odds are slim.
Treat your females like pets, males like livestock.

 

[ChicNmom]

He is starting to be protective of the girls, which is good. It's not good he views you as a threat. He is trying to assert his dominance and views himself as out ranking you and your family.

Some people here will get rid of a cockerel as soon as this behavior is displayed. Others will work with the cockerel while he matures to see how he will be as an adult.

He's already been handled his whole life. You could try the affectionate approach but as soon as he is back with the hens he will probably start being protective again.

There is a lot of info here but you should go back and read some of the other threads. You also need to understand how your boy views your behavior. For instance he probably views your husband squatting down as submissive to him.

What he really needs to learn is that your family outranks him.

Some people have carried the rooster around the yard.
Walked toward the rooster and make him move out of your way.
Others have gently but firmly held the rooster down to the ground while standing over him as he would do to a hen.

With a little work he may be fine and outgrow his teenage attitude.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am on the get rid of him list.

Any rooster (technically still a cockerel in this case) that goes after the children is to much of a risk to keep.

A childs face is closer to the ground than an adults is. A claw or spur to the face can cause horrific injury or even loss of an eye. It's not worth the risk.

 

[Mrs. K]

It will be much easier to train your family rather than your rooster that has a small brain and large gonads. I think the more comfortable he is in your space, the more aggressive he will become. They are not like kittens and dogs, whereas you are nice to them, they will be nice to you and become life long friends. They tend to lose their fear of people, and in chicken society, fear equals respect of space.

You need to train your family to be very aware of where he is, he will often sneak behind you, beware of the stink eye which can mean he is thinking of taking you on. Some people use scoop shovels to protect their legs. Or a broom. Always wear long pants and shoes when around him.

A very big question is how old are your children and what you are willing to risk. A red mark on the leg, not such a big deal, but I wouldn't like it. A deep scratch across the face with a life long scar is a lot more serious. Children under the age of 6 are apt to take an attack in the head or face. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of people.

As for not attacking you...the key word here is 'Yet.' The attack is coming. A lot of time they will be come more and more violent.

Roosters are a crap shoot, and while I personally believe that there is a slight advantage in raising a cockerel in a multi-generational flock, hands off, gives you a better chance of a rooster that respects your space, it is still an odds game, and sometimes that won't work out either. Currently my rooster, was hatched here, and I have never touched him. He always gives me space and that is what I want.

I would not trust this rooster no matter what training you give him, and personally I cannot imagine living in a house with a crowing rooster, but to each his own way.


Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

With a little work he may be fine and outgrow his teenage attitude.

But he may not be either.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

It will be much easier to train your family rather than your rooster that has a small brain and large gonads. I think the more comfortable he is in your space, the more aggressive he will become. They are not like kittens and dogs, whereas you are nice to them, they will be nice to you and become life long friends. They tend to lose their fear of people, and in chicken society, fear equals respect of space.

You need to train your family to be very aware of where he is, he will often sneak behind you, beware of the stink eye which can mean he is thinking of taking you on. Some people use scoop shovels to protect their legs. Or a broom. Always wear long pants and shoes when around him.

A very big question is how old are your children and what you are willing to risk. A red mark on the leg, not such a big deal, but I wouldn't like it. A deep scratch across the face with a life long scar is a lot more serious. Children under the age of 6 are apt to take an attack in the head or face. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of people.

As for not attacking you...the key word here is 'Yet.' The attack is coming. A lot of time they will be come more and more violent.

Roosters are a crap shoot, and while I personally believe that there is a slight advantage in raising a cockerel in a multi-generational flock, hands off, gives you a better chance of a rooster that respects your space, it is still an odds game, and sometimes that won't work out either. Currently my rooster, was hatched here, and I have never touched him. He always gives me space and that is what I want.

I would not trust this rooster no matter what training you give him, and personally I cannot imagine living in a house with a crowing rooster, but to each his own way.


Mrs K

All of what Mrs K said.

Not worth risking you or your familys safety. I have a zero tolerance rule with roosters. One strike and he is out.
I have a lovely roo now who has never acted out towards people. I often bop him with a stick or give him a bump with my boot just so he knows, I dont think he needs the reminders but better safe than sorry. Affection can ruin them, keep your friends (hens) close and enemies (roos) 6 to 10 feet away at all times.

 

[SkyAJK]

Here sharing with you my personal experience with our rooster.
I adopted 6 baby chickens and one turned out to be a rooster. He was super sweet,followed me around, when I got home from work I called his name and he jumped the fence running to me.
He went for a car drive with me and he loves listen to music. He did the sweet beautiful dance around us, and it was so beautiful. He closed his eyes when we scratch his face. He run to us when we call him and eat out of our hand..etc....

Then out of the blue he attached us for reason unknown. It happen once in awhile & unexpectedly. Now we know his posture before he attacks us, we watch out.

My roo seems to be cranky at time. We recognised that whenever he picks up an item in the yard and beats it to the ground= he is ready to fight us or when he suddenly neck high, chest out, and eyes looking intense/aggressive = an attack is coming soon.

We pick him up and hold him for awhile after he tried to attack us, I read that it shows him who is the boss.

I hold & carry my roo around the yard most day as if I am carrying a baby, have him sit on my lap touching his face, feather..etc. He seems to like it. But I never know for certain when he will attack which he seldomly does, but he has done it. So we are mindful of where he is whenever he is around us.

We shorten is spurs to reduce the impact on the girls and us.

My roo sleep in the closet and come out around 9am in the morning, sometime I was late to let him out, he let me know by pecking on my arm when I carry him out.

 

[CoopBoots]

You have a teenager/cockerel at present, and it is the worst stage they ever go through. So there's no telling how he'll be when finally mature, but he certainly isn't off to a great start.

I realize you may not have time for a long article, but this is a really good one:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

There are things you can change in you and your family's behavior to look less like his competition, but there are no guarantees that it will work. Treating hens as pets looks a lot like romantic competition to a cockerel or rooster, and if that's how you want to keep them you need a super tolerant rooster or no rooster at all.