Aggressive Chicken

[J&Kfeatheredfowl]

Hey guys, I really need some help here. As some of you may know, we rescued a booted bantam rooster. He was a neighbours and got his leg stuck in a fence, meaning he couldn't walk. He was gonna be put down but we took him to the vets and ended up keeping him. He slept in my room, slept with me on the bed a few times. Eventually he got bigger and moved to the back garden.

Although we didn't see him as much, he was still friendly. He followed you around the garden and would happily curl up on your knee. Eventually he started crowing (that's when we realised he was a boy) and started to annoy the neighbours.

So we moved him back down the allotments. He seemed really lonely and he couldn't go in with our other chickens because we already had another rooster. He was still his same happy self, he'd perch on your arm, sit on your shoulder.

Then when we bought some new hens to keep him company everything changed. All of a sudden hes this nasty chicken who attacks you as soon as you walk in.

What happened?
Was it something we did?
Can I turn his behaviour around again?

Thanks for reading. I really hope you can help me!

In the photo you can see him behind our dogs. He was so friendly he'd just walk about freely.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Why not give him some extra attention for a few days. Also did you let him get used to the hens for awhile before putting them together?

 

[Silkies rule Forever]

If you can grab him grab his head and hold it behind your elbow so he calms down or grab the middle of his comb and hold it until he puts his head down. It’s like dominance when the roosters fight one will grab the others comb until he puts his head down and gives out.

 

[J&Kfeatheredfowl]

Why not give him some extra attention for a few days. Also did you let him get used to the hens for awhile before putting them together?

Honestly no. We didn't have much time. The seller was like "yep they're ready come collect them today" so that's what we did. I mean he pecked one on the head at first but since then he's been fine. He's more fond of them than us.

And it's hard to give him attention when as soon as we walk in he runs up and starts kicking us

 

[rebrascora]

Where you went wrong is that you were too friendly with him as he was growing up. Now he has no fear of you and no respect, which was not a problem until you gave him a flock of his own hens but now it is his job to protect them and retain them for himself and he feels that you are a threat to his role. @Beekissed made an excellent thread on retraining aggressive cockerels which I will try to find and post a link but you will need to get tough with him and be consistent.

Personally I do not recommend trying to pick up or get hold of an aggressive rooster because in bending down to do so, you put your face in harms way and they will target face and eyes because they are vulnerable areas.

 

[J&Kfeatheredfowl]

If you can grab him grab his head and hold it behind your elbow so he calms down or grab the middle of his comb and hold it until he puts his head down. It’s like dominance when the roosters fight one will grab the others comb until he puts his head down and gives out.

Okay. And thatst kinda like him submitting? Will i have to do that every time I walk in orrr?

 

[J&Kfeatheredfowl]

Where you went wrong is that you were too friendly with him as he was growing up. Now he has no fear of you and no respect, which was not a problem until you gave him a flock of his own hens but now it is his job to protect them and retain them for himself and he feels that you are a threat to his role. @Beekissed made an excellent thread on retraining aggressive cockerels which I will try to find and post a link but you will need to get tough with him and be consistent.

Personally I do not recommend trying to pick up or get hold of an aggressive rooster because in bending down to do so, you put your face in harms way and they will target face and eyes because they are vulnerable areas.

Oh okay. See I thought it was a good thing to be overly friendly. Get him really comfortable around you and stuff...

Do you have any tips on how to get him to respect me? All our chickens that we've hatched have always been raised by other hens, and weren't overly handled so I've never had this problem before

 

[rebrascora]

Yes, they are much better mannered if they are raised by hens instead of people.

I've just found and copied a copy of Beekissed's post on retraining them....

Here's a post written by Beekissed regarding dealing with problem birds of any gender.

I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.

Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.

If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.

Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.

When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.

Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.

When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.

Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.

THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.

If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.

It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby

 

[J&Kfeatheredfowl]

Yes, they are much better mannered if they are raised by hens instead of people.

I've just found and copied a copy of Beekissed's post on retraining them....

That makes alot of sense actually. When i walk in im always really nervous about walking near him, im always backing off. Thanks for the advice, i really hope this works

 

[rebrascora]

The stick or twitch should make you a little more confident to deal with him but you need to walk in there like you own the place because he will read your body language like it is written in 6 feet tall letters.
I know how intimidating it can be and it is quite shocking to realise how powerful they are for such small, relatively light weight creatures. I had a leghorn a few years ago that suddenly decided he was ready to take me on. He had not been overly handled and I bought him as a young adult. He was fine at first but he was in my larger flock with a senior rooster. When I moved him to live in my garden with his 2 girlfirends, he suddenly changed his attitude and decided that he wanted to be top dog and that included over me. We had daily battles and I failed to retrain him but he eventually gave his life trying to fend off someone's dog.