Mean Baby Rooster Questions

[NorthernMIFlock]

Hello from Northern Michigan. We have 10 mixed flock chicks,they all turned 8 weeks today. We ordered pullets, but one Barred Rock turned out to be a rooster. I told my 8 y/o son we could keep him if he is not aggressive towards us or the hens. So, he has already bit my son's lip enough to draw blood twice (he was only 6 weeks old when he did it), and every morning when I open up their pop out door to let them into the run, he gets out first and chases each hen and pecks them and pulls feathers in the neck area for no reason. Today, we were outside the run and observed him mating or attempting to mate one of the hens very viciously and had her neck in his beak, both claws on her front, she was screeching like I have never heard before. I just can't believe an 8 weeker would be ready to mate?? Is this a precursor of worse and more aggressive things to come? If so, I don't want to wait until it gets worse. Crazy thing is, he is the first one to roost on my son's lap, and loves being with people Any advice would be appreciated. Pic is a few weeks ago (pre-red wattles and huge comb!)

 

[MissChick@dee]

From my experience he’ll only get worse. He sounds super aggressive and he’s still very young. Roo’s for ME are not worth the injuries and heartbreak. If it had been your little boys eye would you still be asking the same question??

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

View attachment 1486927 I just can't believe an 8 weeker would be ready to mate??

Sounds just like humans in this day and age...... kids having kids. Anyway, I'm not sure what you can do other than maybe isolate him for awhile until his hormones calms down a bit and let the hens take a break. And when you re-introduce him back to the flock, hope and pray he changes his ways.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Very sadly, the perching is actually an act of dominance I would say he's going to be aggressive. You can work with him, I've been able to teach mean roosters to behave, but you can't really fix them being mean to the hens/pullets.
Personal space is a big factor with roosters, if he's following you and at your heels or trying to jump on you, he does not respect you.
Roosters are always fairly friendly at his age, but once he starts getting those male hormones (which it sounds like he is!!) he may start directing his personal frustrations at you or your son, causing more damage than just a bite wound.

Hand feeding is okay, I let my roosters eat out of my hand. But they aren't allowed to approach me, I have to approach them.
Some people use a spray bottle, I use a hose. When he does something you don't like, spray him and get him to leave the area.

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

From my experience he’ll only get worse. He sounds super aggressive and he’s still very young. Roo’s for ME are not worth the injuries and heartbreak. If it had been your little boys eye would you still be asking the same question??

Exactly! Thing is, he wears glasses because he already is blind in his right eye!!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Just another thought. I learned this on BYC that coddling and snuggling with (esp. Roo’s) will have a huge impact on him once he hits puberty. They will not have respect for your son and challenge him (viscously). As I type this I think of my Allie...he was my baby too I did so many things wrong with him. As he grew mean I would use all the advice I got on BYC. Pick him up, hold his breast to the ground, trust me I tried a d tried. Allie injured my girls relentlessly. He injured me badly and he attacked my husband running at him from across the yard. I only wanted eggs a friend gifted me 4 chicks 3 were Roo’s. I have no children around my flock IF I did I would of done things differently from the start. You’ll get a lot of information on this site. I’m just sharing my experience. Good luck!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Oh my gosh didn’t know about you’re son’s eye. I can’t cull my chickens thankfully I have a friend who’s willing. I was able to rehome one Roo. He’s huge and happy with hens of his own and the gal that took him just loves him. I gave him away while he was young. I learned so many things the hard way. I truly understand what you’re going through!

 

[Killer Tomato]

Our 4.5 month old EE rooster who was coddled and loved and hand raised did this to me, his "mama". It only got worse over several months as we tried to work with him. He would fly up to 8 foot fences and rooftops, tightrope walk across, stalk me, and corner me in the yard. There were NO hens near me, and no food. (I was no threat at all, so really no reason to stalk and attack in *my* mind).

Some people have success rehabilitating an aggressive rooster, but you have to have EVERY member of the household work with the rooster. How can you have a cat, or a small child teach a rooster to respect it? Our roo was attacking our rabbits! In their exercise pen.

Honestly, I just want to be able to read a book in the shade of my own darned yard, with happy chickens clucking at my feet, and not be attacked by a buttnugget rooster. I don't want to always have to carry a broom or the hose with me. That wound on my nose did scar, and it's shaped like male genitalia, which I find quite funny. Now.

I can't imagine that your roo is going to get any better, or that you have the family situation in which to adapt. (young kids) But maybe. I'd put an ad on Craigslist now to re-home him. We did have success re-homing ours. It was 2 very long months though. Best of luck!

{side note, I have since learned that there are better ways to raise a rooster so that they respect you as the "General" of the household, but like you, we thought we had all hens}

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Just another thought. I learned this on BYC that coddling and snuggling with (esp. Roo’s) will have a huge impact on him once he hits puberty. They will not have respect for your son and challenge him (viscously). As I type this I think of my Allie...he was my baby too I did so many things wrong with him. As he grew mean I would use all the advice I got on BYC. Pick him up, hold his breast to the ground, trust me I tried a d tried. Allie injured my girls relentlessly. He injured me badly and he attacked my husband running at him from across the yard. I only wanted eggs a friend gifted me 4 chicks 3 were Roo’s. I have no children around my flock IF I did I would of done things differently from the start. You’ll get a lot of information on this site. I’m just sharing my experience. Good luck!

Yeah, I think it really depends on the genetics.... first and foremost. If they are genetically prone to being human aggressive, it's very hard to train them to act differently otherwise. My rooster is an example of what worked for me ; He wasn't really that aggressive until he hit puberty, and when he did, once in awhile he would kick me.... but what I did was make it a point to pick him up every once in awhile when I'm in the coop refilling the feed and water..... after a few sessions of that, he stopped. It wasn't in his nature (genetically) to be human aggressive though, it was just that he was in that puberty stage where he needed to stand his ground and find his place. But with a rooster that is genetically prone to attacking humans, picking him up method might not work. To me, it depends on your rooster's behavior..... if you think the rooster can be 'defeated', it would be a wiser choice to make yourself a threat to him therefor he will avoid you and other humans at all cost, but if the chicken is very game and doesn't have an off switch when his fighting instinct kicks in, then in that case I think it would be best to try and be a 'friend' with him so as to make him feel like you (and other humans) are no threat to him and his flock. But I'm no chicken expert, these are just my opinions.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Our 4.5 month old EE rooster who was coddled and loved and hand raised did this to me, his "mama". It only got worse over several months as we tried to work with him. He would fly up to 8 foot fences and rooftops, tightrope walk across, stalk me, and corner me in the yard. There were NO hens near me, and no food. (I was no threat at all, so really no reason to stalk and attack in *my* mind).

Some people have success rehabilitating an aggressive rooster, but you have to have EVERY member of the household work with the rooster. How can you have a cat, or a small child teach a rooster to respect it? Our roo was attacking our rabbits! In their exercise pen.

Honestly, I just want to be able to read a book in the shade of my own darned yard, with happy chickens clucking at my feet, and not be attacked by a buttnugget rooster. I don't want to always have to carry a broom or the hose with me. That wound on my nose did scar, and it's shaped like male genitalia, which I find quite funny. Now.

I can't imagine that your roo is going to get any better, or that you have the family situation in which to adapt. (young kids) But maybe. I'd put an ad on Craigslist now to re-home him. We did have success re-homing ours. It was 2 very long months though. Best of luck!

{side note, I have since learned that there are better ways to raise a rooster so that they respect you as the "General" of the household, but like you, we thought we had all hens}

Good post. Just would like to add. Careful of Craigslist. Many awful people will be happy to come get a free Roo! They can use them for practice for their fighting cocks. Not to add to your problem, just sayin’.