Rooster problems!

[ChickenoftheVI]

I had the same trouble with a couple of my roos. The thing is, chickens think everyone is a chicken. So no matter what you do, theyll think youre a chicken doing it. We had a roo that use to attack every stranger that approached the coop. His name was broke beak. (Long story about the name) When i use to walk down the path to the cook to feed the chickens he would meet me in the middle and do his side shuffle with his wing dragging the ground until i dropped some food. It all came to a boil with me when i was feeding the chickens inside the coup and he came around and flogged my leg while i was squatting down. I was like, "i know he didnt just attack me". I kept on feeding the chickens and when i rose up, he attacked me again... I gave him a massive kick... Knocked him about 6 yards or so away... He never gave me trouble again... He was always submissive to me after that. Him and our other roo (Foghorn) a white leghorn use to chase my children around the coop dragging their wings... I knew they were trying to establish their pecking order with them too... When my sons started calling for me, i went out and intercepted the roos again with a big kick... They stopped chasing them after that... They were like pets to everyone in the house after that... Any stranger that came to look at the chickens were met with aggression.... I didnt stop them from that, they became like "watch chickens". I said all that to say, he is viewing you as a peer and will/is try to establish a pecking order with you... If you meet him with aggression (like an alpha roo would) he will stop that agression towards you... If you dont, then he'll always try to keep you in check when you come around... Our roos were a year old when they started doing this... Before that, they were gentle. But after i put them in check, they again became gentle to my family.

 

[KateR]

Keeping an animal locked up for 6 weeks is not an act of compassion.

People keep birds locked up all the time, I know a lot of people that have show roosters and they keep them locked up so that other birds don't peck there feathers out. Mean jean has food and water and has room to walk around and even his own roost. Point is I'm human he's a chicken... I've had limp for the last three days and a lump in the back of my head because of what he did. I'd rather not kill him so yes I'm keeping his locked up till the next auction.

 

[KateR]

I absolutely love my buckeye rooster little buck, he is gentle and sweet. And he'll let you know if he wants you around or not. He enjoys eating out if your hand. He's also very good with the hens protects them from my male guineas that like to peck. Gets along with even Mean Jean and my other rooster. I would highly recommend a buckeye rooster.

 

[Chicken Momma T]

I'm just not sure what to do... He has killed one of our silkie hens. His spurs are 2 inches long. We as I said before bought him at an auction. I wonder if he was a fighting rooster the way he acts. I think he may go back to auction next week. I try to rescue them when I go to auction, from being eaten, and just be free range. But I can't have him killing my girls and other roosters either.

 

[Tigertrea]

Question...At auction do people really buy mean roos? And if people do....Who are these people?

 

[Chicken Momma T]

I don't know, he was really sweet in the cage and with us, it's him killing my other chickens that is my problem.

 

[VT Chick]

I read the same advice about carrying the roo around while doing chores and especially letting the hens see him in a submissive position. I made him keep his head down and probably tried it 5 or 6 times over the course of a week. The very next time I went out to the coop, he attacked me and left a bruise so bad it still hurt to walk 3 weeks later. I tried to hand feed him while he was in the dog crate and he would try to attack me through the bars. I gave him every chance before deciding to cull him, yes it was sad, we think of our chickens as pets too but, it had to be done. I also tried the "kick you back" method, he just kept coming. The devil himself would've had a time with that bird!

 

[sunkistfarm]

I have raised Easter Eggers for years now. A few years ago we had a roo who was aggressive (starting around a year old) to everyone he saw. Would try to attack my children when he was free ranging and try to attack me when I fed them. I had to carry a big stick. He had no fear. When it got to the point that I was afraid to go in the coop I asked my husband to cull him. The next roo was a baby doll. Such a sweetheart. No aggression what so ever. Still I never let my guard down when I am around him. You just never know. As much as I hate putting an animal down , in the end I am in charge and I need to make sure my yard is safe for me and anyone who is over.