Aggressive rooster - Is it time to call it a day?

[TheLolaMontez]

Hi everyone,

I've had chickens for about 6 years and this particular rooster for 3. When I first got him he was a rescue, I had a couple of hens and he was in need of a new home. We have a large garden where they free range all day.

Since bringing him home he has got progressively more and more aggressive, he attacks anyone in the garden and this morning he had jumped at me and sliced open the side of my foot with his spurs.

My DD is now old enough to want to play in the garden and obviously it's just not safe for her with this rooster around.

What would you do? I am torn about putting him to sleep as I don't like to end any life prematurely but I am obviously concerned about the safety of my daughter and to be honest I'm sick of getting attacked too.

Could the garden be divided so that the chickens have half and you have half?
And then when you go in the chicken enclosure you are fully covered for safety?

Yes it's time to call it a day

We had one of those. No choice but to get rid I'm afraid.

Got to go.

We had one you needed a dustbin lid shield, he would hunt us down. He got worse over time.

Far too risky for your DD.

I got attacked by my friends aggressive rooster , I have never been so scared by an animal and I have pretty much zero fear . It was flapping and attacking me with its feet . Those things are like Raptors when they get going . I couldn't get away from it and ended up quite bloody despite kicking it pretty hard it just rolled backwards and got back up again just as angry!!
Can it not go and live somewhere else ? I wouldn't risk it with a small child as the claws on the wrong place could be lethal and at best she could be scarred !!

We used to have a rooster that only attacked certain visitors to the house. He was worse if you tried to scuttle past and into the door. I’m sure you know it’s all about dominance. There are various ways to try and train them out of it, but to be honest with a young child, I would look to rehome him.

I tame them by spraying them with a super soaker filled with water, or on occasion (when I am fast enough) grabbing them and dunking them in the water trough. It does them no harm and let's them know who is boss. I only had to get rid of one in 25 years.

I do like a tough cockerel as we have problems with daytime foxes, and several cocks have been killed saving the hens over the years.

If I were you I would dispatch your cockerel before he hurts DD, it's not worth the risk. Maybe look on pre loved or free ads and get a friendly Brahma or Orpington Cockerel instead as they are very sweet. My silkie cockerel is incredibly beautiful and friendly. If you get them young it's easy to subdue them.