# Mean rooster



## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

I have a polish rooster who is constantly picking on my other chickens. Especially my d'uccle roo. My d'uccle even flys out of their run just to escape the polish rooster. Should I get rid of him? And if I do would it be easier to get him a new home if I got rid of the polish pullet too?


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

I have said this a million time. On my property I have zero tolerance for aggressive roosters. They immediately become dinner no matter how big or small they are.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

I don't wanna eat him so I guess I will post him on Craigslist tomorrow. Thanks apyl


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## aacre (May 5, 2013)

I'd try to smack him with a broom when you see him trying to attack another rooster. Sometimes smacking them really puts them back into their place. Otherwise, I would also send him to freezer camp.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

Lol thanks aacre.


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## 2rain (Jun 2, 2013)

If he ever tries to attack you a good kick across the yard will do it maybe the same for when he's mean to your hens? But maybe freezer camp if he's to bad ha


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Could you describe this "picking on" the other chickens? How big is the living space and how many hens do you have?

As for his animosity towards the other rooster...that's quite normal when you have a small number of hens and two roosters....one is going to be dominant and kick the other's butt a lot if they cannot get away from each other. 

More room, more hens or lose one rooster and everything should go back to normal. I wouldn't give a plugged nickel for a rooster that wouldn't fight for his right to rule the roost and mate the hens. If I were to get rid of one it would be the sissy roo.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

The living area is decent size. I have twelve chickens total. They were straight run when I got them this past spring. Three turned out to be roosters. My polish grabs all my chickens by the back of their necks. He has all my girls scared and running around the coop. He's trying to mate them I believe but they are only about 14 weeks. They are all calm and just laying around or pecking the ground and then my polish just starts chasing everyone and biting them. I feel bad because I know it's his nature as a roo but I wasn't expecting him to be tht aggressive all the time. He sees my bantam roo and just starts attacking him.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Were you planning on keeping all the roosters? If not, I'd choose one and lose the other two. Nine hens can only support one rooster without getting their feathers worn off their backs and be under a lot of breeding stress.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

I knew I might I have to give up some roosters and I'm ok with that. I have a few hens I'm quite attached too so I'm just happy I don't have to part with them. I was thinking about adding a few silkie hens to my flock. Any suggestions for a smooth transition when I get them?


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## cedar100 (Jun 27, 2013)

Well he's a rooster they all like to fight its in ther blood I have the nicest buff Orpington lavender and I made the mistake of putting him in with a Phoenix and i went to the feed barrel and I herd the loudest noises and all you could see is feathers so yeah


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## PhoenixGirl12 (Jul 2, 2013)

I think u should just get rid of the polish rooster. To a good home of course!  maybe to a place were theres not another rooster. He probably wants to be the only man in the house hahaha


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## TheLazyL (Jun 20, 2012)

2rain said:


> If he ever tries to attack you a good kick across the yard will do ...


That method cured my Rooster...

Son was home for the weekend and went to check on the chickens. Came back in the house and told me the rooster tried to attack him so he kick the rooster across the run.

Few day later the rooster tried the same with me. My response was the same as my son's.

Now the rooster will position himself between me and the hens when I top off the feeder and water. But when I talk a slow step towards him he backs off. He's giving my the evil eye and I'm giving him the "you want to lose another round" look.


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

TheLazyL said:


> That method cured my Rooster...
> 
> Son was home for the weekend and went to check on the chickens. Came back in the house and told me the rooster tried to attack him so he kick the rooster across the run.
> 
> ...


My Ole Rooster...whom I LIKED....attacked ME many times.
I "_knocked-him-OUT" _*MANY TIMES !!!
*After a few days...he would do it again...and get "knocked-out" again. 
I DON'T put up with that stuff *!!!
*( HIS "Problem"----NOT mine. )
He always survived...BUT...
He NEVER altered his attitude *!
( O.K. with me....*I also LIKE a GOOD FIGHT *! ...especially when I KNOW that I will WIN ! ----Ha-Ha !! *)
_SADLY.... _"Oro Blanco de Gallo" (my FINE arrogant Rooster) *LOST *a battle with a BIG ****...while defending HIS flock of Hens.
He WAS a GOOD Rooster *! *( He did his BEST. )

THAT is to-be-expected of a Rooster. 
I wouldn't want a "_wimp"_ for a Rooster *!

Picture:








*


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

Is it normal for my rooster to try n mount my little pullets everytime one runs past him? They are acting scared of him. I mean literally my rooster is jumping on them like 50 times a day if not more.


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## Zakgirlsfarm (Sep 18, 2012)

I read an article just the other day in 'New Zealand Lifestyle Block Australian edition' (Page 105) that said and *ahem*

I quote:

"If a rooster challenges you to a fight, it's best to back away and let him think he's the boss".

I'm like WHAT?

You kidding me?

What a Big Man's Shirt Tail.

Then, I read further...

"It's best to do what a low order rooster would do if challenged to a fight: back away quietly when first challenged and let the main rooster *assume he's the boss. If a rooster doesn't think you are a threat to his flock then he will leave you alone. Train your roosters from when they are young. Use every occasion to ignore the occasional run at you and just walk off. He will think he has won and is dominant over you and so is far less likely to face up for a fight in future".

Then the article goes on with good advice on keeping children and others safe yadda yadda yadda, cluck cluck etc.

I like to investigate the cause of rooster aggression (apart from that it's natural): Food, shelter, space, enough females around, too many Roos, vitamin deficiency etc but I'm not about to let a rooster lord-it-over-me either. I don't think I could take to knocking the poor rooster out like you did RETIRED but I'll certainly let him know who's boss from time to time. I don't get nasty roosters often enough to be an expert on the matter but it's sure fun learning about it. 

* Assume: [To assume] Makes an ASS out of U M E). 
* Expert (Ex is a has-been and Spert [spurt] is a drip under pressure).


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

Zakgirlsfarm said:


> I read an article just the other day in 'New Zealand Lifestyle Block Australian edition' (Page 105) that said and *ahem*
> 
> I quote:
> 
> ...


CERTAINLY worth "considering"....._*BUT.....*_
I won't tolerate any animal attacking ME (especially on MY HOME-GROUND )...
...including Humans of all persuasions.
I guess I'm a type of *Rooster *myself....
....maybe like "*Rooster Cogburn" *of John Wayne _FAME.....
_*Ha-Ha !!!
*( Had my LAST "_fist-fight" _at age 54 ( LOST THAT one...sorta.....3 broken ribs and a Black-Eye. First FIGHT I had lost since I was 14 years old. )
*Ha-Ha !!!
*I don't have fist-fights any more. Health is too poor.
Next fight...I'll just "shoot 'em". But...I don't _anticipate _ANY problems.
( I'm actually a VERY PEACEFUL SOUL. just danged stubborn and INDEPENDENT.)
*Ha-Ha !!!
*-ReTIRED-
*P.S. *Yes...I am well aware of my strengths AND weaknesses. I deal with them as is BEST for me. Seems to me to be MY PRIMARY responsibility.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

chickenmommy said:


> Is it normal for my rooster to try n mount my little pullets everytime one runs past him? They are acting scared of him. I mean literally my rooster is jumping on them like 50 times a day if not more.


Yes, it's normal. Now, if you don't want every feather worn off your girls, you need to reduce your roosters or increase your number of hens by X 3. It's not normal to have bare backed hens in a flock that is being managed well, so try to keep their feathers intact by getting the correct ratio of roo to hen.

You will also have a better rate of lay from hens that are not being bred constantly by 3 randy roosters.

As for backing down from a rooster? Poppycock!!! If you are the "lesser rooster" you are getting trounced any time you touch a hen or walk into the vicinity of anything the top rooster claims as his own.

Rooster training is easy to do and you don't ever have to kick one to do it. My current rooster is trained to leave the coop when I say his name and point towards the door. Didn't have to kick or hit him once to get there...but I did communicate to him in the only language they understand.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

Thanks bee. I'm probably gonna get a few new hens soon. When getting new chickens what am I supposed to be looking for as far as making sure they are healthy before I buy them. I don't wanna get a sickly chicken that might put my flock at risk


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Bright eyes, clean and shiny feathering, healthy scales, healthy skin, red combs and wattles, good action when they walk, run, etc. Inspect their vents and the skin around them for signs of parasites, diarrhea, prolapse. Check scales for shiny, smooth appearance...no redness, scaliness or lifted up scales. 

Look at the place where they've been living....is it clean, smell good, have clean water, dry and clean run/coop. If you can really smell the coop and run, they aren't doing well in their husbandry and your birds may be carrying more than the normal load of bacteria or parasites. 

Does any of their flock have bare, red skin showing? Any signs of picking...bloody spots, bare backs, butts, etc. This is another sign of poor husbandry unless it is a seasonal molt at the appropriate time of the year...even then, they shouldn't be molting that severely. Don't accept the excuse that the hens are showing "rooster wear"....fell for that once and never again. Rooster wear is also a sign of poor husbandry methods. 

When you pick them up, is their breast bones sharp with no meat on the chicken's bones? Look at the feathers on the breast....does one side of feathers overlap the other side in a line down the middle? This can show loss of conditioning.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

Thank you so much bee


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

YW! Good luck with it all!


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