Monday, August 29, 2011

RE: [CHICKENS-101] Cantankerous Roo

 

Farmbeach Gal,

            I don’t know your name.  Sounds like your batch came from Murray McMurray…..don’t you love those BONUS chicks.  We also have a Golden Laced Polish a few years ago.  “Grizwald” is bi-polar, imo.  One day he is fine and likes us and the next he is attacking from the rear, side or front.  He doesn’t scare me and I have found that if I go after him FIRST………..he runs from me and stays away from me.  I will catch him and carry him around like a baby.  He doesn’t like it…….and by the time I put him back down, he gets as far from me as he can, AS FAST AS HE CAN! 

 

            I don’t have young children and when we have visitors with little ones, I pen him up.  I also have a naughty NN Silkie who will attack, but it is more comical, although he has injured me…..drawn blood and left nasty bruises.  He tries to spur but he is most lethal with his beak!  He has gotten my hands and arms and left scars, but since he is penned in with the other silkies, I don’t worry about him.  “Ichabod” is an Icky boy, most of the time.

 

            If I were you, I would make a small pen for him and keep him penned when kids will be around.  If kids aren’t around, I’d let him range with the hens. 

 

            My Grizwald is low man on the totem pole……..and he isn’t the youngest, he is just the least brave or assertive.  I have three bantam Americaunas that chase him and he runs.  He rarely fights because he is definitely a chicken chicken. 

 

            My BONUS chick, this year is a Cochin rooster.  He is big and fluffy with feathered feet.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that he doesn’t get nasty—I can only put up with so much and then it is freezer camp! 

 

Laura

 

Laura Roberts

R Half Pint Farm

Spotsylvania, VA 

 

From: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com [mailto:CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of farmbeachgal
Sent: Monday, August 29, 2011 10:13 AM
To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CHICKENS-101] Cantankerous Roo

 

 

Hi, I'm new to chickens and I have a question about my rooster.
I've recently moved my chickens into their hen house in the barn. It is a nice big area that we can walk into to feed, clean, get eggs, etc. I have 13 mixed hens and one rooster, who is a Golden-Laces Polish. They were all raised from one-day old chicks (the rooster was a sursprise, btw, as I ordered all pullets) and have alwas been very tame. They are now about 5 mths old and have begun laying in the last week or so.
Trouble is, the roo is now getting aggressive and will often (but not always) attack. It's usually my kids who go in to gather eggs and a couple of them have gotten scratched at this point. When I go in and he attacks me, I always rush right back at him and yell at him (armed with a broom or a rake), and that's what I've told my kids to do. But is there a better way? I feel like we're taking our lives in our hands just to gather the eggs.
Thanks for help!

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