WWYD: Aggressive rooster - Coq Au Vin or no??

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I've got this gorgeous Light Sussex Rooster, he is a very handsome chap and is a fantastic specimen, but this evening when I went in the pen to check the egg-boxes the bleddi thing flew at my legs - it wasn't just a little flutter either, he really meant it!!

Come to think of it, its not the first time he's done it either, tho' before when I have noticed it, it hasn't been anything like as vicious as today's assault was. Luckily I was wearing tough waterproof leggings - it might not be so funny in the summer when I wouldn't be wearing as much clothing or even going out there bare-legged.

He's a lovely chap, and (Oh Dear) we've given him a name............

BUT: every instinct I have tells me that this aggression is only going to get worse. He's got plenty of hens out in the pen to keep him amused, and is well fed and cared for. I'm really not sure if I can tolerate an aggressive bird like this. Luckily there are no children here for him to fly in their eyes........ but I really didn't like this little incident and wonder if his days should be numbered. The other thing is that I've bred from him and don't want this aggressive trait to be in his offspring.

So peeps: verdict please. What should be done with this errant bird?

WWYD??

Coq Au Vin - or keep??

 

[Clodagh]

Coq au vin. I operate a one strike and you are out rule I'm afraid.l It is just starting to come into the breeding season - he will only get worse.

 

[Evie91]

Watching with interest - mine attacks me on a regular basis, but he does a good job in looking after the hens.......

 

[Thriller]

Sorry. It would be getting the short end of the stick if it was here.

 

[Dry Rot]

Get another, bigger, cockerel.

If you insist on calling him a "rooster" you are getting exactly what you deserve! As I keep reminding people on here, we are BRITISH!

And did you mean cock oh vine, per chance??

 

[AmyMay]

Yep. Knock it on the head.

 

[Thriller]

Yep. Knock it on the head.

Literally

 

[WelshD]

I breed chickens and can have up to 50 cock/cockerels at any one time

My thinking is that there are plenty of nice birds out there and I don't tolerate a genuinely nasty one if I can help it. They will of course want to protect their females as breeding season approaches, its only natural and normal feistiness should be expected and tolerated but there are limits to what I see as acceptable.

You can tone down the worst behaviour by showing the bird that you are boss, if I have a particularly valuable (monetary or breeding-wise) male I will tuck him under my arm and carry him around while I do chores, this does work if done consistently, they aren't too keen to draw attention to themselves longer term! I have used water pistols and brooms to prove my point before too

When all else fails they get the company of the other law breakers in the freezer!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

When all else fails they get the company of the other law breakers in the freezer!

Hee hee hee LOL, luvvit ^^^

 

[Happy Hunter]

Would you send your granny in there?

No? - Freezer it is then!

p.s. My Nana would karate kick the blighter anyway!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I would give him the chance to learn (the hard way) the error of his ways but after a few punts if he is not respecting your space then wring it's neck and move on.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I've only had one that I couldnt 'sort'. Its a shame because its just natural behaviour and we put them in an unnatural environment usually. But, the bigger they get the more it hurts and if you have ankle biters around its not worth the risk. I currently have 5 cock birds and all are fine. I also have a muscovy drake who's learning that I am not 'that' into ducks (muscovies have claws so its definitely not something to be tolerated).
If its to be sorted it has to be the first time they look at you funny, and you do not back down or walk away until after they do.

 

[ribbons]

Trouble is he will get worse.

At a stud yard I worked on more than 40 years ago, there was one that attacked ankles. He gained confidence and got cockier (pun intended ) every day.
In the end he was leaping almost face level and often knocked tea and coffee from people's hands.
The boss grabbed him one day, and plunged him into the water trough, held him under for a few seconds then released him.
That cockerel did a runner at the mere sound of the boss arriving after that but continued his assault on everyone else.
He ended up in a casserole, very tasty he was too.

 

[tda]

Yes, tasty dinner it is! - dustbin lid in the meantime to keep him away from your ankles

 

[Alec Swan]

Overly aggressive cockerels generally end up with a wrung neck. Whether they're curried, fed to the dogs or thrown over a hedge, is dependent upon the mood at the time.

Alec.

 

[Evie91]

Mine is beautiful but horrible. He attacked me last week - through jeans, socks, waterproof trousers and wellies and I still had a cut and bruise and hole in my wellies!
I've kicked him and he comes back for me. I throw water at him which works for a while but now he has learnt when I'm not carrying it. He attacked my dad on Friday. My niece visits regularly and I worry he will attack her (she's two), trouble is when I say I'm going to get him dispatched my family make me feel guilty!
I'm vegetarian but think he needs to go; can't find anyone to do the deed though!

 

[Clodagh]

Evie, he could scar your neice for life. C'mon girl! I do have contact details for someone in the Midlands who rehomes unwanted birds, I have no guarantees where they end up though. I suspect, cynic me, in a curry!

 

[flirtygerty]

I had an aggressive Black Rock cockeral, I started shooing him off with my hands when he first started, about a week later he launched a full scale attack, I booted him down the run and he came back, neither of us were willing to back down, we ended up in the hen house, too tired to do anything but glare at each other, both puffing and panting, this thing would even scare the dog, but never attacked my OH, I asked the farmer to do the deed, but the thing ended up being re homed, vicious beggar he was