[HAPPYCHICKENHOME]

 
Hi  We have just got a new cock bird to go with our 4 girls, I think he is quite young and is on the verge of being a bit of a nightmare, if you are just around him then he is fine but if you go to move the birds or pick up a sick one he jumps at you as though he is trying to herd you rather than claws first, any advice?  Thanks

[tosca100]

Someone more experienced will be along, but my guess is that he is just doing his job in protecting his ladies. Our lad gets very distressed if we have to catch any of his ladies, but he is too much of a gent to go for us (or too scared!)

[HAPPYCHICKENHOME]

I always like the fact that the cock birds protect the girls, what I do not want is for him to turn into a flying feet first bird, my other pets will not cope with that, nor will anyone that comes to visit because the birds all roam around freely, I am staying very calm around him and no chasing or shouting, am hoping that someone will say its because he is young, I am guessing maybe a year old and that with age will come a bit of grace and calming down??  Any advice gladly received

[Sassy]

Unfortunately age is unlikely to be the reason. He is protecting his girls but when they overdo it it becomes a real problem and can be very dangerous. Some people have success by holding the bird down on the floor which is a way of asserting yourself as head bird. It is worth a try but is by no means foolproof. If you cannot solve this the safest thing to do is to cull him unfortunately. Sorry for the gloom and doom.

[themagicaltoad1]

I agree with sassy on this. We've had 2 very docile cocks and 1 very nasty one, he took a particular dislike to my wife and would come running from the far end of the garden to attack her every time she went into the garden. Needless to say he had to go, shame because he was a lovely colour and we'd raised him from a chick.

[Prod]

The first cockerel I had, a Welsummer, was an absolute nightmare I had to de spur him twice. He actually got over a 7ft fence into the pen with my Buff Orpingtons and savaged (is the only word) the cockerel Billie (a £100 vet's bill and one eye later) I had to get rid and was about to cull him when a neighbour said they knew someone who might take him and it turned out he would so he now free ranges on a couple of acres with 15 or 20 girls and the guy wanted a cockerel to 'look after them'  My two Buff Orpingtons, One Eyed Billie and Eli are like pussycats compared, although I keep them in separate pens, and will very easily let me pick them up, as do the BO hens.  I l also have (for the moment) 2 pairs of Spanish White Faced, one pair of  Blue Splash and one Black Cockerel with a white hen. The Blue Splash is very aggressive and goes for my legs whenever he can. It can be funny though watching him 'face up' to Eli through the fencing, they mirror each others movements up and down.

[HAPPYCHICKENHOME]

He has calmed down and has not done anything to me for over a week, it does make me laugh that his legs as well as comb go red when he wants to hmmm with one of my girls, he is now named "Roger" if he does get out of hand then he will have to go, the delivery man did not want to come down the drive the other day because he saw me and the bird having a discussion about his behaviour, which must have been most amusing in its own right.  Will try pinning him if he tries anything one, he does now not go for the girls if I shout and its amusing whey they do to get out of his way, but, not for them I guess.  He is also the most effective cock bird in as much as he certainly latches on under their wings tightly and pulls their heads back, maybe because he is lighter than the other cock birds I have had so will also try fattening him up a bit then... ha ha ha ha ha ha think that would be impossible the way the girls have him running around trying to round them up.

[Helenaj]

You will need to watch him around any children - he may only be testing the water with you but may seriously try it on with a child and those claws and beak could do some serious damage, especially at eye level. He may get worse as he gets older and my option would be to cull rather than take a risk of permanent injury.