[goldenchic]

i have 2 hens & 1 cockerel i was given them as a birthday present they are now 8 months old, i've noticed a change in the cockerels behaviour he has bitten me twice though about 2 months ago, but my husband gets them in the garden most days & they feed out of his hand but the cockerel frequently goes for him, yesterday when he was checking the egg box he had his back to him he jumped on the back of his leg and was trying to peck him, he is a beautiful partridge bantam has lovely colours  i have had him since 6 weeks old, they are treated as pets, and really dont want to get rid of him, my husband isn't afraid of him just shhoos him off but he still squares up to him, but am concerned he will bite one of my grandchildren, i dont trust him and i would like to have him & my grandchildren in the garden but i know this is a no go, and as summer is on the way i wondered if anyone has any ideas please

[GrannieAnnie]

He's probably trying to protect his girls from you all.  I have a couple of cockerels like that, generally when I'm walking around the runs I take a bamboo cane with me, not to hit them, but in case one flies at you. waggle the cane and it generaly stops them in their tracks.  The other week one one flew at me, I dunked his head in a bucket of water for a few seconds, as suggested by my good friend, and that worked, he doesn't come near me now!

[dizzylizzie]

Grannie and Joy do a dance aswel......Joy trid to get me to do it...i suggested she up her medication!!

[joyfull]

you wasn't supposed to tell anybody   
I still think if you do the cockerel dance to your boy he will stop attacking you - he will certainly give you funny looks and so will your neighbours 

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh yes, I forgot about the sideways dance!  But I only do it to Bertie and Rosiecomb, because they do it to me!!!   

[joyfull]

and do they give you strange looks as well 

[GrannieAnnie]

OH YES!!       

[joyfull]

it certainly stops them in their tracks though doesn't it 

[Sassy]

Hee hee!!

But seriously, having had a nasty cockerel myself I do think you need to be very careful with your grandchildren. There are degrees of nastiness and only you can decide. When I had my nasty - very nasty - I would not let children into the run. We had to send him to the great chook house in the sky. Please don't underestimate the damage they can do to you let alone the children, his spurs will be developing and they can inflict a lot of damage.

I now have a nice cockerel!