Aggressive cockeral

[Heathery]

I have a Wellsummer Brown cockerel in with 8 girls, who have all been very happy up until yesterday. They are housed in a large enclosure, but I let them all have free range in part of a field which has been mulched with woodchip for the last 3 days whilst I was outside.

Yesterday the lovely cockeral decided to turn against me, and in the end I had to put him back in the enclosure as he was determined to fight me (beak and claws!) This morning when I went into the enclosure he didn't attack again, but could tell that he was eyeing me up for another go....... is there anything that I can to do modify this behaviour please?

I go away quite regularly and am dependant on others to care for them whilst I am away, and don't feel that it is on to have to deal with this! I've already warned the cockeral that he needs to confirm soon!

With thanks,

Heather

 

[chrismahon]

Pick him up and stick him in a dark box for a while Heathery. Every time he tries to turn nasty do the same. I know there is a risk of being pecked so do you wear glasses ? We pick ours up a lot so they know who is boss. The meanest will come over and check that I am not hurting his girls when they are picked up for health inspections but won't get too close. Danger you have is if someone picks up a hen and he attacks them. However you need this aggressive behaviour to protect from Fox attack -the cockerel attacks the fox and is killed but in the meantime the hens scatter and hide. Difficult to measure one against the other. Can you feed him from your hand ? All ours take corn from our hand, theory being they are tamer and don't see us as a threat.

 

[Lordcluck]

It's my experience that it's often the Tamest of males that become the worst offenders as breeding condition is attained.I find Birds with little or no natural fear of their owners are more likely to attack them with serious intent when the hormones kick in and the red mist descends!!. A case of familiarity breeds contempt. I have several males that hate me with a passion at the moment, and hit the wire of their pens to get at me as soon as I appear, but If I have a 'stranger' with me, they are far more wary, and back off.

Males are very much individuals, and I've attempted most of the the suggested techniques of curbing their aggression. Picking them up, squirting with water pistols, facing them down and gently but firmly restraining and dominating them, moving them to a new and unfamiliar pen, etc etc. . some procedures work for some males and not others. I suggest you try them all and see which if any work for your Welsummer. Some Males can never be 'cured', but you can take consolation in the fact that most 'Man-fighters' are the BEST stock getters, Brimming with testosterone and Fertile in the extreme!!

 

[foxy]

Eloquently put Lordcluck, and I agree. Although I rarely have an aggressive cockerel, it is very true that being very friendly when rearing the boys can induce a sense of rivalry between the keeper and the cockerel. This is very difficult behaviour to change as is is a very normal response. This time of year, the sap is rising and a lot of sweet tempered boys over winter turn into jjealous and furious devils looking for every opportunity to have a go!
There are some good techniques already mentioned worth a try, and feed the cockerel...never his girls, this just adds insult to some preconceived injury! :roll:

 

[tygrysek75]

I have same problem here and agree with Lord cluck about most tamed cockrels=worst offenders.Mine was growing up from an egg and now will try to fight me.I had allready try few techniques mentioned but no succes yet.As to the feeding from hand-be carefull as mine would try to take chunk of my hand sometimes!

 

[Tim]

I have never heard of the tamest being the worst offenders - but I had a strain of Marans a couple of years ago and had never had an agressive cockerel. I had hatched and raised 10 or so without a problem. I then gave some eggs to the local school and they hatched some. After sexing, they were determined to keep a cockerel to 'save' him from coming home with me, never to be seen again.... The children regularly picked this cockerel up and, like the hens were all hand tame. As we hit the spring, he started to turn agressive and to much heartache, I had to 're-home' him pretty sharpish.

 

[mightymohan]

if it were just you i would say just be careful around him but you mentioned you rely on other people to look after them at times. i think you need to replace him one way or another. its all well and good him attacking you because thats your choice but if he attacks someone doing you a favour......

 

[Chuck]

I don't remember a male being aggressive who was out at complete free range. It's nearly always the ones that are confined in breeding pens. At least 50% of my Black Hamburgh males are very aggressive but it's quite rare for the other breeds though it does occur. The best way I've found is to squirt them with water from a washing up lquid container or similar, also useful for breaking up fights. Once aggressive, they can never be trusted again and if you wan to breed from them, you have to put up with it and work round them. I never retaliate except for the water as I found years ago that it makes them even more agressive. This type of agression is a male thing and doesn't transfer to his female offspring and not normally to his sons either. Any male showing even threatening behaviour and the male is not safe around children. If the hens are to be handled, shut the male away before attempting it.