New hens not going into Eglu Go Up

[pumkinsmummy]

We have a cockerel bred from a chick but he is getting quite aggressive. He will fly at my legs and thinks nothing of giving a good peck if he feels you are too near him, his food, or one of the girls. Thats OK with me but on Sat in the garden I heard my little boy (4yrs old) screeching and Elvis had flown up and was trying to get up his back. I am sooooo worried by this as it could have been my little boys face. I want more girls so I don't want to put him off having them as well.

Should we keep him or should Elvis be re-homed or just become Coq a Vin?. I love my chooks but not at the expense of my little boy. Will Elvis calm down or is this his nature?

All advise welcome

[meezers]

You could try grabbing the cockerel and pressing him to the ground ( like a dominant chook would do ) or picking him up and carrying him around, but even if that helped I wouldn't let him anywhere near a small child. I hatched 2 cockerels last year. The first,biggest most dominant one became sunday dinner when he crowed too loud too early, but the 2nd one is still in with my girls now. He's obviously not as dominant as the first one and had never flown at/ attacked me , but he did try to give my hand a good pecking a couple of weeks ago when I went to stroke him, so he got squashed to the ground and then picked up and cuddled for a few minutes- he runs when he sees me coming now!

But I haven't got little children, I don't think I'd keep an aggressive cockerel if I did.

[Old Speckled Hen]

I wouldn't keep him.

I wanted a cockerel and researched gentle breeds. I have a Vorwerk and he is lovely but in my research travels I found some real monsters, and I don't think they get better. No, best rid.

[serekunda80]

I would get rid also, you dont want him to think there all like that. when i was younger and went to get the feed pots our family cockerel who was a beautiful Indian Game must of had a bad day and came flying towards me and was going for me knees, was struggling to get the gate open and my mum and sister were laughing it was funny afterwards, but I would go in there again because of him, that hasnt put me off them. We have a lovely big light sussex called cecil and he is so gentle.

[pumkinsmummy]

Meezers - going off a tangent here, but did you kill your cockerel yourself or take it somewhere to be done. Very interested to hear how he got to the Sunday table as I think that is where Elvis will end up.

[Old Speckled Hen]

I'm lucky my hubby can do it.......I couldn't.

When my darling Kylie got peritonitis I watched my DH, who always said, "they're just chickens" take her gently under his arms,talk to her and kiss her little head(yes, he really did......didn't think I was looking) before ever so gently just pull her neck and hold her tight when she kicked out. He had a tear in his eye too.

[Egluntyne]

I'd get rid too. As he gets more mature he will become more aggressive and protective of his harem.

[sparkysmum]

I'm afraid I would have no hesitation. I would rehome him today if poss. Hard I know but I can't help thinking that this will happen again. Alli xx

[pumkinsmummy]

Thank you all very much for your replies. He is such a handsome chap and we will miss his cockle doodle do (he has only just got the hang of it as well - oh dear), but little man has to come first. I was just speaking to a chap in the village about it and he says he will get Elvis ready for the table for me, so I think we will have a lovely family roast at Easter.

[serekunda80]

how meaty is he? reason i ask is that if hes still youngush he might not have much meat and fat on him, i have put mine in the slow cooker and it was lovely, my sister decided to put hers in the oven and hers didn't turn out so well