Solitary chicken - need advice

[sew-1]

Hi all,

 

I would really appreciate it if you could please give me guidance and tell me what to do.

 

I am baby sitting my friend's chickens whilst she's off sunning herself in Portugal. "Big Ritchie" is a Rhode Island Red and he's MASSIVE. He's always been fine but he's just started squaring up to me (not sure why???) and it's getting to be scary as this morning he was really angling at a fight and started to come at me, I got scared and pushed him away with a twig I grabbed at.

 

Please can you explain to me what I need to do to stop this?

Do I need to dominate him and assert myself in the pecking order?

Should I go in with a stick to protect myself - though for some reason I just think this is going to escalate his aggression and don't really want to live my life like that! I'd much rather he has a healthy respect for me and lets me go about my business in peace!

 

Do I need to pick him up and hold him by the wings so he knows I am in charge? If so, HOW ON EARTH do I do that?? (I ask this because once my friend did this and mentioned that now he knew she was in charge.)

I am prepared to do it if necessary because I don't fancy him making my life a scary hell but also nervous of how to do it and do it RIGHT without getting either of us hurt!

 

Many thanks for your help!

Sue

[Beantree]

Sometimes cockerels take a dislike to someone and there is nothing you can do about it Sue. We have one who has funny turns every now and then. I do pick him up, but am always wearing glasses so my eyes are protected. Important you don't get in-between him and his hens, otherwise he will feel threatened. Also never touch him on the head or back, only the chest, because the aforementioned are very aggressive moves to a cockerel.

[The Dogmother]

There was a really agressive cockerenearby last winter; I used to ward him off with a broom. They tried picking him up (catching with a net) and stroking him with gloves on to tame him, but he was still vicious; they ended up rehoming the handsome chap to someone who wanted a good guard cockerel.

[miller30]

Dont know about a cockerel but i had to fight my 301b turkey stag off with a broom to go in and feed and clean them out but this just made him worse he was up for a good old fight would drop kick me the works he could even grab the broom and we would be having a game of tug of war .There was no way i could tuck him under my arm and carry him around just think your friends will be back soon

[natasha]

I kept a number of cockerels years ago and when cockerel challenged me, I would just spend time with him pushing him out of my way until he gave up. Time and patience and being fearless worked. But... another idea may be trying kids water pistol? Or any water squirting device that will be quick and won't harm the bird?

 

BW

 

 

Natasha

[sjp]

I've only ever had 2 nasty aggressive cockerels and they went in the pot. but I've had a couple who have tried it on but standing my ground , not backing away and managing to catch them and picking them up before they realized what was happening was enough for them to know we were equally matched was enough for them to calm down. plus it helped that they weren't aggressive just young and stupid sadly one died after a bad thunder storm a couple of years back the other is now my top lad and I let him think he's chased me out of his territory every morning so he looks good in front of his girls even through we both know he only goes through the motions

the water pistol is probably your best bet I've had to resort to that with a bad tempered hen and the afore mentioned nasty aggressive cockerels it worked with the hen but the lads were a bit thick and didn't catch on

[sew-1]

Hi all,

 

Important you don't get in-between him and his hens, otherwise he will feel threatened. Also never touch him on the head or back, only the chest, because the aforementioned are very aggressive moves to a cockerel.

 

Thank you! this has made the world of sense to me!!! Richie has always been very much in the background but after reading your comment I realised that I was affectionately patting "His" ladies so he must have taken to it not very well at all! He did come up at me on Saturday and I was instructed by the poultry farm they were bought from, to hold him on the back. I didn't get that close (heart in my throat!!) but just layed a hand on his back and that seems to have been enough to get the point across. Now Very careful not to flirt with his ladies... even if they insist on trying to chat to me!

 

Thanks so much everyone, really very much appreciated!!