The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: jameslindsay on May 02, 2010, 08:45:55 am
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For the millionth time I have just been attacked by Charlie, my cockerel. This time though he has drawn blood from my leg on 2 different places and I want to kill the bugger. I have read if you grab their crop and hold their head down on the ground that can do the trick but there is no way I am going any closer to this terrorist any other way apart from the obvious?
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My granny had a bantam cockrel that was the same ::) Her solution (cos she couldn't bear the thought of killing ANYTHING ::)) - was to put a big bucket over him with a brick on top when she went to collect eggs, clean them out etc ;D ;D ;D
I'm not for a minute suggesting you do that ;) but you could throw a big sheet/towel over him and grab him that way. Alternatively a pair of thigh high wellies (like fishermen wear) would stop him drawing blood. I don't have any solutions for taming him though. It could just be that it's springtime and he's feeling extra feisty (or twitterpated as my kids call it - blame Disney's Bambi) maybe he'll calm down a bit in a few weeks.
Let us know how you get on & good luck
Karen x
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My granny had a bantam cockrel that was the same ::) Her solution (cos she couldn't bear the thought of killing ANYTHING ::)) - was to put a big bucket over him with a brick on top when she went to collect eggs, clean them out etc ;D ;D ;D
I'm not for a minute suggesting you do that ;) but you could throw a big sheet/towel over him and grab him that way. Alternatively a pair of thigh high wellies (like fishermen wear) would stop him drawing blood. I don't have any solutions for taming him though. It could just be that it's springtime and he's feeling extra feisty (or twitterpated as my kids call it - blame Disney's Bambi) maybe he'll calm down a bit in a few weeks.
Let us know how you get on & good luck
Karen x
Right now Karen I can think of a better use for that BRICK!!! ha ha
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there will only be one solution to his behaviour. think if he drew blood on you what he would do on a small child. there are chilled out cockerels out there swap him for one and have a chicken pie.
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Some chooky folk do go by the holding down for a minute to teach them who is in control,after all the cockerels are only doing their job. They say it works,never had a nasty cockerel though to try it myself. We had a call to cull a cockerel the other day as it attacked a teenager but when she said it doesnt attack if she feeds it we said feed it then and it has been fine since ::)
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I have one just like that too, he is fine all winter but as soon as spring is in the air he turns into Dr Jekyll or is it Mr Hyde. He has gotten away with it for a few years now but now my little grandaughter is going in to collect eggs I think that he will have to go. You can never turn your back on him, he went for me last time I was cleaning out the nesting boxes (with a shovel in my hand )he didn't bother me again that day.Like you I don't fancy trying to catch him but will go into the hen house at night and grab him then.
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Mine is attacking to. must be something in Fife air.
what kind is he. would you like a replacement as i got a bantam partridge wyandotte, very handsome but starting to fight with his brother.
However they are same size as my layers so look good with them
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Jamie has been the same of late. If I go into the shed too soon and a hen is still on the nest and they squawk, he comes running. I just turn away from him and go about my business as usual, but he did go for me once. It does worry me that he might go for my grandchildren though as they love going to speak to the hens. He also crows very loudly, and a neighbour has complained, so he is on parole. This is his first Spring as an adult, and I worry he might get worse. Carol has said she'll take him away so I am considering it. But I am torn as I really like having him around - he is a stunning bird. He is a Light Sussex, is it your LS that is attacking you James?
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I think even the quiet cockerels go through this sort of behaviour during the Spring. Even Les, one of my pekin cockerels, who is as placid as can be usually, has started jumping at my boots when I am in the field.......if h does it again, he will find himself launched down the field :D
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Yes Annie, he is a Light Sussex. I too like to hear the noise that he makes and he is a beautiful animal, tonight when I went in he stayed away - let's hope he has got the message.
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James, just out of interest, does your cockerel attack you when you are carrying something? I used to have a maran cockerel, that was fine, unless I went in the field carrying a sack, bucket or whatever. He did not go for what I was carrying, it was just me!
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James, just out of interest, does your cockerel attack you when you are carrying something? I used to have a maran cockerel, that was fine, unless I went in the field carrying a sack, bucket or whatever. He did not go for what I was carrying, it was just me!
Hi Roxy. If I am carrying something no he doesn't attack, he does sometimes threaten to and makes himself big. I think he gets enjoyment out of toying with me. Mind you when I am carrying something it tends to be a rake or something as I intend to push him away from me and that scares him. I have to say that he doesn't attack me every time he sees me, in his defence and when we first got him he was well behaved so I do believe it is seasonal. Away to let them out now and see how I get on.
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Mine is attacking to. must be something in Fife air.
i second the idea of the fife air, My wee bantam cockeral s turning into a wee sh** when ever you go into the pen and any of the girls start clucking (or not for that matter) he lauches up at you attacking above the waist.
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I tried booting Jamie away and he just came back at me again. But I have the solution!!!!!
A water pistol (6 in a party pack from poundland or other cheapiE shops, maybe even TESCO) a few squirts of water and he's off! Biut I can his bedady eyes watcking the hand with the pistol, and his head on oen side ready to duck! But it is working!!!!
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Well I think tonight I won the battle but it remains to be seen if I have won the war. I went out to feed everyone and he was out free ranging, I had no idea where he was. Until that is he attached himself to the back of my leg, I didn't see a thing until it was too late. So, after chasing him I finally grabbed hold of him and held his head to the ground for what seems like ages and he was not happy. Now he is staying out of my road but we will have to wait and see how long a memory he has. I am hopeful that this will be the end of his nonsense, once and for all.
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Isn't it odd that even the tiniest cockerel can intimidate a fully grown human! I have a Dutch bantam cockerel who terrorises me----and he knows it! ;D
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I got my Penny and Poppy as young ones - so happy to have hens, hubby said we can have hen's as long as no cockerel. Of course Penny grew up into a hen and Poppy into a very handsome cockerel - my routine was to feed my birds of prey then put some tea time treat out for Penny and Poppy but found Poppy would attack just as I was trying to unlatch doors - so then they got their treats first and things seemed to calm down - they had to stay with my mother-in-law for a year when we sold up and rented and there he spent all his time chasing pheasants. Now he's a bit older about 9-10 and seems to have calmed
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I don't want to talk too soon but so far so good. He has ade himself "Large" at me but not attacked. Fingers crossed he has learnt his lesson.
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Well today Charlie has not attacked me. He has thought about it but always changed his mind so I am hoping yesterdays lesson has taught him a lesson. He does seem to "cock a doodle do" much more often when he see's me but that's ok. Please let that be an end to our friction. :chook:
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That's really good - it would be a shame to get rid of him especially as he's only doing his job - my Hubby would have gladly got rid of Poppy, now they're on speaking terms!!
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I don't know if when it came down to it I could actually have got rid of him, he is a very handsome chap and I do like hearing him. But would prefer it if I didn't have holes in my legs caused by him attacking me!
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It was quite a while ago when Poppy was attacking but we had the added problem of me being very frisky and aggressive with the girls, that they would actually get cuts where her gripped so we did spatate him for a while from is girls, much to his annoyance but for their sake.
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I do love these typing errors had to laugh at the thought of you being frisky and agressive with your hens :o ;D
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oops - ok spell check doesn't help on those does it - HE was frisky - although I can't remember if I was!!!
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48 hours later and the bugger is up to his old tricks again! :chook:
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Try the water pistol, James! Jamie took off after my pup just now as she was chasing the white hen, then he saw me coming to Bobby's defence with the water pistol and ran after the hen instead and jumped on her back. You could almost hear him say 'I wasn't going to touch your effing dog, honest, missus!' ;) ;D ;D
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Thanks for the laugh, I will give it a try. ::)
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I have tried the water pistol method and throwing a smallish bucket of water at him and again the bugger has just attacked me. This time he broke my temper so off to find the gloves and then we had it out. I grabbed him again and held his head down explaining to him that I was the boss and his behaviour must change, will it do thre trick this time?
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My bird seems very sweet compared to yours James, he gives me no trouble. I came up with a great idea for catching the birds to check them over, Henry our cockerel seems to know when I plan to do this and would scatter everyone. I bought from my local garden centre a net that is used on fish ponds. It has a long adjustable poll and all I do is wait until the birds are in, less stress for everyone plus the bird gets a nice pet after the job is done and does not seem to be upset.
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Sabrina he has become so bad and it seems only to be me that he dislikes. My vet has told me that if it gets worse then he really has to go but I would hate that. He truely is a gorgeous boy too and he knows it. I will give him another few weeks and see how things go after todays fight.
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i know how you feel. but once he is gone the sense of freedom is there knowing you don't have to fight him every time. if like me the new boss cock will turn out to be even worse. remember his spurs are going to get bigger as he gets older. its funny when they are only jumping and doing no harm but when they draw blood through jeans its time for him to go.
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I on the other hand would say keep trying - Poppy was a pain in the backside for quite a while but he's still with use and living out his old age - sometime bothers me a wee bit getting animal's/birds/pets etc and then once things don't quite go to plan we get rid of them. OH nearly got rid of Poppy but at the end of the day he, like your James was such I handsome chap I fought to keep him and as it was only me attacked that worked. We have a German Shepherd that hates all other living animals and makes life a bit of a pain sometime bit I wouldn't change her for the world - she's my protector and she takes her job seriously - saying that she trust's my judgement of people but dislikes all other animals large than a duck/cat. I guess we don't know what they're thinking or why - it is spring time and I'm sure he'll calm down eventually. We did put Poppy in a separate run for a while - possibly an option.
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ours are not pets. if your dog started attacking kids and drawing blood i can bet it would soon go. its better to have chilled out cockerals running the flock than mad chucks. now i have a very soft spot for our gander and it would take a very serious event to end up eating him. but thats what the cocks are dor as well as producing the next batch og chickens. we are not over keen to kill because they are a bit of a pest but you do have to draw the line.
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Sorry to hear your cockeral is misbehaving, James. I have to say though, we had to cull ours last year. He was vicious, and would fly up at you every day, with his feet turned so that he would get you with his spurs. Even if you were taking food in he would go for you. I drew the line when I bent over one day to put food into the bowl and he flew at my face- fortunately I was able to jerk my hand up and shove him away, but he managed to scratch my cheek and came so close to my eye. I blame myself for him being so aggressive, because we kept in shut in for a while after we got them, as we didn't have a run sorted, and I think it made him very territorial.
I know it might not be a good decision to make, but remember you might have to consider it. Good luck with him.
Beth
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That sounds exactly like him Beth, I have always said that if he went for my face while I was bent down he would go for definate. Since we had our words testerday he is still taunting me but not attacking so again it is the waiting game.
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I think I have won the battle. For several days I would go out with a jug of cold water and just throw it at him. Eventually he gets the message and every time he sees me approach he turns and goes off the other way. So, once a week or so I will continue to take the water with me - just to remind him that I am the boss. :)
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good for you james. ours are now meat. 4 villians and 1 the wife wanted culled because he was spare, that one bothered me he just sat in the wifes arms guilt. odd the egg production has gone up since the small garden gang met their fate. the girls must feal more chilled not having 4 cockerals teaming up on them.
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i was told once that if you(we) stand our ground and copy any type of moves the cockerel make before
attacking e.g. moving from side to side etc that the cockerel should back down.
they sense the fear with in us and thats why they have the upper hand most of the time.
tell me if it works as im sure we might get one out of this years hatchings.
eddie who we have now is so tame he runs away when you approach him.
langdon ;) :chook:
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we have nice ones who are friendly. its just the 4 learnt from each other. not a lot of meat on any of them.
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When I was at River Cottage, we discussed cockerels and how people tend to kill the vicious ones. Richard said that the vicious ones are the ones you should actually keep as they are exerting their dominance, and therefore a better and stronger gene pool - more of the poultry equivalent of testosterone I guess! :chook:
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I wasn't frightened of Jamie - he still tried to knee cap me ;D