The message posted about Back Home magazine reminded me of something I'd come across recently in one of my treasured old MOMs. Get a couple of wire connectors (aka Scotch connectors or wire nuts) and twist them onto the rooster's spurs. I think the writer recomended a medium size, but they aren't expensive so it wouldn't set you back much to buy a pair in all the likely sizes. The rooster would still be able to attack, but the blunt ends of the connectors would be a lot safer than the usual sharp spurs. Just keep an eye on him, he could more easily get caught in wire or wrap stray twine around his feet. I don't think it would be a big problem, just a possibility. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), August 03, 2000

Answers

Gerbil:

Chicken soup with dumplings will also take care of the problem. Actually my turkey neck has only attempted it on two occasion. I just pretended it was a football and a nearby fence was the goal posts (missed both times - wide right for you FSU fans). Now that he knows I am the alpha rooster he doesn't bother me any more.

-- Ken S. (scharabo@aol.com), August 03, 2000.

Ken, LOLLOLLOLOLOLOL !!!! I was thinking fried chicken. Or maybe stick-ball. We had one once that liked to get ya when your back as turned. HIGH FLY ROOSTER BALL OVER THE BACK YARD FENCE. LOLOLO!!! ( SORRY I COULDN"T HELP MYSELF! )

-- Bonnie (josabo1@juno.com), August 03, 2000.

When I was in my late teens I came home from college one week end & Dad was a way from home working & Mother asked me to do chores. Dad always raised fighting chickens along with everything else. He had a fighting rooster in a large wire enclosure (I suspose ready for someone to pick up/ that was buying him). As I was doing chores that darn bantam rooster keep spurring me/ when ever I would turn my back on him. So, I got Dad's big dip net/ got him cornered & put him in that cage with that fighting cock!!! Yep, you guessed it that bantam didn't last to round two!! Now, I had a dead, bantam rooster in the cage & a very mad fighting cock!!!! I got a wire & I finally got him pulled to the door where I could get him out of that cage! I put the dead rooster in the barn ( like maybe some would think he died of natural causes!!! ha!) Not a word was ever said about it! About 35 years latier, when my Dad was dyeing of cancer/ I would stay with him all night/ & when he felt like it he would talk. We talked about so many adventures, we had together, etc. One night Daddy said, "now Kitten, while I'm still alive I want to know how long that bantam rooster lasted/ ya put in with that fighting cock???" Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), August 03, 2000.

I agree with Ken! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 03, 2000.

Ken - I've got to show Hubby your answer!! He thinks I'm nutty because I claim to be the alpha dog at this house. (No female dog jokes, please!) Maybe I can be the alpha chicken too......

When the ex and I were still married, we had all the assorted livestock. We had a Wyandotte rooster (Wiley) who had a harem of hens that would follow him anywhere. He learned to fly over the fence. We got him down and clipped one wing. He learned to fly in a spiral pattern, round and round in a circle, up and over the fence. We got him down and clipped the OTHER wing. He climbed the fence with his beak and feet. We gave up!

Wiley hated John-boy with a passion, and I must admit that the feeling was mutual! Wiley would wait for John to walk under the hay mow opening and leap on his head, flogging with his wings and spurring away. If John had his back turned, to dip feed or whatever; he qould jump on his back. I saw that bird explode up out of the hog pen like a pheasant one day, right into John's face; trying to spur him! It got to be quite an interesting contest of wills....John took to carring a large board and hunting Wiley down when he first went out to the barn, just so he could get through the chores in peace! I'll tell him about your field goal attemps the next time I see him - I'm sure he'll get a kick out of that idea!! Thanks for the story!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), August 03, 2000.

I used to dunk mine in the water trough three times in a row. The first time to let him know I could. The second time to let him know he was bad. And the third time to make sure he knew I was doing it on purpose.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), August 03, 2000.

This is another alpha story. A couple of years ago my herd bull, a Gelvieh, about 1,400 pounds at the time, was being more fisky with me than I wanted. I hit him on the end of his nose as hard as possible. Startled him. My hand hurt for a week. However, since then we both show more respect for each other. I am the alpha whatever of this place.

-- Ken S. (scharbo@aol.com), August 03, 2000.

I presently have 6 roosters free ranging with my hens. They return to their pens at dusk. There's no fighting, none have ever attacked me. From what I've seen from others, problems seem to arise from 3 things with ALL livestock ~ more guys than gals; living quarters too small; not enough feed. It seems with chooks that most problems arise when the human goes into the coop to feed/collect eggs/feed treats. I free feed, so I don't get crowded when I add feed every 1 1/2 weeks (there's still some feed left in the hoppers). No one has ever bothered me when I collect eggs (I do this all day long).

My scenario is not unusual; I know a lot of people with the same success.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), August 04, 2000.

I have one of those critters. He learned his bad habits through being teased by an ex-farmhand. I did a full scale rehabilitation program on his sassy little self, and other than staying aware of his location for the occasional 'old times sake' maneuver, things are pretty peaceful now. Instead of fighting back, we do a slapstick kung-fu routine, waving hands around his head, forcing him to switch focus from right to left repeatedly, at top speed. His poor little pea brain goes into overload. At that point, we snatch him up, tuck his head under his wing, and put him to sleep, then gently put him down and walk away. When he wakes back up, usually in response to a curious coopmate, he seems to be too embarassed to pursue the matter further.

-- Connie (Connie@lunehaven.com), August 04, 2000.

Having had a variety of species, I decided to impress my rooster early and often that I was boss. The first time I saw him sizing me up, I waited until he was treading a hen. I grabbed his tail, picked him up and held him with his wings folded while he wiggled to get away. When he stopped, I set him down. It was obvious he wasn't happy with me but he's never made an aggressive move towards me or any of our company. Just to remind him, I grab for that tail if he's within reach. He won't tread a hen though if I'm in sight.

I was trying to get a hen inside one evening and she was telling the world about this big critter that was after her. The rooster came barreling through their hole ready to do battle to save his hen until he saw me. Such brakes that fellow has! He turned before ever getting through the little door and left the hen to rescue herself. I felt a complete fool standing out there alone and laughing. At least no one but the chickens saw me and they didn't understand the joke.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), August 04, 2000.

All of your experiences are hilarious. When I was a kid we had the meanest rooster. My mom and dad didn't believe me that the rooster was attacking me everytime I went to feed or collect eggs, until one day my dad had to do the chores and got spurred. Well, let me tell you, that rooster got a beating within an inch of his little life with the broom. Maybe my dad had stick ball in mind too. The rooster was screaming and the feathers were flying. My mom and I thought it was great. The rooster had to have a few reminders before he didn't bother anymore, but I carried the broom often.

-- Cindy Hickson (cindyh@rtcgroup.com), August 07, 2000.

When I was young we hade a rooster that when ever I had to go feed them he would wait on the roost for me to get in and then He would fly over and get me. Well one day he hit me high on the face in the eye. Dad happened to be out the door feeding the sheep well me falling backwards out of the chicken coop got him over there pretty fast he picked that rooster up and threw him 20feet in the air. That next night we ate that rooster solved that problem.Justin

-- Justin (oakridge@netcommander.com), August 08, 2000.

This sure has been great reading!God bless... ~~Tracy~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), August 10, 2000.