Aggressive cockerel

[Chants Cottage]

Our Buff Orpington Cockerel has really ramped up his aggression levels in the last few weeks. He's about 8 months old. He tends to "attack" in the morning when his dander is up. I know this is natural behaviour, but it's beginning to cause problems, namely with my two kids, who at 4 and 6 are barely bigger than he is especially when he's leaping through the air at them. Thankfully no one has been hurt beyond a peck yet but he real problem is the kids are reluctant to go outside alone for fear of encountering the cockerel, even though he only seems to have a go first thing in the morning. Can this behaviour be curbed? Is it likely to get better, or as I fear, worse?? I give him what for (chase him, shout at him, wave a stick at him) but the kids are too scared and, well, small to stand their ground. The chickens free range completely, and I don't really want to change this. I prefer having a cockerel about the place but not at the expense of my children's confidence!! Probably completely irrelevant but we also have a bantam cockerel who is definitely below him in the pecking order, but he's (the Buff Orpington) never shown any real aggression towards him bar the odd bit of argy bargy... Any advice would be gratefully received!!

[darkbrowneggs]

Unless you need him for breeding I would "find him a new home"

Once they have started to get aggressive it only gets worse, and although you can train him to respect you, it will not be possible to train him to respect little children, and it is most unpleasant for them and might put them off chickens forever, plus he could "attack" visiting children as well.

[oldjerry]

I think you've got 3 options,move him on,eat him,or buy a couple of cheap tennis raquets.(not as bonkers as it sounds,we had a few roaming pedigrees which were kept away from the main flock,and had a Buff Orp cockerel beautiful but used to go for our eldest(5 at the time) fierce as hell.Acouple of swishes with an old tennis raquet,kept at the gate did the trick,and taught her not to be scared of the livestock.)..Fox got the sod in the end....(the cockerel that is).

[Bulworthyproject]

I hope he tastes nice!

[Chants Cottage]

I hope he tastes nice!

Yeah, I have to say, that's the way he may be heading. He had another go at me and my daughter this morning. OJ, I think the tennis racket thing would be great if they were a bit older... but there's no way my little girl will dare to have a go. In principle, that's what I'd prefer, if I could get the kids in the way of thinking that they can get the upper hand it would be great, and as you say, to learn not to be scared of the livestock. I'll maybe try suggesting that they avoid him first thing in the morning, but I am thinking he will probably end up on the table... Shame, he's such a handsome thing. Thanks everyone.

[bill1953]

We had a big white cockerel in Dublin years ago. I was small at the time as were some of my siblings. Children, kittens, small pups, women, could all enter the garden undisturbed but my Father, a powerfully built full grown man, was viciously attacked on sight every time.