# How to catch a mean rooster



## PrettyPaisley

This is beyond ridiculous. 

We made the mistake of telling a friend about the rooster incident. I actually didn't know she was one of those save-all-the-animal dogooder types who would freak out and consider me cruel to put down a nasty rooster. Had I known I would have kept my mouth shut, but my 11 year old told her about the flogging (she's a friend of the family) and she went all nuts. :grump:

She went off and found a family who wants this creature. I know y'all told me not to give it away, but apparently they have a clear understanding of how mean a rooster can be, they seems to be okay with it, and already have a separate flock of hens awaiting him. They are so excited about this nasty creature they called *3* times tonight while we were trying to catch it. 

But we never did. Since the chickens are semi-free range (they are in about a 30X30 area that *used* to have grass on it) I don't know how to catch him. He took off, jumped the fence and was gone. He did show back up later but since we are so new at this and he is so mean, I don't know how we are going to catch him. 

Any ideas? I've given them until Friday morning to either tell us how to catch him or to show up and take him or I'm going to do what I planned to do in the first place. Shoot him from a safe distance.


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## Bearfootfarm

Does he roost in a coop at night?
They are easy to catch when they are sleeping


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## PrettyPaisley

He does roost but as soon as we open the lid he is up and alert. And right at eye level. I could do it with some help, but I can't convince my other half to get that close. I was thinking long sleeves, heavy duty gloves and safety glasses would work but I must not be very convincing.


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## Joshie

Our chickens are scared to death of a broom. I would not give this roo away. He sounds dangerous and I'm sure you don't want anyone to get hurt.


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## onthespot

Get another rooster and carry him around so that he flaps his wings and looks vulnerable. He will not be able to help it. He will come try to attack that rooster and when he jumps up just grab any part of him you can.


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## bigmudder77

gloves and a coat if he is in like a box type thing that you need to open the lid block the only way to get in or out so he cant get out crack open the lid a little bit to see where he is then flop it open and grab him FAST and he wont know what hit him but he might be smart if you open it too far or shine a flash light in his eyes and try to grab him 

or a fish net might work 

or a old blanket to throw over him 

night might be the best unless he is running at you then you can just throw the blanket over him in the day time when he goes to kick at you and then trap him in there


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## mare

i wouldnt give him away i would put him in the freezer and be done with it--so what if your friend is a do-gooder, somethings just need to be done (didnt want to sound b****y). after all i thought most of us eat chicken? what is your friend going to do when its butcher time?


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## Wisconsin Ann

I pretty much agree with Mare, but if you need to keep the peace by giving him to this other family...

A long handle fishing net works on most anything...from roosters to mean full grown turkey toms. 

You need to find a way to keep him in ONE area tho. If you can get a couple people...and some extra fencing....coop up the girls, and create a funnel sort of thing with fencing or pieces of plywood that goes into the run (provided he's still outside the run). 

Walk SLOWLY with your arms out stretched and herd him SLOWLY into the enclosure....or into a place a he can't fly out of. 

Use your nets..they generally have 3 to 5foot handles....net end on the ground and sort of slide it..do NOT wave it around. slide it over toward him and then WHOOOSH!! over his head. He'll struggle and probably get caught up in it...do NOT let go. He won't hurt himself in it. You can pick him up IN the net, hold onto him tightly and get him into a box, ASAP

You can probably catch him outside an enclosure with a net...we had good luck with the catching even the leghorn types with it. 

Good luck!


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## chickenista

Go to the store and spend $7 on a fishing net.
Life changing apparatus.
Even if he pops wide awake in the middle of the night, you can still net him.
Only carry him by the legs in an upside down fashion.
Watch your thighs.. they can break skin even through jeans.
And a truly evil rooster doesn't make real good eating.
Too much testerone makes the meat tough as nails.
I had one that I couldn't break the skin on even with a razor knife, much less eat.
Pressure cooker would be the only way.


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## gone-a-milkin

Since these people want the bird so bad, I think they should be the ones to come and catch him. Give them an exact date you need him gone by.

Then go sit in a lawn chair and watch.


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## Linkovich

Maybe this will come back to haunt me with my new chickens, but this endeavour would be awfully funny to see on camera! Could make it to AFV!


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## wintrrwolf

gone-a-milkin said:


> Since these people want the bird so bad, I think they should be the ones to come and catch him. Give them an exact date you need him gone by.
> 
> Then go sit in a lawn chair and watch.


Hey that is what I was going to say!! Tell them to bring a blanket and box though ..


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## jBlaze

gone-a-milkin said:


> Since these people want the bird so bad, I think they should be the ones to come and catch him. Give them an exact date you need him gone by.
> 
> Then go sit in a lawn chair and watch.



Can we come too??!!?? I want to watch!! hehehe.


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## jen74145

I would not be okay with giving him away. He could really injure a child and needs to be stew. Not out there propagating his nasty attitude.

Just sayin'.


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## Tiempo

gone-a-milkin said:


> Since these people want the bird so bad, I think they should be the ones to come and catch him. Give them an exact date you need him gone by.
> 
> Then go sit in a lawn chair and watch.


Gone-a-milkin beat me to it.

Get video.


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## Frenchy

sorry I understand your giving him away an that's fine but I just have to say it the best way to catch a smart mean rooster is with a 12 gauge shotgun .........I'd want the job done right ........hahahahahaha


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## jill.costello

Seriously, there are just some people who _need_ to learn by doing. These jokers have been warned; let them reap what they sow (but yeah, get video):thumb:

Also, why risk your own skin catching him for them? They want him, you told them you'd rather he was DEAD, so let them come get him. (....and _get video!_ <giggle>)


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## PrettyPaisley

Trust me-I have told them that THEY need to come get the bird. I am out numbered at home in regards to this bird. If I had the courage and the ability to catch him and hold the coop open at the same time he would be dead. But since this is my first rooster wrangle (and I still have haunting images of being cornered by a rooster at my grandpa's place when I was 12) I can't go it alone. 

Would it be stupid to shoot him with my .380? I am have a good aim.  I don't want him to suffer and I don't know where to shoot a bird. I don't have an aim that would shoot him in the head I'm sure. 

If I don't run off some of these save-the-animal types I'll never have my farm.  Soon I'll be culling *then* sharing the news. No more "we're going to kill him this weekend". I didn't even know she went looking for a home for him-it was sprung on me. 

Thanks for the help. If we get it on video I'll be sure to put in on You Tube for all to enjoy.


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## Pennsyltucky

For the benefit of the "poor little rooster" and the folks on HST, I implore you to ask the gracious, life saving, philathropists come catch the doomed fowl themselves. This would, of course, be best captured in HD.


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## Sanza

It's *your* rooster and it's *your *decision what happens to him regardless of any well meaning, unknowledgeable friends. Cull him like you planned !! I wouldn't give him away in case of any legal issues that may arise. What are those people thinking about when they want a mean rooster? To get hurt? 
Besides a mean rooster will just breed the meanness into his offspring.


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## lilachill

Although you are having trouble catching this rooster, I am not sure I would invite these people onto my farm or into my farmyard.


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## charliesbugs

We are getting rid of a couple roos-not mean - just have too many. I caught one and one of the others tried to fight with that one and I got in the way...Show THIS to those nuts that don't know about a mean roo!!!


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## bigmudder77

just empty the clip on him he wont suffer much and that way you dont need to shoot him in the head and miss and hit some thing else 

id just dig a hole for him there nasty to eat even sitting all day in a crock pot like some one said too much testerone it was soft after 10 hours but just didnt taste good when we cooked our mean one 

or just get a shovel and when he comes running smack it down as hard as you can and just keep doing it (DONT DO THAT ON CAMERA OR ANY KILLING ON CAMERA SOME PETA PEOPLE WILL BE UP YOUR A.S) if they find that 

but to all thoes people that want to save animals i can see dogs and horses and other stuff but its a chicken and a mean one you cant make a rooster calm once there mean there mean for good till the end and if killing one is bad check out the chicken farms for eggs YOUR buying in stores or the chicken farms where YOUR eating the meat they are in nasty smell conditions and YOUR eatting what they are producing go fight against doing that 

but just shoot him and be done with it and if your not gonna eat him unload the whole thing on him what ever your gun can hold unload it on to him lol i dont get to kill much around here with guns so when i get the chance ill unload the whole thing on to it


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## PrettyPaisley

So if we give him away and he hurts them WE could be liable? 

That changes everything !!!


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## olivehill

I'm with those who have said it's your rooster and your decision. Grab the gun, walk outside and shoot the little bastard. After that what's done is done, and the next time around if they want the roo to live they can go catch it themselves. 

You don't want him to suffer? I got news for you, he doesn't give a tiny rat's behind if his spur to your kids' face is going to cause suffering, he'll put it there first chance he gets.

So these people have a flock of hens waiting for him? For what? So he can breed 'em and make more nasty copies of himself? Too many good roos out there for that. They just want a free rooster. Tell them to pony up the $5 and find one at a local swap meet.


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## Joshie

PrettyPaisley said:


> So if we give him away and he hurts them WE could be liable?
> 
> That changes everything !!!


Absolutely, that is what I was trying to say. Do you want to be responsible for a child's injury? If a child is injured and they sue you they could say that you knew he was dangerous but you gave him to them anyway. Even if you say that you warned them they could say that if you really thought he was dangerous you certainly would have culled him.


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## freedomfrom4

We couldn't catch the roos after a while when we were butchering, so there was a chicken hunt with bows. You can't shoot a gun where we live but a bow is not prohibited. There were a couple that we turned into dog food cause the lung shot caused organs and feathers to get in the meat, but the job got done and the boys got some good target practice in. We also shot deer and turkey with bows so I didn't see a problem with shooting the roosters. Them being mean helped that idea. I would have a rooster hunt if I were you.


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## Sanza

OMG Robin! Those look deep - I hope they're ok and don't get infected. You came away reasonably lucky this time, but I bet you won't ever let that happen again. And doesn't it always seem like the young ones are aggressive because they want to be the "top man"? It's funny how they'll come after any other roo that's struggling and attack them. 
I always keep my roos in a bachelor pad in the winter and when I want to move one I always use a fishing net and that way I'm always a few feet away from their spurs just in case.


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## Feral Nature

This is how I catch free-range chickens on my farm without a chicken coop to lock them up in: I have old rabbit hutches that are just simple wire cages really. I have them sitting here and there on the farm, on the ground, several of them. I keep the doors open on them and toss feed in there now and then and the chickens run in and out of the cages like it is no big deal because it isn't. Months go by, more months and nothing is disturbed. No children out here to move things or chase animals. So...when I want to catch a free-range chicken, I toss feed into an open cage and wait patiently for my unsuspecting chicken victim to peacefully walk inside to eat, and then I shut the wire cage door. They usually don't even know they are caught and sometimes I can catch a whole bunch at a time. Repetition and patience. And no running or hollering.


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## Willowynd

I use a collie....the roos aren;t so mean when faced with a dog that would just assume snatch them out of the air by thier tail feathers and pin him to the ground


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## duckidaho

I use a salmon fishing net. long 6 foot handle, big net on the end.


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## bigmudder77

dont use your dog the chicken can still get a good kick in at it and it can be lots of money in vet bills cause chickens spurs are nasty and who knows whats on them 

just get the gun out and shoot it even a bb gun will kill it or made it kick around till you hit it with a shovel make sure its a head shot with the bb gun or it wont work i killed a ground hog with a bb gun when i was younger i was aiming for its head and it went in his ear and dont think it went out the other one but it might of cause he was bleeding from his ears and we didnt see any other holes in him but it was like 40-50 ft away


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## oldasrocks

Aguila .22 Super Colibri- quieter than a pellet gun. Won't penetrate a plastic barrel at 100 ft but will drop a rooster.

Just add noodles


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## jill.costello

Well? what's happenin'?


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## PrettyPaisley

jill.costello said:


> Well? what's happenin'?


He's gone. This is lesson learned, for sure. 

We waited until they all went to roost and about 9:30pm we went out with a fishing net, caught him and put him in a box. They took him off to his new home and brought the box and the net back. From what I understand he is going to their brother's place where there are no children and apparently tons of open land. 

The woman who wanted to save this bird and I got into some serious words. She is a tad bit dramatic and you would have thought we were trying to catch a tiger. I told her to nip the drama and take the bird or leave. She pulled the "I'm trying to save the poor thing" line and I told her she didn't have a clue what she was talking about. 

Like I said earlier, it's a learning experience. I won't allow sharing the details of what we do with our birds. I've made that clear to my 11 year old step-daughter who leaked the information about the rooster's fate and started all this trouble.

Thanks again for the tips.


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