Why/What in the world is he doing?

StephensonC

Songster
5 Years
Oct 14, 2014
580
46
156
Richmond, Va
My 2 week old EE rooster(I think), is trying to MATE MY HAND!! I get them out everyday and play with them, and he has started jumping in my hand, squats and spreads out lowering himself, and will rock back and forth(the way they will try to balance on the hen). He will clamp down on my finger with his beak, the same way the male will bite the hens neck during mating. Is this normal for chicks that young?!! Does this mean he is already trying to show dominance over me? Has anyone ever had this happen and did yours turn out to be very aggressive? It's just him and 1 other chick in the brooder, and he's always trying to fight the other. It's really bad!!

I posted this in "raising baby chicks", but didn't get any response, so I'm hoping someone here has had the same experience.
 
His instincts are riding well out in front of this little guy. He'll probably be trying to crow in another couple weeks.

While not the norm, it does happen from time to time, and while it may be cute and precocious right now, you need to discourage this behavior or he'll come into his hormones and show you what a real devil he can be.
 
His instincts are riding well out in front of this little guy. He'll probably be trying to crow in another couple weeks.

While not the norm, it does happen from time to time, and while it may be cute and precocious right now, you need to discourage this behavior or he'll come into his hormones and show you what a real devil he can be.
I've already had 1 go round with an overly aggressive rooster, and I definitely don't want to go there again. I was planning on keeping this little guy because I need a solid black EE for breeding, but if he does prove to be a "bad egg", he will have to go. I've been giving him a little thump when he starts up, so hopefully he will learn who's the boss.
 
Too young for mating behavior. May be aggression but a bit young for that as well. Could you post a video of the behavior? Other possibilities to consider bird is trying to sunbath or even sleep on you. Mine will do both even under watchful eye of hen. Loosely consdired, the description also sounds like how a 2 week old chick jumps up on back of mother or even father to use elder as a perch.
 
Too young for mating behavior. May be aggression but a bit young for that as well. Could you post a video of the behavior? Other possibilities to consider bird is trying to sunbath or even sleep on you. Mine will do both even under watchful eye of hen. Loosely consdired, the description also sounds like how a 2 week old chick jumps up on back of mother or even father to use elder as a perch.
He does like to jump in my hand and then run up my arm as far as he can to just perch, so that makes sense. I will try to get a video to post. I was thinking too young for mating behavior too, but that's exactly what it seems like he is doing. Hopefully a video will help shed some light.
 
These videos just show a little of their aggression. Should I be worried about that or is this normal? I'm still trying to get the other behavior on camera. Of course he only does it when I'm not filming.

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Interesting. That is balatant aggression and a lot of it. My games are not so aggressive. Looks almost as if the darker bird is trying to control access to your hand. If so it may be a form of territoriality. Is it possible that when feed is applied that the darker bird can deny the other access to it. Also I am guessing you do a lot of hand feeding where it takes only a peck or two to clean up what is in your hand?


Arrange may be putting you on a patch where those birds are going to be very aggressive.
 

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