Aggressive mating behaviour: a recent review of the literature

[Perris]

This open access article may help those dealing with aggressive mating behaviour by roos to identify possible causes and thereby suggest ways to resolve the problem. Lupu et.al. Aggressive Mating Behavior in Roosters (Gallus gallus domesticus): A Narrative Review of Behavioral Patterns, Life 2025, 15(8)
https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081232

 

[Shadrach]

This open access article may help those dealing with aggressive mating behaviour by roos to identify possible causes and thereby suggest ways to resolve the problem. Lupu et.al. Aggressive Mating Behavior in Roosters (Gallus gallus domesticus): A Narrative Review of Behavioral Patterns, Life 2025, 15(8)
https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081232

I had read some of the cited supporting studies but not this.
I should tack this onto my rooster article. So much stuff brought together here that supports the article. Just one major disappointment; they've still got dancing roosters.

I was pleased to read that roosters were not seen as part of the hens hierarchy, a point I've had some debate about.
Also good to have some attention to the fact that the natural behavoiur is for the rooster to court his hens. They don't unfortunately go as far as to point out that the hen chooses the rooster, not the other way round.

A decent summary of a substantial number of studies I though.

 

[Perris]

I had read some of the cited supporting studies but not this.
I should tack this onto my rooster article. So much stuff brought together here that supports the article. Just one major disappointment; they've still got dancing roosters.

I was pleased to read that roosters were not seen as part of the hens hierarchy, a point I've had some debate about.
Also good to have some attention to the fact that the natural behavoiur is for the rooster to court his hens. They don't unfortunately go as far as to point out that the hen chooses the rooster, not the other way round.

A decent summary of a substantial number of studies I though.

Glad you found it useful. I have a few quibbles too, but they're minor relative to the whole. And it gives those struggling with an aggressive rooster (or damaged hens) some solid information to work with.

 

[Perris]

Just one major disappointment; they've still got dancing roosters

I don't see the problem. This description and interpretation of the wing drop (in the section on p.7) seems fine to me:

"In studies on bird reproduction, the focus should not be placed exclusively on the moment of copulation, but also on the preceding sequences. Courtship, as part of the appetitive phase, has a direct impact on the likelihood of reproductive success, ensuring both stimulation and synchronization of the partners in order to align their cloacae precisely, which is essential for semen transfer in birds. Although instinctive, this behavior is complex and manifests through a ritual of specific gestures and postures, such as plumage display and courtship dance [21]. Unlike other species, the rooster does not develop a distinctive seasonal plumage during the reproductive period but may show a slight iridescence of the feathers, and the comb and wattles become firmer and more intensely colored [35]. Mate selection is not random but is influenced by both morphological traits and behaviors associated with courtship [17]. The courtship ritual includes actual or simulated food offerings, wing feather spreading directed toward the ground, circular movement around the female, and, if she is receptive, adoption of a characteristic posture followed by the act of mounting [17,21,35]. After copulation, the rooster returns to the ground, and the hen stands up and rearranges her feathers through a shaking motion. Although cloacal contact is not always visible, there are reliable indicators suggesting that it has occurred. Thus, the rooster abruptly ends the mounting act, making a noticeable backward and downward pelvic thrust, while the hen almost always displays a strong feather shake immediately after the rooster withdraws [17,21]."

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks for the link, an interesting read. It reinforced several of my thoughts and, like a good article, brought out new things to think about. I consider it worth my time reading it.

 

[Shadrach]

I don't see the problem.

All the mature roosters I've known bump the arse of the hen with their chest to ask to mate. If the hen crouches, they mate; if not the rooster moves on to another hen if there is one.
Occasionally I've seen a mature rooster make a neck grab and try and force the hen to crouch. It usually doesn't go well. As the article summary above notes (almost) the rooster needs a cooperative hen he can mate with until she decides to sit. He needs to persuade that hen to follow him, become his hen for a period of time. Fertilizing one egg isn't maximizing the hatch of his genes. He needs to fertilize all the eggs.

I've seen plenty of cockerels attempting to mate, trying the neck grab to jumping on top of the hen.

I've watched hundreds of roosters and cockerels wing dance and so few of these wing dances have led to mating. Some young pullets will crouch if a rooster does it.
The overwhelming response the the wing dance (male circling the female with one lowered wing and kicking his offside leg out) is for the hen, chick or cockerel to move. In the event the wing dance doesn't achieve the required result the hackle flash is next.

 

[Perris]

This may be just a difference of time frames. Agreed the wing drop rarely immediately precedes mating, but I don't think that's particularly significant, as courtship can go on for weeks and even months, it's not just a quick bang. The wing drop is most obvious here when a pullet is coming into lay; Killay will cultivate such for weeks. I do not think I've seen a hackle flash follow after a wing drop.

And, fwiw, I don't think I've seen it when birds have clearly formed a couple, and hang about together apart from the rest for a few weeks. For me it really seems like chicken dating behaviour. The bump on the rear is all that's required for the experienced and willing players, the neck grab is characteristic of cockerels and more aggressive or unconfident types, and the wing drop is something self-assured males do to woo young females (or, occasionally, to show dominance to cockerels; I've never seen one do it with a chick or an equal male).

Meanwhile herding, which goes on repeatedly daily, as the flock moves from feed station to spa or other hangout for rest and digest, or from that to a forage spot etc. throughout the day is conducted with no wing drops at all; roos just walk to lead the way or bring up the rear or move on the flanks. That's what happens here anyway.

 

[Perris]

Thanks for the link, an interesting read. It reinforced several of my thoughts and, like a good article, brought out new things to think about. I consider it worth my time reading it.

Glad you found it interesting. If you've got any observations to add from your extensive experience, please don't hesitate to chip in.

 

[Shadrach]

This may be just a difference of time frames. Agreed the wing drop rarely immediately precedes mating, but I don't think that's particularly significant, as courtship can go on for weeks and even months,

Agreed. It's about courtship and possession. Glais does it to usher Sylph mainly away from what he seems to believe is just his food. They haven't quite got to the I'll lead and you lot follow stage.
He's got the chest bump sorted now. Most times Mow and Sylph sense what he's after and move away before he can make contact. Mow pretty much ignores him if he tries to herd her but I think she's warming to him.

 

[Perris]

Can anyone speak to the 'psychological castration' hypothesis?

i.e. "roosters that mature later may be subjected to female dominance, which can lead to inhibition of reproductive behavior. This form of “psychological castration” is considered irreversible [22]."
Ref 22 is Bestman, M.; Ruis, M.; Heijmans, J.; van Middelkoop, K. Poultry Signals: A Practical Guide for Bird Focused Poultry Farming; Roodbont Publishers B.V.: Zutphen, The Netherlands, 2020, which I have not seen.