Anyone speak rooster???

[teach1rusl]

Can you tell me what my rooster is doing???

Our 3 yr. old d'uccle rooster Earl is very interested in my new hatchery/TSC chicks (silkies and d'uccles); They are 4 and 5 weeks old now.
Any time I have them outside, he comes over to investigate them. When they come near him, he lowers his head way down and freezes. He'll stay frozen for as long as the chicks are checking him out.

One chick I know for certain is a cockerel (huge comb on such a little chick). Yesterday, Earl did the head bow and freeze when the cockerel came over to check him out, and he was even letting that chick peck and pull at his beard area (and that chick wasn't being gentle).
I fully expected Earl to retaliate with a peck (he's the boss of my BIG girls), but it was like he was submitting to the chick.

Does he KNOW they're chicks and so he's just being super gentle? Or does he think they're all potential future mates (not recognizing the one chick as a cockerel) and so he's trying to woo them, even though they're only 4 and 5 weeks??? After spending about 15 minutes with them yesterday afternoon, he stood there and gave several crows, and he's not a rooster that crows a lot or often.

What do you think? Have you seen this in your roosters, around chicks???

Not good shots - but the first two show how Earl lowers his head and just freezes while the chicks check him out. He wasn't caught in the act of pecking at the ground, he was actually frozen is this position:

And here's the little cockerel giving him the eye outside the chick's run area:

And Earl just hanging out, watching the chicks:

 

[azygous]

I'd guess Earl is a very gentle, attentive flock leader. If he meant the chicks any harm, they would be injured by now.

I have had several older chickens, including a rooster assume that posture with new chicks, letting them peck them on the face even to the point I feared an eye might be lost to frisky chick pecking.

Usually, lowing the head onto the ground like that is a submissive gesture. When a rooster does the side-step dance with his head lowered slightly, that's when you need to grab him before he does some damage.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I am fascinated by rooster behavior, but I haven't had the chance to watch my roosters around chicks. It sounds like azygous confirmed your interpretation. Thanks for sharing your observations, i will keep my eye out for that behavior in the future.

 

[teach1rusl]

Actually, he's the only one who IS interested in the chicks, which is why I was a bit nervous (about his intentions).

When I have them out, the hens may or may not come by to see them. A few take a curious look, but then back off rather nervously (like they're baby venomous snakes rather than chicks...lol). But two of my hens have actually run at the chicks in a posturing/threatening way

. My lowest hen will go in to eat thier food when I open their run door, and has frozen a few times when they've come near her to investigate, but she's actually pecked back when they pecked at her

How odd - it seems my rooster would make the best mother

Roosters sure are odd birds...

 

[chickened]

He is posturing for dominance if it were another rooster he would do that just before a fight.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree.

 

[Corona~Barb]

Well, he certainly is beautiful!

 

[scratch'n'peck]

hmmm.... I guess I have seen roosters take that position before starting to kick. They never hold the position for too long because the other responds by taking the same position, then I break up the fighting even though there is chicken wire between them.

Maybe because the chicks don't respond with the same posture, the roo doesn't see them as an immediate threat to his dominance.