Are young roosters more clingy than pullets?

[Beanso]

Hey guys

I've been hatching my own eggs and have been blessed with 8 babies. All of the chicks have grown to be friendly and tame. 7 are pullets and one is a rooster.

I've noticed that my young rooster (now approx 8 weeks old) is super clingy and cuddly. None of the girls were like this.

My question is, is this a trend? Has anyone else noticed that their boys are just so much more sweet and affectionate?

When my heat lamp died he kept the younger babies warm under his body and wings. When he sees me he jumps up and I hold him and stroke his neck and he is asleep in less than 30 seconds.

When out in the yard he follows me even more so than the young ducks that imprinted on me.

He is just so beautiful and I have to share this with everyone.

Please share your experiences with the big sooky boys x

Also I'd love some name suggestions!!

 

[Pork Pie]

I've found cockerels to be more confident and inquisitive, by nature. It's not necessarily something to encourage, as they age.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Lots of posts lately of "nice" roosters turning into terrors.

It is sad but true. The ones that want to interact with us if allowed to do so end up challenging us. Those challenges are dangerous, especially for children.

The best rooster is one that gets out of your path of travel and keeps a respectful distance while taking care of the hens.

One that cuddles will see you as a member of the flock and as he matures you won't get to be head of the flock.

The time to train him to keep his distance is now.

I like the name Cooper.

 

[MageofMist]

I have a silkie cockerel who was a snugglebug and followed me around like a lost lamb, and still does despite being mature. I snuggled, cuddled and spoiled him rotten as a chick. The only training I ever really did was set boundries such as "if I am on a chair or on the floor sitting without anything in my hands, you can hop up" and "don't crow while right next to my ears on my lap"

He only ever 'attacked' me once and that was when his hormones were going nuts as he was just maturing then, and he tried to mount my foot. But me picking him up and giving him a light poke on the head shown him that wasn't good behavour and won't be tolerated.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes breed of rooster can change danger level. A bantam Cochin is not as horrifying as a Brahma even if both are in the flog your head off mode.

Now for me the WORST roosters I ever had were Silkies. Absolute terrors coming at you as soon as your back was turned. My son was 9 at the time. Roosters became soup.

 

[MageofMist]

Yes breed of rooster can change danger level. A bantam Cochin is not as horrifying as a Brahma even if both are in the flog your head off mode.

Now for me the WORST roosters I ever had were Silkies. Absolute terrors coming at you as soon as your back was turned. My son was 9 at the time. Roosters became soup.

You must have had some pretty bad silkie roos then, as mine are total pushover marshmallows.

Even while my back is turned, they just walk around me so that they are facing me so they can keep doing puppy-dog eyes for treats. And the dad, Rooroo, only ever attacks if you are harassing the hens, eg, they don't feel like being held but you see red on the foot and go to look and find out it is just blackberry juice... And even then, he stops after one kick if even that.

It is the hens who are the feisty ones, majority of the time you can pretty much do whatever you want with them and they'll be chill about it, even re-enacting the scene of the Lion King with Simba's birth, but if they are in a mood and don't feel like it that day, they will swat you with their wings, kick at you and the air and make a real fuss and deeply concern Rooroo and Peep-Peep. Rooroo goes to charge while Peep-Peep just screams.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes they were horrid creatures.
I have had respectful roosters over the years. They got to live. The beastly aggressive ones became dinner.

I just strongly encourage the OP to begin distance training that boy now. Buff Orpingtons get pretty darn big.

 

[BantyChooks]

Agreed with the posts about friendly roosters turning bad. I had one just like that. Guess what? When he hit maturity he turned into a total terror and had to be disposed of.

I'd suggest starting to push him away from you or at the very least being quite careful not to exhibit 'soft' body language.

There's the occasional cockerel that never gets all high on his own fumes and remains docile and is safe to tame. I've had one myself. It's not common, though, and I don't believe the clingy ones are among the ranks of the few birds that stay nice.

 

[andreanar]

Ive found little cockerels to be the snuggliest when chicks. I think this is because they are more confident and less wary, and we take that as that they love us. Then we become attached to that sweet chick. Then it gets older and its hormones kick in and because we have always pet and snuggled it, it feels emboldened to try to flog us and challenge us as it would its equal. Its best to start training that chick as soon as we know its male, that it is not our equal. That it is best to keep out of our way and that we are the head roo.

 

[theuglychick]

I had several (6 in a row!) just like this until I realized that handling them regularly removes and inhibitions towards people that you're going to want when they mature. I don't touch my roosters now.

Agreed with the posts about friendly roosters turning bad. I had one just like that. Guess what? When he hit maturity he turned into a total terror and had to be disposed of.

I'd suggest starting to push him away from you or at the very least being quite careful not to exhibit 'soft' body language.

There's the occasional cockerel that never gets all high on his own fumes and remains docile and is safe to tame. I've had one myself. It's not common, though, and I don't believe the clingy ones are among the ranks of the few birds that stay nice.