Arizona Chickens

[cactusrota]

Awe, what a cutie! Of course the cutie ones have to be punks. Do you have your toe nails painted? All of my chickens went crazy the first time they saw my toe nails painted in my sandals - thought I was gonna lose a toe!

Actually, no! They were going after my feet earlier in the spring, though, too. The laces in my shoes were black with white specks on them and they would peck at the specks. They untied my shoes a couple times. It's only been this batch of cockerels. None of my other birds show any interest in my feet, they just walk on them instead....

 

[DesertBird]

Actually, no! They were going after my feet earlier in the spring, though, too. The laces in my shoes were black with white specks on them and they would peck at the specks. They untied my shoes a couple times. It's only been this batch of cockerels. None of my other birds show any interest in my feet, they just walk on them instead....

Same here! I'd go out to refill their water, feed them, and spend a bit of time with them every morning before school, and they loved to untie my shoelaces. If only I could teach them to tie them! One of my little Roo's doesn't quite understand the coop = safety, and we had a decent sized dust storm blow in in my area tonight, so I was trying to get them all in the coop. Of course, they were running the other way, so I had 2 chickens in my arms and trying to herd the others towards the coop at the same time, but this one Roo was just not having it and kept running, so I put my foot out to stop him from squeezing his way under a trailer. He now has it out for my shoes, and untied them, then was trying to attack them. Seemed very confused when he realized pecking them was not scaring my shoes or me. Not sure how to nip this behavior in the bud, but I promptly put down one of the hens I was holding to carry him instead and he seemed to calm down a bit.

 

[cactusrota]

Haha!!! Chickens. The neverending adventure!!!!

 

[MagicChicken]

Just feel like sharing this today.

For those who aren't aware of my Australorp adventure this year, in February I ordered a straight run batch of Black Australorps from Privett hatchery. Sexed them by wing and tail feathers, and turned out I had an even 50/50... how about that! There was one blue chick in the bunch that had me confused so I took pictures and emailed them. Apparently they had just acquired a new line of Blue/Black/Splash Australorps and they think one or two accidentally ended up in the Black pen. (the blues are listed in their price sheet now..)
Meanwhile, I've sold off all but two of the black pullets and the one blue one, and all but one of the cockerels have gone to freezer camp. (btw - Privett australorps do NOT make good dual purpose birds... never again)

So... Meet Gunner!!!
I'm 99.9% positive this guy has some of that blue line in him too. I could always tell him from the rest of the cockerels by glance because he was more of a dark gunmetal grey instead of pure black. He's also been the very last to mature, the biggest, and has way more personality. He's finally "dropping his tooticles" right now and getting punky, and is forming a very annoying yet kind of cute obsession. Biting my toes.

I may have to stop using the yard flipflops for awhile and go back to closed toe shoes. This guy follows me around wherever I go and waits, patiently, calmly, for me to drop my guard... then quick as a bunny runs up and bites a toe. If I turn around and try to block him he bites a finger. Never enough to draw blood or anything. Earlier today I caught him up and held him between my knees, his feet still on the ground, and just petted him and told him how much of a dork he was. He's still doing it. I'm pretty sure it's like a game for him now, a challenge. This little punk is going to make things interesting for awhile...View attachment 1098320

Eat him. Now. That "cute" toe-biting behavior escalates over time and usually ends up in full-blown flogging. You do not want an aggressive rooster. They are dangerous. I've learned that lesson the hard way, and have the scars to prove it. Do not breed this bird. Based on my experience, aggressive behavior has a genetic component.

 

[igorsMistress]

Eat him. Now. That "cute" toe-biting behavior escalates over time and usually ends up in full-blown flogging. You do not want an aggressive rooster. They are dangerous. I've learned that lesson the hard way, and have the scars to prove it. Do not breed this bird. Based on my experience, aggressive behavior has a genetic component.

Being curious about toes doesn't mean the bird will be aggressive. My birds aren't but if I wear new shoes, well they're curious and check them out.
Please give the birds a chance and see what happens. Culling doesn't have to be the first answer for normal behavior.

 

[DesertBird]

Eat him. Now. That "cute" toe-biting behavior escalates over time and usually ends up in full-blown flogging. You do not want an aggressive rooster. They are dangerous. I've learned that lesson the hard way, and have the scars to prove it. Do not breed this bird. Based on my experience, aggressive behavior has a genetic component.

I agree with @igorsMistress. I'm still new to chicken keeping, but it doesn't seem like a little curious peck is going to end up with your rooster hating you and attacking you every time you walk out the door. Especially because @cactusrota's little guy isn't trying to draw blood. My rooster's aren't at that age yet, so I don't have as much experience as you do, though. One of my roosters likes to peck my shoes occasionally when he sees some dust or my toes when I wear shiny nail polish, but he's a big sweetheart to my family and I - lets me pick him up, hug him, etc. and if I put him on my knee, he'll lay down there. Even my hens peck at my shoes and toes the same way he does - I wouldn't want to cull any of them. Maybe mine will get aggressive, but @cactusrota's seems old enough that if he was bought in Feb, wouldn't his aggressive behaviors have already appeared or at least begun to show? I guess because I'm so new to the forum and see so many people instantly suggesting to cull any extra roosters you have that I'm definitely gonna try to help at least this one rooster out, since it seems like @cactusrota doesn't think he's aggressive and he's not injuring people. And because I'm so attached to my little guys. Maybe you're right, but it'd at least be nice for this little guy to have a chance to prove himself.

 

[DesertBird]

On another note, does anyone else's little roosters or cockerel's like to crow at the mourning doves outside? I tripped over a little rock this morning when I was feeding my chickens and spilled some of their food, and it seems like every mourning dove in the neighborhood showed up to eat some. One of my little guys is very upset that he's not able to chase the doves off and eat the food himself, so he's been crowing at each one he sees, and they just keep coming and ignore him.

 

[cactusrota]

This guy was the friendliest of all the cockerels. And even when it got too hot out to sit with them, and they all stopped "liking" me because I wasn't spending time with them, he was still the one to come up and say "hi" and let me scritch his chest a little. This new toe pecking behavior has come about mainly because he's sexually maturing, finally, and testing his boundries. I'm no easy push over, and I know how to let a rooster know that I won't put up with s***. I really do think he'll grow out of it, and if he doesn't, he'll go to the stew pot... but it's way too soon to make that decision.

 

[cactusrota]

Never had a rooster crow at doves, and I do get both collared doves and mourning doves around looking for some forgotten tidbits.
On a side note about that, though, I try to keep them away as much as possible. Doves often carry canker/frounce/trich that can't be transmitted to your birds....

 

[DesertChic]

On another note, does anyone else's little roosters or cockerel's like to crow at the mourning doves outside? I tripped over a little rock this morning when I was feeding my chickens and spilled some of their food, and it seems like every mourning dove in the neighborhood showed up to eat some. One of my little guys is very upset that he's not able to chase the doves off and eat the food himself, so he's been crowing at each one he sees, and they just keep coming and ignore him.

Oh yes! My boys are very aggravated by the doves, but all they do is crow at them and flap their wings. It's my smallest Naked Neck hen who finally chases them away, which is especially funny since she's always been rather shy. She will chase them all around the entire 1/2 acre yard until they finally leave while the rest of the birds just make noise and watch her. (So much for protective roosters. )