Can rooster count?!

[rojororeo]

Yes, my title is correct!
I have 9 hens and a rooster living together. I lock their coop at night, so they can't get out without me.
So in the mornings I go and let them out.
It has happened multiple times- they all start pouring out, chattering about what this morning's human treat for them will be, gathering at my feet.
Usually it takes only seconds for all 9 to pour out to me.
Some mornings, a couple of the hens take a bit longer. I swear, every time that happens, my Polish rooster goes running into the coop and gets out whomever is straggling, yelling at them that I brought them treats.
He doesn't run back in if all are with him, that I can ever remember seeing....
Is that normal? Can a rooster count his girls?

 

[rojororeo]

Dang it, I missed the 's' on roosters! I hate when I mistype and miss it!

 

[johnsonfarm]

I know this is an old thread, but it came up when I searched. I think they do! I have a rooster and 12 hens, we just lost one hen yesterday and tonight when I went to lock them up, another of the hens had gone to roost under our camper. Our rooster was beside himself! Craning his neck around looking up at the roosts-- like he was counting! Then he'd run outside and look in an empty coop we use for chicks or quarantine, then he'd run out and check the duck pen, back to the coop looking at the perches!

I've never seen him so frantic, but then he's never been missing 2 of his hens before.

 

[johnsonfarm]

I should add, he's a Silkie/Cochin cross, maybe some breeds worry more?

 

[Honeybee22]

The same sort of thing went on when I was putting my 8 ladies and 1 BLRW rooster to bed tonight. As soon as I locked the door to the coop my roo started crowing up a storm. I couldn't figure out what his deal was! He'd never done this before. But then I noticed something white moving through the darkness around my feet. I had missed my Amber White and he knew it instantly.

Of course that's his favorite girl right now, so I would guess he's keeping an extra sharp eye out for her anyway.

Either way, it must be a sign of a good and attentive rooster!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Your rooster can't count any better than a hen who is usually quite happy as long as she has one living chick.

But chickens are able to recognise other chickens and on the roosters' part he is worried that one of the females in his harem is fixing to go over to a different rooster. It makes no difference to the rooster that there is 9 ladies or 99 ladies in his harem, he is afterall a rooster and as such he is still going to shepard around as many girls as he can gather together and hold or defend from his hated rivals.

 

[Tigarou]

Yes, my title is correct!
I have 9 hens and a rooster living together. I lock their coop at night, so they can't get out without me.
So in the mornings I go and let them out.
It has happened multiple times- they all start pouring out, chattering about what this morning's human treat for them will be, gathering at my feet.
Usually it takes only seconds for all 9 to pour out to me.
Some mornings, a couple of the hens take a bit longer. I swear, every time that happens, my Polish rooster goes running into the coop and gets out whomever is straggling, yelling at them that I brought them treats.
He doesn't run back in if all are with him, that I can ever remember seeing....
Is that normal? Can a rooster count his girls?

I watch him counting all the hens every evening k

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Your rooster can't count any better than a hen who is usually quite happy as long as she has one living chick.

But chickens are able to recognise other chickens and on the roosters' part he is worried that one of the females in his harem is fixing to go over to a different rooster. It makes no difference to the rooster that there is 9 ladies or 99 ladies in his harem, he is afterall a rooster and as such he is still going to shepard around as many girls as he can gather together and hold or defend from his hated rivals.

I agree with this. He knows WHO his girls are, not how many there are. So he's looking them over going, okay, there's Mabel and Lacey and Mildred and Gracie and Winona and Ruby and Julie and ... wait! Where's Foxie? Has anyone seen Foxie? FOXIE, WHERE ARE YOU!?!

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Instinctually birds are aware of who's who within the flock. Some have a better connection to each other though.