Dancing rooster?

[TheOLDNewChick]

So, I know y'all haven't heard anything from me in a while, but things have been hectic. And my computer has more issues than Britney Spears. Welllll, my precious RIR rooster, General Lee, a.k.a "The General", has been doing a dance. I don't have any idea whether he's trying to threaten me, or seduce me. lol. He'll put one wing down on the ground and sort of "skip" sideways at me, and turn around to the other side, and do the same. Then he'll stop and strut around, ruffling his feathers, bobbing his head, and making the "crrroooooo-cluckcluckcluck-crrrrooooooo-cluckcluckcluck". The "croooo" being almost the sound a pigeon makes. He's only like 14-16 weeks, and is crowing. My polish rooster was crowing at like 12-13 weeks. But yeah. I'd like to know whether to be offended or flattered. lol. If any of you know rooster lingo, please let me know what he's trying to convey. Thanks in advance, y'all!

 

[Davaroo]

Be flattered. He's wooing you, the equivalent of chicken foreplay. You must be one beauty!

 

[Heidi]

How sweet! The only thing my roo does for me is eat treats out of my hand, otherwise he ignors me.

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

I was hoping for that, instead of a death threat. hahah. Thank you so much!

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, if mine did that at me, I'd grab him up and carry him around like a sack of potatoes and humble him a little for having the nerve to think I was one of his women. He needs to know I am NOT on his level.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

Quote:
Will/could her rooster become aggresive to her if she does not "Put him in his place?"

 

[speckledhen]

I can't predict that, but it isn't something you want to encourage, him bringing you down to the level of one of his hens. Hawkeye has never done that to me, ever. I thought Suede was starting to-he had just run down the hill to where I was sitting on a chair in front of the Ameraucana pen and started to drag his wing. I wasn't sure if it was at the blue Ameraucana girls or at me, but I grabbed him up and carried him around awhile, no easy task, if you've seen the size of that big blue tank, LOL.

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

I don't want him to get aggressive, but I don't want to pick him up and carry him around and him not be.. petable or cuddle-able [lol] anymore.

 

[Davaroo]

Will/could her rooster become aggresive to her if she does not "Put him in his place?"

Yes. Just wait til he gets some hens around and he's gotten to that randy stage. He'll forget how 'hot' she is, then.

All that 'putting him in his place' won't stop him from protecting his harem from her, either, should he take a mind to.

Fortunately, it's much ado about nothing. Most cocks are not really harmful in all this. People make more of it than needs be - except with small children. Little kids seem to bother cocks to no end and a large cock can not only scare a kid pretty good but can do harm with his spurs. The best way to handle this? Keep the little ones out of the chicken yard.
But all in all, the thing to do is watch him, not fear him. Get to know what sets him off.

Cocks signal their displeasure at your presence by "winging" the ground, skirting you sideways, nervously prancing back and forth, all the while sizing you up. When you see these things look around; likely there are hens or nesting sites or something like that nearby that is triggering him. Remember, you are an interloper in his eyes.
A fast swipe with a large straw broom sends him moving along pretty quick. I know people who claim a large squirt gun works - I dunno. Once you have ascertained what it is that gets him going, try to modify your approach around these areas.

There are no hard rules here, except that each cock is different. Watch and learn and do like Cyn does - be in charge. Me, I like assertive males and would rather co-exist with them. But, if all else fails, remember whose in charge. Relocate or dispatch offensive males.​

 

[Rocket Raley]

My oldest one Sam is a banty, and will be 2 years old in November. Sam will scratch the top of my shoes when he wants me to pick him up. (Which is all the time). If I don't immediantly pick him up, he will drop his wing and then attack. Sam has 1 1/2 long spurs so I stay cut up alot.

When my husband went cross county for a couple of weeks, Sam kept running around his chair with his wing down and then attacking it. Sam is rather strange and one day I'm going to get video of him for youtube because he won't tag any of the hens, only plastic containers. lol. He gets on the plastic container and tap dances. It is funny to watch.

On the bad side, when I need to clean the coop I have to put Sam in time out. (A small cage) If not he attacks the broom, mop, water hose and me.

Also I can't wear any loose clothing like straight leg or bell bottom pants or anything with the color red because he will attack immediantly. I once made the mistack and forgot I had a red scruncy in my hair. I though I would never get Sam out of my hair. He and I where both bloody by the time my husband got him untangled.

Now my toddler roosters are 21 weeks old. They will drop a wing if they are to fight another rooster or he feels disrespected. But they have never dropped a wing at me. They act like I don't exist unless I have treats.

I have three baby roosters that are 17 weeks old. They are just starting to drop wings at others. When it comes to me, at night night time, the roosters and hens try to see who can get in my lap first, climb up and try to snuggle with their head on my shoulder and under my hair.

Bantys have a lot of personallity and long term memory.