Does your rooster do this?

[The Birb King]

I love watching him with the hens. It fascinates me how he interacts with them and the whole dynamic on the flock.

Me too roosters are amazing and very protective of the hens. One time while I was cleaning my coop, a hawk came out of nowhere and was clinging on to the wire trying to get in the coop! The roosters made an alarm call, and when all the hens ran inside, the roosters stood outside ready to fight that hawk. I scared it off, but it amazed me how brave and loyal roosters can be!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

My rooster was about 13 pounds he was big and he was very loyal to the girls he stand up to our big dogs even if they tried to get to him through the wire he would peck their noses and follow their every move often crowing after to show off I miss my big sweet boy!

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I’ve seen my roo going in and out of nests. When one of his favorite girls is in a nest he stands guard inside next to the pop door. He’s a very good boy to his girls.

 

[laboroflove]

One of my favorite roosters (Lavendar Orpington) we have had went after my dog that had gotten a hen. I was floored. I had never seen a rooster do that before. Granted, normally our dogs don’t come in contact with the chickens but she did this one day.

Another (my first favorite rooster) was a buff Orpington and he would ever so gently take the worm/grub/whatever we had out of our hands and hold it and call the hens over. When they came he would drop it to give it to the hens. That was a first I had ever seen any behavior like that.

Now this rooster is an Easter egger and is such a good boy. He isn’t aggressive towards us at all. He does have about five hens that he favors. When they are allowed some free time foraging he has the same five following him around. Problem is I ordered a buff Orpington cockerel from the hatchery with our chick order. Can you guess my favorite breed?? Now I have to make another chicken coop I guess

 

[Shadrach]

I have noticed several times that our rooster will “guard” the hens in the nests. Today I saw him laying in the nests. Is he teaching the young hens where to lay?? Is he confused? I have just never noticed this behavior from any of our previous roosters that I can recall.

What has me concerned is he was with a flock of hens before (free roam) that used to eat their eggs. Now, I’ve never seen HIM eat any eggs. It was always the hens (new hens I brought in that came with this habit that have now been rehomed with that disclosure ). I have always kept him separate from these current hens due to the fact I didn’t want him teaching them that eggs are food, if he even would. I would let him be with them while they had their free time in the evening and they seemed much happier with him around. So today he is in the coop but he stands by the nests and, what I can only think of, is either guarding them or waiting for food.

Thoughts? Anyone else’s rooster have this behavior? He does check the nests out periodically. Will go in, walk/scratch around then leave or go in and lay down. Am I just being paranoid??

I do not tolerate egg eating and I am really attached to these hens. I did order a cockerel chick with my new chick order so eventually they will have a rooster. I was just thinking if he worked out then they could enjoy a rooster sooner.

I am currently sitting in the chicken house with all my chickens watching him to see how he reacts to hens laying.

PS: Please don’t judge my chicken house too harshly. We are getting things together to get new siding for this very old shed.

Very unlikely your rooster is eating eggs. It's invariably the hens.

Reading these article might help you understand what's going on.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-egg-song-it’s-not-about-the-egg-it’s-an-escort-call.74386/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-make-a-sitting-hens-job-so-difficult.74389/

 

[picklestheduck]

I got a young silkie rooster who had only ever been with quail or other roosters so at first he was a bit inexperienced, but soon instinct kicked in. He’s a great little rooster. He actually used to try to sleep on the pile of golf balls and fake eggs and would attack like a broody would when anyone got too near to his “clutch”. He has proven time and time again that he’s the head rooster. I have two other roosters who are younger but much bigger than him and he still lays the whoop down. Yesterday he jumped in next to one of my brahma hens who was laying her egg in a favorite spot (not a nesting box)

 

[laboroflove]

Very unlikely your rooster is eating eggs. It's invariably the hens.

Reading these article might help you understand what's going on.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-egg-song-it’s-not-about-the-egg-it’s-an-escort-call.74386/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-make-a-sitting-hens-job-so-difficult.74389/


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Very interesting and informative readings. Thank you for sharing them. I really enjoyed them.

I always thought the egg song was the hen being happy about laying her egg. Now it makes sense that the hens didn’t make the egg song the other day when I was sitting in the coop when the rooster was standing guard over them.

 

[Bluesilkies]

Aww all my boys have done this. They find a nice nest spot, scratch around, flatten it down and make a bunch of noise. They also sing the “I’ve laid an egg” song. I also love watching roosters and how they behave. They are fascinating animals.

 

[Sussex19]

One of my roosters does this quite often.
He will scratch around until he is happy with his nest, and then sit in it for a while, with the hens standing around watching.
If they like it, the hens will start laying in 'his' nest, although sadly for him they rather often seem to think his choice in nest is in bad taste!
All these behaviors are signs of a good rooster; this is how you want them to be!
Certainly nothing to worry about!

 

[Cloverr39]

My rooster also does this. He started it when they moved to a new coop with new nest boxes.