Help! Otherwise Sweet Rooster Hates One Specific Pair of Boots

[SEaton611]

I have a handsome, kind Black Australorp rooster in my flock who is generally docile around me. However, as fall has come in Maine, I’ve been wearing boots more frequently. He seems bothered by one pair in particular: a knee high pair of black leather boots (pictured below.) Occasionally he is bothered by my ankle height combat boots, also black leather. Do you think he thinks they’re another rooster? He has no problem with brown boots, or my black rubber Hunter boots...He has attacked and caused some pretty significant bruises on my knee (but the boots were fine, thankfully. My priorities aren’t great here.) Is there a way to train him not to worry about the boots or should I just make sure to change before going out? I don’t want to cause him stress if he thinks it’s another dude closing in on his hens, and don’t want to keep having giant bruises...so any advice is welcome!

 

[igorsMistress]

I just wouldn't wear the boots he doesn't like

 

[FortCluck]

I would find a different pair of boots and not wear those around him. Some chickens don't like certain things and they'll let you know one way or another.

 

[Folly's place]

How old is this boy? If he's just maturing this fall, this is a bad sign, because he's likely going to get worse. And he's "generally docile", as in not always?
It's going to be winter, and you are going to be wearing boots, and his role is not to dictate your clothing choices.
More details? What else is he doing?
Mary

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

X2 @BantyChooks

 

[Chickassan]

They aren't the smartest things sometimes.
He probably does think your boots are trying to steal his women.
Maybe just let him beat them up without you in them, see if he feels like a man.
I like them personally, but im not a rooster.

 

[SEaton611]

How old is this boy? If he's just maturing this fall, this is a bad sign, because he's likely going to get worse. And he's "generally docile", as in not always?
It's going to be winter, and you are going to be wearing boots, and his role is not to dictate your clothing choices.
More details? What else is he doing?
Mary

It's just this one pair of boots, which I don't typically wear in the yard anyway unless I'm rushing out before work to let the flock into their bigger run. Normally I wear brown LL Bean boots, which he doesn't care about at all.

He is otherwise fantastic with me and my other chickens, where his temperament falters is with dogs. He does not like them, which is fine - I want him to be wary of predators, especially since my neighbor's three corgis are constantly at the edge of my fence YAPPING... My dog used to chase my chickens CONSTANTLY and it stressed us all out, so adding the Roo to the flock helped. The dog will now be calm around the flock, because he knows the rooster is gonna get him otherwise.

He is a really sweet boy aside from the dog thing, and this single pair of boots - so I'm not as much concerned as I am curious if it's something that happens with roosters. I can avoid wearing one pair of boots in the coop if that's what it takes!

 

[SEaton611]

I just wouldn't wear the boots he doesn't like

Really I think he's trying to tell me not to wear my good boots into the run! He doesn't quite have a good grasp on persuasion yet.

 

[SEaton611]

They aren't the smartest things sometimes.
He probably does think your boots are trying to steal his women.
Maybe just let him beat them up without you in them, see if he feels like a man.
I like them personally, but im not a rooster.

LOL I would if they weren't...expensive. I could buy him a $40 knockoff brand and see if it's the same, but I think maybe he's like "That $400 could have been spent on mealy worms"

 

[Relleoms]

My boy did that with a pair of yellow sloggers I had. It took a few months before he realized they brought him food and now I wear them with no problems! For the sake of your skin, I’d probably just make it a point to wear other boots when around your flock