Sablehaven
Songster
- May 22, 2020
- 216
- 416
- 136
My one year old australorp rooster, Ulysses, is currently isolated from the rest of the flock, after continually bullying one of my older hens.
I noticed early in the morning that he was making a *very* strange noise. It was somewhere between a whine and a purr, with an occasional quiet clucking noise mixed in, and it was continuous, barely even pausing for breath. I watched him for a bit to make sure he wasn't injured or having lung trouble, and when I finished taking care of the rabbits, the noise had stopped.
Shortly after that, one of his hens was trying frantically to get inside the pen with him, and Ulysses was lying in a pile of hay, in the back corner of his shelter. I set the hen down at the entrance and she went up to him and they acknowledged each other, then he sort of nuzzled into the hay.
I went to get him fresh water, and when I came back they had switched spots, and Ulysses was standing over her, bowed down a little and making that noise continuously. She fussed with the hay, at one point he did a very abbreviated rooster dance at her. He went over to the other corner, still making the noise, laid down in it for a second, then got up and she went over and checked out that corner, but went back to her original spot.
I left again to take care of something, and when I came back she was trying to lay an egg, and he was still making that noise.
She successfully laid the egg, laid with it for a bit, moved it and fussed with the hay, then got up. She left the house while picking up random bits of hay and every single feather she found, and throwing them behind her. Ulysses stayed with the egg, still making the noise.
After a bit of this, she started scratching around for food, and Ulysses laid down on the egg. He circled once, fidgeted a bit, and then reached between his legs like hens do when they are trying to adjust an egg under them.
Sadly (hilariously), whatever natural course this was going to take was interrupted when the rooster *front flipped himself* trying to get the egg. I burst out laughing and he ran out of the shelter, squawking and trying to regain his dignity.
So, I have heard of roosters that help hens find laying spots, and I've heard of roosters that sit on eggs, but I have never in my life, seen or heard of any behavior like what these two exhibited, and I thought I'd share. Fascinated to hear if anyone has seen something similar, or if anyone knows what the noise means.
I've removed the hen, since he is supposed to be isolated, but I've left him the egg.
I noticed early in the morning that he was making a *very* strange noise. It was somewhere between a whine and a purr, with an occasional quiet clucking noise mixed in, and it was continuous, barely even pausing for breath. I watched him for a bit to make sure he wasn't injured or having lung trouble, and when I finished taking care of the rabbits, the noise had stopped.
Shortly after that, one of his hens was trying frantically to get inside the pen with him, and Ulysses was lying in a pile of hay, in the back corner of his shelter. I set the hen down at the entrance and she went up to him and they acknowledged each other, then he sort of nuzzled into the hay.
I went to get him fresh water, and when I came back they had switched spots, and Ulysses was standing over her, bowed down a little and making that noise continuously. She fussed with the hay, at one point he did a very abbreviated rooster dance at her. He went over to the other corner, still making the noise, laid down in it for a second, then got up and she went over and checked out that corner, but went back to her original spot.
I left again to take care of something, and when I came back she was trying to lay an egg, and he was still making that noise.
She successfully laid the egg, laid with it for a bit, moved it and fussed with the hay, then got up. She left the house while picking up random bits of hay and every single feather she found, and throwing them behind her. Ulysses stayed with the egg, still making the noise.
After a bit of this, she started scratching around for food, and Ulysses laid down on the egg. He circled once, fidgeted a bit, and then reached between his legs like hens do when they are trying to adjust an egg under them.
Sadly (hilariously), whatever natural course this was going to take was interrupted when the rooster *front flipped himself* trying to get the egg. I burst out laughing and he ran out of the shelter, squawking and trying to regain his dignity.
So, I have heard of roosters that help hens find laying spots, and I've heard of roosters that sit on eggs, but I have never in my life, seen or heard of any behavior like what these two exhibited, and I thought I'd share. Fascinated to hear if anyone has seen something similar, or if anyone knows what the noise means.
I've removed the hen, since he is supposed to be isolated, but I've left him the egg.
