Is Rooster Dance Always Aggressive?

[Chicken poppy]

We recently had to cull one of our young roosters due to human aggression. We have another rooster left, Bruno. Bruno was always pretty mild mannered, he doesn't brutalize the hens, he takes treats from my hand and gives them to the ladies and he has never done anything aggressive to any of us.

This morning I was giving some fresh corn to the hens and I started going to the garden. Bruno followed me for a little bit, which is not unusual because he always thinks I have treats. I turned to look at him and I swear it looked like he dropped his wing ever so slightly. Like a very very subdued version of the rooster dance without the shimmy or feet stomping.

Am I being paranoid because of what happened with the other rooster VERY recently? If he did do the dance, is the dance always considered aggressive? Am I going to have a problem?

No, it is not. You shouldnt be that worried, they do that with humans. It can mean aggresion, but do NOT surrender to him. I had a sweet, cuddly amazing roo, and when i started backing up or basically surrendering when he did that, he continued, it went from that to pecks, then bites, and we had to get rid of him. Still, make sure he knows your the boss. dont be to worried though, it could kust be him showing off and not doing the dance at all, he might have been trying to impress you

 

[ElizaMay]

Demon is like turning 12 months on the 28th, of September, so he's pretty much over the puberty thing. Some just don't change.

I rarely keep mean roosters, especially this bad. Only certain ones that meet certain traits I need for breeding, stay for awhile.

That is dangerous breeding practice.
When you have any animal that can cause damage or injury, you *remove* it from the breeding program, looks notwithstanding. A rooster is not a Thoroughbredd racehorse getting a hundred grand a cover, it is one chicken among thousands.
Allowing animals to pass on violence? No.

 

[MysteryChicken]

That is dangerous breeding practice.
When you have any animal that can cause damage or injury, you *remove* it from the breeding program, looks notwithstanding. A rooster is not a Thoroughbredd racehorse getting a hundred grand a cover, it is one chicken among thousands.
Allowing animals to pass on violence? No.

It's my decision to breed him, or not. So, if he's my only rooster of a certain breed, I'm gonna hold on to him, until I can get a replacement.

 

[OzarkChooks]

No, it is not. You shouldnt be that worried, they do that with humans. It can mean aggresion, but do NOT surrender to him. I had a sweet, cuddly amazing roo, and when i started backing up or basically surrendering when he did that, he continued, it went from that to pecks, then bites, and we had to get rid of him. Still, make sure he knows your the boss. dont be to worried though, it could kust be him showing off and not doing the dance at all, he might have been trying to impress you

I have been working with my rooster and he hasnt done anything further aggressive with me. I realized all this was happening during treat feeding. I have changed how I interact with him and he seems to be more respectful of my space.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

A friendly rooster will sometimes dance as a sort of greeting. However, aggressive ones will also dance as a challenge or show of dominance. They may even dance to try and court you, which can escalate to aggression.
The shoulder drop, on the other hand, is almost always done by aggressive roosters.

 

[OzarkChooks]

Was you with your son when the rooster flogged him and was he in the run or coop?

No, I wasn't. I later found out that Bruno didbt actually attack him, just chased him. I have taken over all chicken chores and I don't want my son around Bruno if he is scared. I'm going to give Bruno a second chance, I don't think he should be culled for this.

 

[OzarkChooks]

A friendly rooster will sometimes dance as a sort of greeting. However, aggressive ones will also dance as a challenge or show of dominance. They may even dance to try and court you, which can escalate to aggression.
The shoulder drop, on the other hand, is almost always done by aggressive roosters.

He hasn't done this for a while. I have been making an effort to interact and feed him differently, he seems to be behaving. Hopefully his good behavior continues.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

He hasn't done this for a while. I have been making an effort to interact and feed him differently, he seems to be behaving. Hopefully his good behavior continues.

Good! I’ve had a few aggressive roosters that I was able to train to stop pecking or attacking me. Just watch out for the shoulder drop.

 

[McChooky]

No, I wasn't. I later found out that Bruno didbt actually attack him, just chased him. I have taken over all chicken chores and I don't want my son around Bruno if he is scared. I'm going to give Bruno a second chance, I don't think he should be culled for this.

Raising livestock is a way to put food on their table for some people but for others its a hobby. I also know people who want nothing to do with farm animals and my son is one of them .He doesn't get the least bit excited about a chicken unless it comes with biscuits and mashed potatoes from KFC. It makes me sad that he doesn't love animals much as me but he's never been mean to them.I'm grateful for that. .I'm happy for Bruno and hope he continues to be a good boy.If you have some older hens with him they'll teach him some manners.Older hens will chase him when he does bad and put him in his place where young pullets won't stand up to him. My advice is keep as many older hens with Bruno as possible and at least limit the number of pullets younger than him..

 

[MysteryChicken]

Good! I’ve had a few aggressive roosters that I was able to train to stop pecking or attacking me. Just watch out for the shoulder drop.

My boy Goober isn't aggressive, but would come over, & randomly peck me until I give him attention.

Since he started this all the ladies in the coop will come over, & annoy the heck out of me with pecking. He created a bad habit that's hard to break.