Is this aggression or affection?

[BBB454]

My 7 week old (what we think is a) cockerel, Goldie, is the friendliest of our flock of 6. He wants the most attention and gets it. He also wants out of the run or coop every time I open the doors. I do let him free range when I'm by the coop more than the others, because he tends to hang around me and usually comes when I call him. He also "herds" the others back to the door if I let them out and they get too far away.

I have to kneel down to open the run door because it's below the coop, and every once in awhile when I open the door, he jumps up on my arm first before jumping down to the ground. My husband thinks this is a sign of aggression, but I think it's just him saying "hi".

What do you all think? Should I try to avoid letting him jump up on my arm?

Thanks,
Barb

Goldie:

 

[Briza]

I accidentally taught my chicks to jump on my arm and now I'm worried they'll do it as adults. Did you let him perch on your hand when he was little by any chance?

 

[donrae]

Do you want a full grown 10lb rooster with spurs jumping on your arm when he decides to? If so, let the behavior continue. If not, now is the time to stop this behavior. IMO it's no different than a dog jumping on you. My dogs are not allowed to jump, but I'm allowed to invite them to come sit with me when I choose, not whenever they want to. My dogs still love me even though I don't let them be the boss of me--so do my horses, chickens, etc. Even the teenage boys, believe it or not

 

[Toddrick]

He just sounds like the alpha cockerel to me. I'm told they always seem more friendly and outgoing, because they are just more curious and vigorous. That will likely change when he begins to crow, because he'll focus more on his flock and become more wary of humans.

 

[BBB454]

I accidentally taught my chicks to jump on my arm and now I'm worried they'll do it as adults. Did you let him perch on your hand when he was little by any chance?

I didn't "teach" them, they just started doing it themselves (I was the favorite roost when they were only a few weeks old). Goldie is the only one who is continuing to do it without being picked up by me first.

I guess I need to start bossing him around more, but there hasn't been much of a need for it up to this point.

Thanks,
Barb

 

[crazymmtwins]

Oh my...I let my 8 week oph set on my arm. Never thought about 3 months from now. New to chicken raising and love the girls coming up to see me.

 

[Toddrick]

All of mine quickly decided they didn't like to be touched after I put them in the coop. Even though I had held them every day for the first 8 weeks or more.

 

[Briza]

I've been letting them do things without thinking about the long term consequences too. It's my first time raising them as an adult. After seeing this post, the way I'm looking at it is the same way I look at my puppy's behavior, "Is this still going to be cute when they're full grown?" I dove right into it and I'm going to have 20 so there's no way it's going to be fun to break the habit when they're grown so I'm going to start now. I think it'd be useful to be able to get them to perch when you want them to so you can examine them but I'm not going to let them do it on their terms anymore.

 

[Folly's place]

Yes! Mary