Is this roo being submissive???

[ladybug99]

Last Weekend I let the new chicks out for some free ranging... they were having a great time! It was thier first time out. Then all of a sudden out of no where comes one of my new roos... full speed , all puffed up and ready to rumble! Hmm I said to my self.. I have delt with this before and not going to deal with it again... so with a swift kick he flew back wards into the fence... after another few swats he kind of just stood there staring at me, plotting his next move... it was then I decided to chase him.... all around the chicken pens and into a clearing....he then just layed flat down onto the ground with his wings spread out....I went over and picked him up and brought him back to his coop....I was afraid I had really hurt him.. but he was just fine....He hasn't bothered me since.

Did I just tired him out or I am the top boss still in his eyes??? He is 8 months old so hopefully he was just testing me

 

[centrarchid]

A sustained chase by you can get him to lay done from exhuastion. Even the most athletic chicken can not match a reasonably fit human when it comes to a sustained run.

I used to routinely run down free-range game roosters, sometimes with aid of trained dog, when they roosted in locations I could either not locate or reach. In the end, such chases did not develop trust between chased birds and I. Some of such frequently chased roosters developed habit of pecking back when otherwise they most likely would not have. Effectively I created man-fighters that had to be broken of habit which was not best use of ones time. The physical combat with birds was also not productive and your huge size advantage makes for potential of causing real damage to bird.

Upside is that such chasing can be a very effective means to develope endurance, especially in respect to running. I did not quantify but birds so chased repeatedly on a regular basis did improve on their ability to avoid capture in that more effort on my part was required.

 

[ladybug99]

That is what I was afraid of... he was just done tuckered out. I don't usually like to kick any living creature but he started it LOL... he has actually been a good boy this week... I think he was just feeling his oats that day. But if he continues I will have to find him another home