Looking for advice on how to respond to cockerel's "dance?"

[chanceosunshine]

I had one of my cockerels always dance for me when I let him out of the coop. I named him Swayze because he was such a good dancer. It's been 6 months or so since he started that behavior and he doesn't do it any more, nor has he ever shown any aggression. Honestly, I never heard that it could lead to aggression. I just thought he wanted to woo me.
None of my actual aggressive roosters ever danced for me. If they had I would have made dancing rooster soup.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

What if he dances and then runs sideways and bumps me with his shoulder? i don’t think I’ve seen that behavior before. Is it all part of the dance?

 

[Sussex19]

When that happen with a cockerel, I make him move, round and round the coop, not stopping until I want to.
It is the same with any animal, like with a horse if he gets in to my space and threatens to kick, I will make him move until he has learnt that coming in to my space means work.
All my cockerels and rooster settle down as they get older, if not before.
But having said that, if at any point you feel uncomfortable, or if you have kids, then cull.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I hope it's okay I revive this thread.

I am trying to learn about cockerels and cockerel behavior, now that I have my first one, or possibly two, inadvertent young cocks.

Their temperament is night and day. No sooner had I realized that Marshmallow was a cockerel, the next day, he mated my hand. I was shocked! I had no idea he would do that, least of all a 2.5 week old chick!!! So I stopped handling or petting him any more than necessary and it's been fine. Until yesterday evening, he flew at me, like he will fly at the wall of the pen. He kind of flew at my hip, and I didn't really respond, except to brush him off. He's five weeks now.

This morning, doing all my morning things and moving them into the enclosure with the big chickens (they are still sleeping in a brooder in the basement at night), I was basically ignoring, but didn't realize he must have been slightly perched on a ladder. I must have turned my back to him to adjust a feeder or something and next thing I knew, he flew onto my back. Ugh.

I wasn't sure exactly what to do, but I stood up and took him off my back, so I had him by the feet. He sat / flustered in my hand like that for a moment, while I decided what to do with him, so I hung him down until he stopped flapping. And when he was finally calm and relaxed, I placed him gently on the ground. I finished what I had to do and left the enclosure. It looked like he stayed on the ground like that for a few moments before getting up and going back to his business.

So I guess I have the same question as OP. How do I respond to these types of behavior? Did I do the right thing? How long do I need to grow him out / give him a chance before I cull? At five weeks, he's certainly not going to hurt me, but my knee jerk reaction is to say if he's got these kind of behaviors going on right out of the gate, how much work is it worth teaching him to behave?

I am sure there is the possibility he may come around and behave just fine, hypothetically, but that remains to be seen. What can I do in the meantime to give him the best chance of coming around? Or if / when I decide he's a cull, what do I do with him? Should I just separate him and grow him out at that point? I'm all new to this, and I have a lot to learn, so any advice and links to good articles would be appreciated.

Alternately, the other suspected cockerel is a little harder to catch, he's more timid and runs away from me vs. Marshmallow who was always so "friendly" and bold. Sterling I would rather keep as a mate for Ivy, as well, as they are both Silver Laced Wyandottes, where Marshmallow is either a Starlight Green Egger or Sex Link who won't breed true anyway. If I had all the space in the world, I wouldn't be opposed to keeping a bold, brave rooster in the mix who's more or less expendible, but only if he's not causing me problems.

 

[Folly's place]

My best advice is to eliminate Marshmallow soonest, and see how your other cockerel develops.
Often 'friendly' is actually 'bold and fearless', and you are learning what to look out for when you are raising cockerels right now! We've had jerks, and tried to 'reform' some of them. Never really a success story, and we are over it! Nice guys can stay, or be rehomed, and idiot attack birds are eliminated, to our freezer, or somewhere.
Mary

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

My best advice is to eliminate Marshmallow soonest, and see how your other cockerel develops.
Often 'friendly' is actually 'bold and fearless', and you are learning what to look out for when you are raising cockerels right now! We've had jerks, and tried to 'reform' some of them. Never really a success story, and we are over it! Nice guys can stay, or be rehomed, and idiot attack birds are eliminated, to our freezer, or somewhere.
Mary

Once I'm decided that he's gone, should I keep him isolated so the other birds can sort things out without his influence on the flock dynamics? Should I just start isolating him immediately anyway, because I see these red flags? Should I put him on meat bird feed???? Lol

ETA That said, it's not that he's not a "nice guy." I do like him very much. I would love to see him turn into a fine young rooster. I just don't want him flying at me or my kids.

 

[Folly's place]

He's already flying at you!!! Especially if you have small children, he can take out eyeballs, not a good thing. Consider him a 'learning experience', and move on.
Our first rooster, a little bantam, could fly up to my eye level in his attacks, and we kept him way too long. A learning experience, for sure, and so not worth it.
Decades later, and many cockerels, we like the boys who actually avoid us, and spend their time interacting with the flock. Much better! When he's stalking you, he's not looking out for actual danger, or doing nice things for his flockmates.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

And if you plan on raising chicks, half will be cockerels, and more decisions will have to be made.
Mary

 

[Geena]

Once I'm decided that he's gone, should I keep him isolated so the other birds can sort things out without his influence on the flock dynamics? Should I just start isolating him immediately anyway, because I see these red flags? Should I put him on meat bird feed???? Lol

ETA That said, it's not that he's not a "nice guy." I do like him very much. I would love to see him turn into a fine young rooster. I just don't want him flying at me or my kids.

Do you hand feed the chicks? At only 5 weeks old I'm thinking it's a food related behavior.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I've read lots of threads and articles on here about the rooster dance, and about what kinds of behaviors should and should not be tolerated. My question is- how to respond to these behaviors. This is only my 2nd time raising roosters so I'm very much a novice.

In particular, one my three-month old cockerels has started dancing for me. I don't know if he's flirting with or threatening me, but all-in-all I think both of those behaviors could lead to aggression. He's never shown aggression, but he's just coming in to his own, and I think it's entirely possible. What should I do when he dances for me? Ignore him? Move into his space and make him back down? Show dominance by picking him up or smooshing him?

I also read in one of the articles about not letting him eat with the hens when you're around and/or feeding him his treats last. How do you react if he's barging in and trying to take the treats/feed?

Edited to add this question- this same cockerel comes into the coop while I'm in there, and goes into nesting behavior. I think he's encouraging me to lay an egg, which I also think is a sign he sees himself as dominant over me. Should I deter this beahvior as well?

Lastly, how much insubordination do you put up with before you determine a rooster isn't going to work out? I've heard some people say the first time the rooster attacks, it's done. Other people seem more dedicated to training. I'm happy to put in some time and effort, but I can also afford to be selective since I have several young roos at this moment. This particular cockerel, who is the more dominant one, is staying only because he's the most handsome- but I'll take personality over looks any day!

I have 3 roosters and the dominate male, Blue, tends to occasionally get aggressive with me, I just make sure that I always wear jeans when I go down there to spend time with the flock. If he wasn't so good with the girls, I would definitely end his existence, but he is reeeeally good with the girls. When I dispense food or treats, he stands over it and calls the girls to eat and makes sure that they all eat before he or the other 2 boys do and the hens always lay with him. They do tend to ignore him when I am down there, many of the hens like to sit on my lap and I think he gets jealous. I am going to dig out my garden gloves and catch him and carry him around like a pocket roo for a bit. I did that with the other boys when they were being aggressive with the girls and their behaviour has settled down and the gently take treats out of my hand now.

Blue is an amazing attentive caretaker for my hens, so I am working with him as opposed to killing him. When he flaps at me, I take a step towards him until he backs down, then I follow him around the run, lecturing him, until he shows that he has given up. Since I have started doing this, the acts of aggression have been far less frequent and he backs down faster. Rooster puberty seems to be reeeally rough. If your Rooster is good with your hens, I would be wary but give him a chance. When he dances at you, take a step towards him, but use a friendly voice and talk to him and do not turn your back on him.

You have the option of trying to win him over with treats and patience or you can just establish yourself as the top of the pecking order and give each other a wide berth. If you want to try to win him over, you can try to get ahold of him, hold him in such a way that he can't flap or spur you and carry him a round and talk to him, even pet him when he is calm. Either way, if you keep him, be sure to wear long pants, preferably denim and boots, (I have a nice pair of wellies that I always wear in the run), maybe gloves, and a long sleeve shirt to give yourself some protection. Don't turn your back or walk away from him and be wary. You will probably never be able to fully trust a rooster, they have 2 jobs, security and mating, which probably means intermittent aggressive behaviour.

I know this is wordy, but I wanted to share some background with you so that you understand where I am coming from. It is more important to me, that the roos are good with my hens and I will work with him as long as he is taking care of them.