My rooster is acting very strange....

[TAMMACLEAN]

I have 2 girls that are working up to laying eggs, they are only 16 weeks. But one of my roosters, he's only 13 weeks, has been acting very strange. He sounds like he's clucking, looks like he's making a nest and I saw him grabbing the neck of one of my other girls that are the same age as he is. He's a bantam and some of my girls are regular size. Any ideas on what's up with my rooster???

 

[gryeyes]

Ahhh, he's experiencing the first throes of adolescence! The rush of testosterone makes cockerels (young roosters) really interested in sex. The grab is to hold the pullet/hen so he can mount her.

The clucking is called "tid-bitting" and is his call to hens for a goodie he found for anybody who will come running. Sometimes they cheat and fake the girls put with nothing more than a small stick, or a leaf, or a pebble, not a juicy bug or other edible. Treat. This is to get them close enough to grab to have his way with her.

The nesting behavior is also instinctual, and is his way of showing his hens good places to lay eggs (to hatch and carry his genes forward).

It takes about two months or so for him to get his groove on and be respectful to his hens; in the meantime, he's just wanting some, if you know what I mean.

I've had bantam roosters mount large fowl hens and they can be successful, but usually it's something that just looks funny and makes me laugh. It ticks off senior hens, too.

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

Ahhh, he's experiencing the first throes of adolescence! The rush of testosterone makes cockerels (young roosters) really interested in sex. The grab is to hold the pullet/hen so he can mount her.
The clucking is called "tid-bitting" and is his call to hens for a goodie he found for anybody who will come running. Sometimes they cheat and fake the girls put with nothing more than a small stick, or a leaf, or a pebble, not a juicy bug or other edible. Treat. This is to get them close enough to grab to have his way with her.
The nesting behavior is also instinctual, and is his way of showing his hens good places to lay eggs (to hatch and carry his genes forward).
It takes about two months or so for him to get his groove on and be respectful to his hens; in the meantime, he's just wanting some, if you know what I mean.
I've had bantam roosters mount large fowl hens and they can be successful, but usually it's something that just looks funny and makes me laugh. It ticks off senior hens, too.

Okay that's kind of what I thought but I just wanted to make sure. Thanks! At least I know my rooster is normal.

 

[bj taylor]

my group is just entering this phase too. it's very interesting to watch. a couple of hens squat when i come near. i haven't seen them squat for the up & coming rooster. i can tell he's getting real interested though.