My rooster is doing the shuffle dance to me!

[speckledhen]

I don't allow a rooster to get away with that. He gets the humiliation treatment. I'm not one of his women and he needs to get that.

 

[alaina]

Lol!!!

 

[Tres Amigas]

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[Tres Amigas]

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Speckled Hen!!

 

[mycitychickens]

You guys are great! But yes I will pick him up next time he does it, show him I'm the boss haha

 

[ralleia]

I wouldn't call it 100% "normal" exactly--none of my roosters in my memory exhibited shuffling or dancing behavior towards me. I'm not sure it our first rooster ever did it--at that point I was a new chicken owner AND a new mother and I'm not sure I would have recognized if I saw it. He turned out to be human-aggressive and won a trip to the stewpot.

Most of our roosters have been indifferent towards humans. The barred rock roo in my pic is the only one of late that isn't indifferent, when he sees me he comes charging up as fast as he can with the expectation of a nice fat grub, a grasshopper, or other meaty treat. But absolutely no dancing (except to his hens), and he's well-mannered around humans.

 

[pgpoultry]

I only have one rooster who does it....and, other than to his own kind, he only ever does it to my daughter or the dog. He tried it ONCE on me. I chased him, cornered him, did my own version of the wing dance to him, then picked him up and carried him around for about 10 minutes in front of the other chickens, petting and stroking him. He has NEVER done it to me since.

From time to time I re-assert my dominance over him by 'wing dancing' him. He is now very sweet and offers me sticks, pebbles, bits of food etc. instead of cheek!

My daughter is now humiliating him, too. The dog, well he chases him off as soon as it starts, so I think he is getting to know his place.

I would say never to let your rooster get away with it.

 

[the209jungalist]

I was wondering how to deal with this behavior and now I know to dance back at him. I can't wait for my neighbor to catch me doing that, they already think i'm a crazy chicken lady!!!

 

[Pele]

You can also try opening your arms wide, and slowly walking towards him. He'll stand his ground at first, but then back up.... back up.....back up, then give up his dominance. Keep walking him around your yard for as long as it takes for him to finally stop standing ground against you. It's a very nice non-violent way to assert your authority with your roo. Violent methods can be interpreted as a threat to the flock, and that's when you get roos stalking and ambushing you while your back is turned.

My Dad used to call it "taking the rooster for a walk".

It works even for the kids to try (obviously not very young children, they should never be left alone with any animal).

I was wondering how to deal with this behavior and now I know to dance back at him. I can't wait for my neighbor to catch me doing that, they already think i'm a crazy chicken lady!!!

 

[bree_cheese1414]

I have a 3 month old silkie rooster and everytime I go in the yard he does the shuffle dance to me. Is that normal? Does he know he's suppose to be doing that to the hens? Maybe he's just a little confused. lol. He is still young though.

My silkie bantam does it too!!! I think it just means he wants to be picked up because he usually does it when I come over to see him.