Romeo thinks he can mate with my feet...

[MaryZoe]

Seriously, does anyone else have experience with a rooster who finds her or his feet irresistible? I have around 60 chickens (all ages), but my young roo Romeo makes a bee-line for my feet every time I go out to feed, water, or just check on my little flock.

On the one hand I find it oddly flattering (hahaha), but in reality it's a pain. Physically and metaphorically. I have to be sure to wear my high chicken boots every time I go out so he doesn't grab onto the skin on my ankles to do his deed, and if I reach down to push him off my boot, he grabs onto my arm and starts getting busy with my arm. It hurts!

And he finds me as soon as I enter the chicken yard. I think it's some sort of confusion of his appetites. He knows I mean food, which pleases him, but he can't distinguish that pleasure from other enjoyable activities.

Anyone with a similar experience? What did you do (other than chicken soup)? He's a roo I kind of wanted to keep, but as he gets older (he's almost 5 months), he gets more irritating. Advice?

 

[sourland]

@Shadrach has a rooster who had the same inclination. Shad, didn't your boy outgrow his fetish ?

 

[Shadrach]

Seriously, does anyone else have experience with a rooster who finds her or his feet irresistible? I have around 60 chickens (all ages), but my young roo Romeo makes a bee-line for my feet every time I go out to feed, water, or just check on my little flock.

On the one hand I find it oddly flattering (hahaha), but in reality it's a pain. Physically and metaphorically. I have to be sure to wear my high chicken boots every time I go out so he doesn't grab onto the skin on my ankles to do his deed, and if I reach down to push him off my boot, he grabs onto my arm and starts getting busy with my arm. It hurts!

And he finds me as soon as I enter the chicken yard. I think it's some sort of confusion of his appetites. He knows I mean food, which pleases him, but he can't distinguish that pleasure from other enjoyable activities.

Anyone with a similar experience? What did you do (other than chicken soup)? He's a roo I kind of wanted to keep, but as he gets older (he's almost 5 months), he gets more irritating. Advice?

You mean like this?
I've had a couple. They can't help it. If you've had a lot of contact with them as they've grown they think you are part of the flock in simple terms.
They need to mate. It's not a want, it's a drive they can do nothing about. If for example you have a senior rooster who drives him away, or older hens that wont crouch for him you are all he's got.
Mainly I would like you to bear in mind behavior like this is our fault.
They do grow out of it, but it takes a while. The one in the picture (Treacle) does get to mate with hens now and I can usually walk around without a wriggling pile of feathers attached to my boot.
If you wear sensible shoes, which you should when dealing with chickens anyway then it doesn't hurt, doesn't cost money and helps to stop him from pestering the hens.
I pick them up and carry them around one handed for a while.
You'll miss it when he dumps you for a proper hen.

 

[MaryZoe]

You mean like this?
I've had a couple. They can't help it. If you've had a lot of contact with them as they've grown they think you are part of the flock in simple terms.
They need to mate. It's not a want, it's a drive they can do nothing about. If for example you have a senior rooster who drives him away, or older hens that wont crouch for him you are all he's got.
Mainly I would like you to bear in mind behavior like this is our fault.
They do grow out of it, but it takes a while. The one in the picture (Treacle) does get to mate with hens now and I can usually walk around without a wriggling pile of feathers attached to my boot.
If you wear sensible shoes, which you should when dealing with chickens anyway then it doesn't hurt, doesn't cost money and helps to stop him from pestering the hens.
I pick them up and carry them around one handed for a while.
You'll miss it when he dumps you for a proper hen.
View attachment 1761085

Haha! Are you kidding?! Look how similar our friendly roos look!

I laughed out loud at your comment about being dumped—nothing like being SPURned for another!