Roo dilemma.

[Dona Worry]

What does he do when you scoop up Clara?
That for me is key....always part of assessment here.

Clara is Nardole's special favorite. Since Clara is pretty happy to be held, and I only pick her up when she is clearly asking for it (this tends to happen when I am snacking, what an odd coincidence...) she doesn't flap or squawk. Nardole will usually keep one eye on me and Clara, and he won't wander off if the rest if the flock does, but he doesn't posture or anything, and Rory doesn't even notice!

I did once have to actually catch Susan, when I was putting the flock back in the coop after a few hours out and she wouldn't go in and THAT was a loud squawky process that brought both boys running, but they were inside the fence so couldn't do anything about it. Rory was considerably more upset that Nardy boy.

 

[WVduckchick]

SO I mentioned I was almost hoping he would try and block me?
Well he DID!
I was carrying the water back to the coop, and he decided he was a big man and if he stood in my path, doing the little head bobble thing, I'd walk around him. I did not. I kept walking, and I EXPECTED him to move, but he also did not.
So what happened?
I tripped over him.
It was a game of chicken, WITH A CHICKEN, and we both lost lol.
I tripped over him and almost landed on my face, somehow hit my knee with the waterer and spilled water all down my leg.
He got kicked, stepped on, clocked by the waterer.
We both learned a valuable lesson!
When I walked back the the house he stayed in the bushes and sulked. I think that's the last of his attitude I'll see for today at least!

my ducks won't let me touch them with my hands, but I'll be darned they will get right under my feet and let me step on them!

I like having extra roosters, when dynamics permit it. I'm glad you're giving him a chance.

 

[Dona Worry]

my ducks won't let me touch them with my hands, but I'll be darned they will get right under my feet and let me step on them!

I like having extra roosters, when dynamics permit it. I'm glad you're giving him a chance.

I thought he'd move!

Clearly, he thought I was going to walk around him!

It would have made a great home video, thank god no one filmed it!!

 

[Shadrach]

I’ve had a few cockerels who have tired to block my path. I don’t mind as such, it’s usually just a phase and it stops when they’ve got their own hens. What did concern me, as you have found out, is I may not see one, or they may not move, and I’ll tread on one, or trip over one.

Here, every hen has a call sign. When they approach a group, or an individual they give their call sign; ‘it’s me Mel and I’m senior to you so get out of my way’ is how I’ve interpreted this call. I assume all hens do this.
I have a call sign and when I approach say a group sheltering in a bush I give my call sign. They probably know it’s me anyway, but the same applies to the chickens, but they still give the call, even in plain sight.
If for example a junior hen is eating and a senior hen approaches and intends to eat, she gives the call sign. A wise junior hen soon learns that when the call sign is given she needs to move; quickly. If she doesn’t she gets a peck on the head. These pecks aren’t hard; it’s a hierarchy peck.

This works with cockerels I’ve found. As I approach a cockerel, (you can tell those that intend to block you) I give my call sign. If they don’t move I tap them on the head with my forefinger. This tends to make them jump and they get out of your path. It takes a few goes and you have to tap the head so you need to be quick. Eventually they learn that if they hear that sound they need to move. Speed of the tap and consistency seem to be the important factors. I don’t wait, but I don’t rush them either.
It seems to work with most of the animals here. The Muscovy ducks do the same with the chickens. The chickens get one warning call from the Muscovy and if they don’t move they get pecked.
I do the same with the sheep and it seems to work with them as well.
It might be worth a try. Sometimes it doesn’t go so smoothly and the cockerel turns to fight. Then I try other methods.

 

[Chickassan]

Ok i'm confused why is it bad to walk around the rooster? I walk around mine all the time because I don't have time to wait on him to move, he does the same to me. It just depends who is in the bigger hurry. If I was dead set on him moving every time i'd be best freinds with the ground by now.

I thought he'd move!

Clearly, he thought I was going to walk around him!

It would have made a great home video, thank god no one filmed it!!

 

[RodNTN]

I'd keep him, too. Let's just hope he sets Nardole as an example to follow!

 

[Cheers2Ya]

He is a pretty boy! I've never had a "bad" rooster yet, so I've yet to experience being attacked by one of my guys. That will be a sad day that is likely coming at some point if I keep having more. I got two roosters that came together when I started my flock, both mature and decent (a standard and a bantam). Since then I've let my broody hatch eggs whenever she went broody and have bred two more, sired by my first standard. Oh, also got one last March from a hatchery with a shipment. So, ya, five roosters right now, but so far no issues with aggression to people or the other birds.

 

[Dona Worry]

Ok i'm confused why is it bad to walk around the rooster? I walk around mine all the time because I don't have time to wait on him to move, he does the same to me. It just depends who is in the bigger hurry. If I was dead set on him moving every time i'd be best freinds with the ground by now.

I don't appreciate being deliberately blocked from approaching my own coop by a bratty teenage boy. He did not just so happen to be in the path, it was a perfectly deliberate.
I do a loud call of "HELLOOOOO MY CHICKIES!" Every time I approach the coop just to give any hens on the nest fair warning. Nardole doesn't always see where out of the way IS, (and has on more than one occasion bumped into me and been quite startled!) but we understand each other well and he appreciates I bring goodies to the hens, as it means he can pick them up in his beak and present them to his ladies!

Rory has been very well mannered today after the collision from this morning, I think he's decided to take a page out of Nardole's book finally, he was courting Susan like a gentleman.

 

[Chickassan]

Ok then. Some of the blocking is deliberate here as well but it is just a waiting game for treats. I can't blame him iv'e conditioned him to expect a bite of something on the way to open the coop. Kind of "good morning lady, where is my snack?" No doubt Rory is more focused, do not think Nardole had much to do with it though this time.

I don't appreciate being deliberately blocked from approaching my own coop by a bratty teenage boy. He did not just so happen to be in the path, it was a perfectly deliberate.
I do a loud call of "HELLOOOOO MY CHICKIES!" Every time I approach the coop just to give any hens on the nest fair warning. Nardole doesn't always see where out of the way IS, (and has on more than one occasion bumped into me and been quite startled!) but we understand each other well and he appreciates I bring goodies to the hens, as it means he can pick them up in his beak and present them to his ladies!

Rory has been very well mannered today after the collision from this morning, I think he's decided to take a page out of Nardole's book finally, he was courting Susan like a gentleman.

 

[bobbi-j]

Ok i'm confused why is it bad to walk around the rooster? I walk around mine all the time because I don't have time to wait on him to move, he does the same to me. It just depends who is in the bigger hurry. If I was dead set on him moving every time i'd be best freinds with the ground by now.

Because blocking CAN be him testing his authority over you. If you go around him, he may think he just won a small victory. A subordinate flock mate will not expect a dominant one to get out of the way.