Roo ? Is he being aggressive or curious?

[stormylady]

I was working in the coop yesterday sectioning off a part to put a younger group in, I was sitting there trying to wire the hardware cloth together and each of the chickens took there turn at pecking my arms, not biting just a couple of pecks I would look at them and say " What?" they would look at me then walk away, Anyway one of the Roo boys started the pecking thing and I totally ignored him ( I wasn't getting much done !) So any way he grabbed hold of my skin hard and when I yelled at him "OUCH!" he twisted my skin hard, it didn't draw blood but you could tell it was meant to hurt! let go and bawked a few times. and walked away all puffed up! like i hurt him! Anyway I got up walked over and picked him up and held him! and he had the nerve to look at me like What did I do? He is usually so sweet, I know he is very young at 17 weeks and not one I planned on keeping but is this a sign that a Rooster will be aggressive in the future and something I need to look out for, or was he having a ME Moment? Oh and this morning when I went to feed them this morning I reached down to pet him like I alway do and the little sucker tryed to bite me, whats up with that!

Thanks Sandy

 

[RevaVirginia]

I'm By no means an expert or Chycologist and I'm sure you could get tons of situational responses. My take - He's just doing a peckin order thing.

I've read several responses that might apply.

Just a few
a) Don't let him get away with it, don't hurt him but assert your dominance.

b A couple "quick steps" like you're doing the Rooster Chest Dance.

c) Grab him by his legs/feet and hold him upside down a bit then coddle him.

d) Lick your lips and tell him you sure could use a hot bowl of soup.

 

[gritsar]

I'm in the don't let him get away with it category.
My former alpha roo started out trying to control me by using his body to signal/push me to do what he wanted me to. When that didn't work, he resorted to biting. It's the same behavior they use to control the hens.
I broke him of it real quick. I will not be pushed around by a rooster.

 

[stormylady]

Quote:
LOL I did threaten him with the soup, and a walked over to him and picked him up which he really likes I think. LOL because he never ever tries to get away, but I havent held him by the legs upside down. And I haven't danced for him yet either! LOL if i do decide to do the dance it will be inside the coop as I have alot of neighbors that love looking at my chickens, I could only imagine what they would be saying if they were to watch me dance for them! LOL Thanks for the info RevaVirginia

 

[stormylady]

Quote:
That sounds exactly like what he is doing! Maybe I gave him what he wanted by picking him up!

And how did you break him of it,

and by the way he isn't the alpha Roo, but one of the biggest, a wanna be I guess

but Honeycomb holds that title and none of the boys ever even challenge him?
But honeycomb , Light brahma , all the boys are Light Brahmas (actually one of the smallest but the most mature but the same age as all the other boys) will run up and take the boys by the comb and swing them around abit. But he is super sweet to me and he knows Im boss.

 

[gritsar]

Read my BYC page on how I broke Zeus from being naughty. It doesn't matter if he's the alpha or not. He needs to learn that only you are the true alpha and are not to be messed with.

 

[stormylady]

Thanks that cleared alot up for me! Im going to try your methods and hope that it works especially on him. Because he is just starting the behavior and so far the only one doing it. Maybe I can nip it in the bud! Sandy

 

[GoldenSilverLaced]

Both of my girls will do this when are are upset with me or with something I've done, so it is not only a rooster behavior. I tap their beaks hard when they do it, which is what is done to parrots when they bite to indicate that it is not acceptable. They do stop as the tapped is not pleasant but it doesn't hurt them.

 

[BarkerChickens]

One of my 10 weeks old roos does something similar, but it is because he is always wanting my attention. If I am petting one of the other chickens, he will bite me. I get after him for it (I don't want a biter, of course), but he looks at me like "What?!!?". When he isn't biting me, he'll peck (not hard) at the chick I am holding or he'll jump onto my shoulder. Maybe he was bugged by you "ignoring" him.