Roo question - about his behavior

[debilorrah]

Usually when I go in the hen house in the evening to put them down for the night, I pet the chickens. My fiance told me I shuld pet the roo first, as a show of respect. So tonight I went in there and the roo and my favorite BO hen weren't on the roost. The roo, Cordon Bleu, went from one end to the other to NOT let me pet him, and the hen was like COMON MAMA PET ME. The roo finally tried to get on the roost and fell and almost chocked himself, then got up there and all was good. EXCEPT when I tried to pet him. Is he just difficult??

 

[seminolewind]

My roos are friendly and sweet, they hangout with me, and occassionally I give them a pat. But in general, I don't think roos like the petting thing much. Don't worry about it. I don't think you need to show him respect, LOL, he should be respecting you

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Agreed.

Showing respect now may lead to bad behavior later on.

 

[d.k]

* Could be your fiance is projecting--maybe hoping the pattern could transfer from the roo to himself. .

 

[pkeeler]

Your fiance is actually referencing dogs. It is important for humans to respect the dogs' dominance order (e.g. feed the top dog first). I don't know if that applies to chickens though. Dogs think of us as part of the group, I don't think chickens are the same way.

 

[M@M@2four]

Never heard that with roos....they are sometimes just quirky. I think that's all they know is that they have a lot of mating to do and you are standing in the way!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Exactly! It needs to be the other way around. He needs to be respecting YOU and get out of your way when you want him to.

 

[a2ms4chickens]

I have a lot of roos and most of them prefer not to be petted.
I do have a couple of 4 mos olds who will follow me around and like to get attention.

I also have a couple of 4 mos old who follow me around, looking like they want attention, and when I do start to pet them, they peck me.

My older roos generally run from me, which is ok.
Rudy, my bantam rir roo, will sometimes peck at my foot if I accidently corner him. I give him a push with my foot, and keep him in the corner for a few seconds. I will step out of the way and he will run away. He hasn't pecked at me for a couple of weeks. I am able to pick him up and I hold him a few times a week, so he isn't scared of me, but I also want him to know that I am the alpha, not him.

Roos have good days and bad days just like we do.

Good luck with your guy!!!

 

[debilorrah]

This weird roo has been thumped a couple times, but I have never had to really show him who's boss. He really doesn't seem to mind me most of the time, but last night he really was strange. Sometimes he gives me stink eye when I pet his girls, or pick them up, but usually he stays away.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Giving you stink eye is exactly what you want. He understands that you are the alpha, he wishes he was. If he's not outright challenging you - flogging or biting - then sounds like he's behaving as he should.