Roos in a family way??

[chicknmania]

This has happened several times, so thought I'd see if anyone else has noticed...and it has happened with pretty much all our roos. They will find a cozy quiet dark corner, or some other quiet place,get in it, and scratch and make little enticing noises, cuddle in the dust, and apparently try to call the hens. I think that what they are doing is showing the hens a good laying spot to lay their eggs, because it always is, or would be, a good place, that they're not using. The rooster is not dusting, because sometimes the spot they choose has no dust at all. Usually after a while one or more hens will come over and look. Then, usually the roo goes away.

 

[rooster-red]

They are showing the hens where to lay.

 

[Blisschick]

When I put a new nesting box in with mine, the roo is always the first to check it out. He'll get in there and scratch the stuff around, the whole time telling the girls what a wonderful place it is. Sometimes they'll sit in it as if to take it over and I have to kick them out.

 

[jjthink]

RR: They are showing the hens where to lay.


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Exactly, and for Annie now, and Betty before her, it always calmed them too. BJ roo finds a spot, sits in it, and makes the most comforting cooing sounds and eventually that's where his lady friend sits, becomes calm and lays an egg. Beforehand, she's bellyaching (poor girls - they may have some degree of labor pains birthing these eggs!).
JJ

 

[fivebigreds]

As with all men they think the hens can't figure it out for them selves where to lay. I have had my roo make a nest where HE thinks is good and sit there and coo and even cackle when he left as if to say " OK girls here's what you do, make a nest sit awhile , cackle a few times and that's all there is to it. " The hens gather , pretend to be interested , leave and lay where they want.

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:

Sounds like ours.

 

[morelcabin]

Cocketeils do this as well. The male will actually make the nest as comfortable as he can and coax the hen into it to lay her eggs...Loons also do this, I am not sure about other birds but these are two that I have observed

 

[MaryT]

I know my EE roo does it for the BO girls and every spot he has picked the Hens have used we have 18 of them and it always seems like he is showing a different girl a new nest... it so neat to watch when he is done cooing and cackleing the girl he is showing usually gets in and tries it out....then over the next couple days I watch it,,,, there has always been an egg where he showed a hen to lay..... such a good hubby to all the hens......