Rooster acting like a hen 🤣

[everyday_farmlife]

Well I'm glad this behaviour is normal it was starting to worry me
Yes this cockeral loooves his chicks, (incubated chicks at that!) He never pecks or harasses them only finds them food and tries to drop it into their cage.
They have been outside from 2 weeks old with full access to a heat source. We are in Australia so it's starting to warm up quite a bit as we head into late spring early summer.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes this cockeral loooves his chicks, (incubated chicks at that!) He never pecks or harasses them only finds them food and tries to drop it into their cage.

It's wonderful to see the boys being good daddies.

 

[Shadrach]

Yes it's normal but unfortunatley due to the way many chickens are kept the rooster doesn't get the chance to do what you have seen.
Not only is your rooster showing normal behaviour it also tells you that your keeping arrangements allow for the hen and rooster to carry out these behaviours.

Cillin and Mel trying to decide on the best nest site.

Tackle telling Cillin that the egg isn't ready yet.

Twitch suggesting to Gedit that the basket might be a better option.

Cillin waiting for Ruffles to lay her egg.

Knock asking Treacle how long she has to sit there for. She had just started laying.

Notch siting on top of Donk as she lays an egg in an outside nest.

Yep, all perfectly normal.

 

[everyday_farmlife]

Hey guys I've got a question... it's related to this post so I thought it better to put it in here...
One of my hens has gone broody which is fine...BUT Sarg (our rooster) has decided he is gunna either sit next to her or patrol the front of the nest box and so help you if you try to go into the coop he is being quite aggressive flapping his wings and fluffing up ect... he hasn't pecked YET! He goes any visitors who dare to walk between him and his hens but hadn't touched any of us who live here, he knows the hands that feed him I guess.
The nest she has chosen is where they all roost for the night (they have perches different sizes ect but have refused to roost every single one of them their whole lives) anyways I'm worried about the eggs getting smashed by the others. But if I seperate her I'm worried that the chicks won't get accepted into the flock as easily?
What to do, I don't know how I'm gunna get Sarg out of the way to move her if that's what is best!!!
What are your thoughts brainstrust?

EDIT - She is also REFUSING entry to any of the other hens who normally lay in there and they are quite beside themselves. I put another nest box in and Sarg went in and made a nest for them but they are being obstinate beasts and try to push into the first nest box only to come out screaming second later coz the broody attacks them. They aren't even going to be able to roost in there. She only let's Sarg in... would it be any value just keeping Sarg in with her and moving the other 3 hens to another pen? Would that kind of help her position when the chicks are here with the other hens?

 

[Birdsong 82]

Hey guys I've got a question... it's related to this post so I thought it better to put it in here...
One of my hens has gone broody which is fine...BUT Sarg (our rooster) has decided he is gunna either sit next to her or patrol the front of the nest box and so help you if you try to go into the coop he is being quite aggressive flapping his wings and fluffing up ect... he hasn't pecked YET! He goes any visitors who dare to walk between him and his hens but hadn't touched any of us who live here, he knows the hands that feed him I guess.
The nest she has chosen is where they all roost for the night (they have perches different sizes ect but have refused to roost every single one of them their whole lives) anyways I'm worried about the eggs getting smashed by the others. But if I seperate her I'm worried that the chicks won't get accepted into the flock as easily?
What to do, I don't know how I'm gunna get Sarg out of the way to move her if that's what is best!!!
What are your thoughts brainstrust?

EDIT - She is also REFUSING entry to any of the other hens who normally lay in there and they are quite beside themselves. I put another nest box in and Sarg went in and made a nest for them but they are being obstinate beasts and try to push into the first nest box only to come out screaming second later coz the broody attacks them. They aren't even going to be able to roost in there. She only let's Sarg in... would it be any value just keeping Sarg in with her and moving the other 3 hens to another pen? Would that kind of help her position when the chicks are here with the other hens?

Oh my I just ran across this. That is definitely a tough situation. I don’t know if it’s the correct advice but it’s just what I would do is yes block that area off for the others. I would worry about the eggs getting smashed also but I would worry more about something worse happening. And maybe it will teach the other chickens to sleep on the roost if there are other option is gone.
I realize this post was put up Sunday. How is everything going?

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

I had a rooster whose absolute favorite place to be was right beside the hens in the nesting box. I posted a picture in one of the fluffy butt threads.

 

[everyday_farmlife]

Oh my I just ran across this. That is definitely a tough situation. I don’t know if it’s the correct advice but it’s just what I would do is yes block that area off for the others. I would worry about the eggs getting smashed also but I would worry more about something worse happening. And maybe it will teach the other chickens to sleep on the roost if there are other option is gone.
I realize this post was put up Sunday. How is everything going?

Thanks for your reply
I ended up having to move all the other hens out, they are now roosting on perches in a temporary coop (I purposely put one small nest box in there, so there isn't enough space for 4 massive, sussex, fluffy butts to fit at night)
Sarg the roo had to stay with the broody and is quite content... we had an incident when she got off the nest I went in to change the feed and water and coz the feed is sort of just inside the 'huge' nest box (for broody to reach) he actually went me.. I shouted at him and he ran straight past me and into the box then tucked all the eggs under him (he must be seriously desperate to be a dad idk )
So yea we separated them and now when I need to replace the feed in there I'll lock myself in the coop while he's outside. Lesson learnt...
He has not gone me since it was only a one off, so he will get a second chance coz I suspect he was just being OTT with protecting the eggs

 

[Birdsong 82]

Thanks for your reply
I ended up having to move all the other hens out, they are now roosting on perches in a temporary coop (I purposely put one small nest box in there, so there isn't enough space for 4 massive, sussex, fluffy butts to fit at night)
Sarg the roo had to stay with the broody and is quite content... we had an incident when she got off the nest I went in to change the feed and water and coz the feed is sort of just inside the 'huge' nest box (for broody to reach) he actually went me.. I shouted at him and he ran straight past me and into the box then tucked all the eggs under him (he must be seriously desperate to be a dad idk )
So yea we separated them and now when I need to replace the feed in there I'll lock myself in the coop while he's outside. Lesson learnt...
He has not gone me since it was only a one off, so he will get a second chance coz I suspect he was just being OTT with protecting the eggs

Sounds like he might be a better hand then some other hands I’ve run across
I would take that as a one time thing. Sounds like he was just getting overprotected with the eggs. I’ve had mine lightly growl and side eye me when I’ve had to take one of his girls due to an injury or to check out or such.
That is awesome though! Maybe I’m crazy but to me that’s a sign of a darn good and dedicated rooster. I love it!

 

[Birdsong 82]

I recently bought a pullet that turned out to be a rooster. A lavender Orphington. My other rooster can’t even really tell this one’s a rooster which is the only reason he allowed him to stay. He’s only ever crowed maybe four or five times. Ever. Doesn’t even act like a rooster. My daughter says it’s non- binary ( smart aleck).

 

[everyday_farmlife]

I recently bought a pullet that turned out to be a rooster. A lavender Orphington. My other rooster can’t even really tell this one’s a rooster which is the only reason he allowed him to stay. He’s only ever crowed maybe four or five times. Ever. Doesn’t even act like a rooster. My daughter says it’s non- binary ( smart aleck).

Yea well it's a bit different when he's outside free ranging or if we are just collecting the eggs he normally couldn't care less (well he gives us a suspicious look and shadows us whenever we go anywhere in the coop or near his girls) so we'll take it as he was being protective lol he's been a good boy with us and he'll be 12m old in December.
Even when they all used to roost in the nesting box he'd roost at the entrance that's how he got his name (Sargent or "Sarg") (courtesy of my son) he wants to call our new boy Boss I'm undecided on that one!
Our new boy is seperate as he is much closer to the SOP than Sarg.