Rooster behavior and season of year

[coleridgedane]

I had the same question. My little sultan guy (Mr. Bob) is almost 18-mos-old. He's always free-ranged but stayed far away from the other rangers. He was very tame & I could hold him. I started thinking he had some issues regarding his sexuality. Last month (November) I cleaned out some flock & threw him in the hen pen. A few days ago he started attacking me for no reason in particular.

Now my thoughts are: he's finally mature...he's finally found a purpose...he is no longer the isolated small guy...he's getting a higher quality, more balanced feed... OR all of the above. All I know is that I NEVER thought id have to "discipline" a chicken, but it gives me one day off before he starts again. WTH????

 

[centrarchid]

Observations based largely on free-range American games and red jungle fowl.


After taking into account the level of maturity, I see seasonal variation in rooster behavior. Full adult roosters in dry feathers are becoming evident now after conclusion of the annual molt. Males are becoming more aggressive and mobile interacting with hens not only from their roost but also other roosts. This is time of year when any game roosters not penned up will get into battle royals unless they have ranges that do not overlap. Risk will increase as photoperiod increases again and warm days make even more aggressive tendencies. Tidbitting behavior is also resuming. Once hens come back into lay the rooster will be close to such hens most of time. From this point on until early next fall the full adult roosters will also interact positively with chicks and juveniles of their respective harems. Once molt of tail and body feathers resumes the rooster will become more concerned about themselves not putting much effort into hens or offspring and will become downright testy on roost. By end of molt next year roosters will again become interested in ladies.


My roosters will cover (copulate with) hens any time of year but during annual molt during fall adult roosters will do so only with hens that solicit such behavior and the rooster otherwise will invest little. Chicks can still be produced.


Production breeds like my American dominiques and California greys are also seasonal in some aspects but are much more inclined to mate even during molt. Such roosters also do not seem to invest in their offspring as much, regardless of season.

 

[coleridgedane]

OMG Kadjain...our Boer buck ripped up my sweatshirt 2 days ago when I tried to move him away from the horse feed. From now on, the horses are on their own. But just wondering about this farm's testosterone volcano. Curiously it started a few days ago when we had several days of warm, sunny weather.

 

[stormylady]

Quote:
LOL they got confused and think its spring! LOL They're in for a big Surprise!

Just Joking!

 

[Kadjain]

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You're lucky it was only your sweatshirt. Sounds pretty intense! Boers are much bigger than my Nigerian and when my Nig. wants to act up he can be quite a bit to handle. After dealing with my little guy I wouldn't try to handle any full size bucks without someone there to have my back.