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Rooster behavior, is this normal?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by The Mother Hen, Jul 22, 2013.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Jul 22, 2013 #1
    The Mother Hen

    The Mother Hen Chirping

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    My rooster will go up behind a hen and scratch a foot while one of his wings are down (feather spread out). Not only that, but while he scratches his foot he will turn towards her and coo. I don't know if this is mating behavior, but I have a feeling that it is. This is the first year I've had a rooster, so I am new to male chickens. He is nice to me because he sees me more than a few times a day.
     
  2. Jul 22, 2013 #2
    sourland

    sourland Broody Magician Premium Member 9 Years

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    The wing dance (generally coupled with pecking at the ground) can be a dominance thing, but what you are seeing is mostly likely a courtship 'would ya like to?' dance.
     
  3. Jul 22, 2013 #3
    donrae

    donrae Hopelessly Addicted Premium Member

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    It's a combo of courtship and dominance. It's great he does it to the hens, it's an invitation and also cues hens to squat so he can mount easier. However, if he starts doing it to you, don't let him. You're not his hen and you're not subordinate to him. If he tries to drop a wing for you, chase him off on no uncertain terms.
     
  4. Jul 22, 2013 #4
    smfarmer

    smfarmer Hatching

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    I have a maturing RIR rooster that is doing the same thing. It concerns me that he seems to view me as competition. I reached for one if the hens today and he didn't seem to like it much. I have two boys that wouldn't really appreciate being attacked. Should I just butcher this bird?
     
  5. Jul 23, 2013 #5
    MontanaDolphin

    MontanaDolphin Songster

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    I had this problem with my boy Zeus. He did the wing dip at my son because he picked up one of the girls. I had read on here somewhere to show him YOU are the dominant one...get hold of him and push him down to the ground (hands flat on his back, but kinda cupping him so he can't get away). You keep him in that position until he stops struggling to get away. Slowly begin to release your hands. If he tries to run as you are relieving the pressure of your hands, push back down. Only completely remove your hands if he stays put.

    It worked for Zeus. He knows who's boss now...I had to do this a few times, once because of the wing dip, and a few times because he tried to mount a hen in front of me, which is a dominance thing.

    I wouldn't cull him until you try to show him who's dominant.
     
  6. Jul 23, 2013 #6
    The Mother Hen

    The Mother Hen Chirping

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    Ahh, I thought as much. It's funny because he usually gets rejected.
     
  7. Jul 23, 2013 #7
    The Mother Hen

    The Mother Hen Chirping

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    I'm not sure if you should butcher him or not. My roo sees my little sis as a threat and so he attacks her. She says the pecks don't hurt too much, and he hasn't drawn blood. Whenever I'm next to my sister when we're in the coop he leaves her alone because he knows I'm the dominant one :D Instead of butchering your roo you can put him up for sale.
     
  8. Jul 23, 2013 #8
    The Mother Hen

    The Mother Hen Chirping

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    He has done it once and I did chase him off. I thought it was something like courtship and dominance so I ran up to him, and he turned and walked away. Some of my hens chase him off while the younger ones allow him to have his way.
     

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