Rooster behavior question

[ChicKat]

I have reason to believe that my rooster recently chased off a "threat" that was about 10-times his weight. It wasn't really a threat unless it would have been calf-hood clumseyness....but the calf weighing in at probably around 500 pounds got into the chicken netting. (I would have loved to have seen the confrontation -- in a way)

Subsequently my rooster was feistier and more prone to threaten anyone or anything that came near the hens. One day he even went after one of the dogs...and she was basically just minding her own business.

I caught him, held him and told him he needed to behave. He has been well behaved ever since....

He recently displays a new behavior....... here's my question for forum rooster experts.

He now picks up and drops a stone every time he sees me....It isn't a treat like he does for the hens....it is a stone or twig or other debris on the ground. He will even do it if he sees me looking at him out the screen window. My dh said he is doing it as a sign of dominance...I think it is the opposite... IMO he is saying --" hey I'll give you this stone...lets' just live and let live." Unspoken, "just don't pick me up and hold me against my will in the 100-degree temperatures ever again puh-leeze" Any thoughts on the subject.

Prior to this his behavior was to draw himself up to his full height and sometimes flare his hackles and flap his wings...as if to say -- "I'm big and tough -- you don't want to mess with me."

For my own part, I can recall after being in earthquake, or traffic accident - having jangled nerves and being ready to jump at anything....and I think after his encounter with the looming huge (in comparison) calf....he felt he would take on anything large that came near the hens........ Just an ingrained nerve reaction after his encounter.

Thanks if anyone has insight.

 

[sourland]

I would tend to agree with your husband. If he sidesteps and stares at you while carrying out this behavior, he may be thinking, "This stick or stone now. You next."

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks! You have me laughing....... That could be exactly what he is thinking.

 

[what did I do]

I don't know anything about roosters but I can tell you about calves and cows in the chicken coop. We had a bottle calf we put into the coop part of the barn before we moved the older chicken into that coop. The calf liked the coop even after we moved the chickens into it. Later we came up with a cow for the calf. The calf brought the cow into the coop! The cow brought other cows into the coop! The cows bent up the nesting boxes and knocked down the roosts. The cows destroyed the coop. Once the cows found out about the coop we couldn't keep them out of there. We had to move them to a far pasture to keep them out of the coop. We didn't have a rooster!

 

[ChicKat]

I don't know anything about roosters but I can tell you about calves and cows in the chicken coop. We had a bottle calf we put into the coop part of the barn before we moved the older chicken into that coop. The calf liked the coop even after we moved the chickens into it. Later we came up with a cow for the calf. The calf brought the cow into the coop! The cow brought other cows into the coop! The cows bent up the nesting boxes and knocked down the roosts. The cows destroyed the coop. Once the cows found out about the coop we couldn't keep them out of there. We had to move them to a far pasture to keep them out of the coop. We didn't have a rooster!

Thanks for the story. I have to say I love cows....but despite their herbivore traits they can be pretty destructive. I'm laughing at the calf that 'discovered' the really cool place to hang out -- and how the rest of them were in there. Sorry that they destroyed your coop though.

This one ducked through barbed wire around the yard...and I knew one or two were getting into and out of the house yard. (also a hole in the fence and gate left open to aid and abet) - the grass in the yard was greener. Then I have a netting fence to keep chickens off the porch---but somehow the calf got innthere. I noticed that the posts were knocked askew...but it didn't occur to me until later when I found manure in the netting that a calf had actually been in there .... How did this happen. Only the calling card---no eyewitness of the two-legged variety.

I'm thinking rooster chased the calf out...but not sure. Subsequently the rooster has calmed down. When the cows were first put in this pasture when they would pass the yard and the chickens were free ranging it spooked the cows. (although they are used to wild turkeys etc...I guess the colors of the chickens were startling -- and you know how cows are with anything new.) Loved the tale about the bottle calf -- hope the chicken coop is back together without too much stress on you and the chickens. :O)

 

[scooter147]

I think the behavior the rooster is displaying is a trick to get you to come closer and not to pick a fight but to mate. I've been around chickens 40+ years and I have seen many a rooster use the ole look at this great treat I've found to lure hens closer in an attempt to mate.
This tells me he does not view you as the dominate rooster but a possible submissive hen.

 

[ChicKat]

I think the behavior the rooster is displaying is a trick to get you to come closer and not to pick a fight but to mate. I've been around chickens 40+ years and I have seen many a rooster use the ole look at this great treat I've found to lure hens closer in an attempt to mate.
This tells me he does not view you as the dominate rooster but a possible submissive hen.

Hey Scooter, thanks for the insight.

What has me a bit puzzled is when the rooster uses this behavior to lure hens, he is always picking up a treat or feed. He really is so good to the hens...I was concerned at one point he would be one of those roosters who gave away so much food that he would never eat for himself. (cannot reacall now where I read that). However he is nice and compact muscled so he isn't giving away all the food-- but he sure has self-control to let them eat lettuce, sunflower seeds, etc. and just look on or pick up and drop them.

Maybe since I bring the food, it would appear that I need rocks and twigs which I never bring.

The other thing that makes me puzzled is that it is such a vulnerable position to put himself in were I to be attacking.... his head is bowed down and his back is fairly flat toward me making him a bigger target than he would otherwise be. --- So he thinks I'm a hen ---hmmmm I will have to consider that one. :O)

 

[Den in Penn]

I have to add that when my rooster picks up uneatable objects and drops them, I view that a a step towards aggression. I step towards him and he backs away, not something a rooster thinking to mate or that he is dominate would do. I would more think it may be more a sign that he is unsure of the situation. Picking up things and drooping them might be a gesture to show he can be friends if you submit. And we all know where things go is the rooster thinks he's on top.

 

[scooter147]

It may look a vulnerable position to you but trust and believe that if you were to "attack" he would snap into attack mode in a split second.

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks guys......

I really appreciate the ideas you are presenting. It does seem to make sense that he is unsure of the situation. Also, a rooster being a rooster...yep I'm sure he could switch into attack mode if he thought he was being attacked. ".....after all they are chickens" should be modified to say he is a rooster. It all makes sense now.