Rooster behavior stomping

[C Siena]

The senior rooster, 26 months, has to begun to stomp, at me I think, Only when I go to close the coop at dusk. This only began several nights ago. A hen, 1 yr, from the other coop, decided to roost with the senior/fav roo.

That night when I did the head count, I heard, thump, thump, thump. I was partially in the coop. It was the roo, stomping on the roost. I backed out a bit, spoke softly, counted and locked up. It has occurred the past 4 nights.

The second night I remained partially in the coop door and he stomped a second series. I was not afraid as I thought he was letting me know, it's his territory and his harem. This only began the night the additional hen joined this flock at night.

We have 2 coops, 2 roos, jr is 14 months. 17 adult hens, 3 pullets just began to lay last week and 12 pullets within 1-4 weeks of laying.

The senior roo has never shown any type of aggression, dominance towards me. When I give treats, he is first. When I refill food, he gets first taste from the containers.

I am interested if others have experienced this and also @Shadrach perspective. I have read his article on rooster behavior more than once. I viewed the incidences as My territory, My hens.

I want to learn more so I don't blame the animal for their nature, when I don't act properly. We used to train K9s and one needs to know the body language of the animal.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He's a mature rooster, so I wouldn't be concerned without other aggressive behaviors. Since he's doing it on the roosts it makes me wonder if you have a predator, or rodents sniffing about at night that makes him concerned. I'd put a game camera on the coop to see.

 

[C Siena]

He's a mature rooster, so I wouldn't be concerned without other aggressive behaviors. Since he's doing it on the roosts it makes me wonder if you have a predator, or rodents sniffing about at night that makes him concerned. I'd put a game camera on the coop to see.

I am not concerned, just want to understand behavior better. There are no rodent droppings in the coop. I have been leaving about 1C+ of layer only at night, for them to eat in the morning, prior to my opening them. I do not open them at daylight, which is about 6:15 am. All adult layers in this coop, except the senior roo and not enough layer feed to hurt him.

He has never done it before. It began the same evening the new hen decided to change coops. It only occurs at dusk, when all are on the roost. He stops when I leave the coop. I know because I take up the food stations, lock runs and close/lockup the second coop and he is not stomping. I can hear as the coops are only 18-20' apart.

It is a 3 maybe 4 stomp and only 1 evening repeated as I was still in the entrance of the coop. I take it as a warning to me, I do not feel threatened as he is warning not attacking.

 

[Mrs. K]

Beware... the biggest problem a lot of people have, is they expect roosters to keep acting the way they did yesterday, or look for excuses for unexpected behavior.

Of course, we all give advice from the point of view of our own coop. When I open the coop and my birds are roosting, they are about 4.5 feet off the ground, so an attack would be near my face.

Your circumstances might be different. Thing is - always be very aware of an intact adult male chicken. Chickens are not like dogs and cats, where a true bond of trust can develop. Chickens are more about respect. To me, this stomping, would signify that he does not quite respect me like he did, and that the roost is giving him and advantage, as he is at eye level with me.

Even the best of roosters do not have a big brain or a lot of reasoning judgement. Just be very aware around him.

Mrs K

 

[SamLockwood]

Keep in mind that while chickens have better daytime vision than we do they have terrible night vision. If I'm poking about in the dark and not making any noises my flock gets agitated, too. It's really bad news if I've got to grab somebody to work on injuries at night: sometimes I'm dodging multiple beaks as I'm making off with my patient.

 

[C Siena]

Beware... the biggest problem a lot of people have, is they expect roosters to keep acting the way they did yesterday, or look for excuses for unexpected behavior.

Of course, we all give advice from the point of view of our own coop. When I open the coop and my birds are roosting, they are about 4.5 feet off the ground, so an attack would be near my face.

Your circumstances might be different. Thing is - always be very aware of an intact adult male chicken. Chickens are not like dogs and cats, where a true bond of trust can develop. Chickens are more about respect. To me, this stomping, would signify that he does not quite respect me like he did, and that the roost is giving him and advantage, as he is at eye level with me.

Even the best of roosters do not have a big brain or a lot of reasoning judgement. Just be very aware around him.

Mrs K

Thank you. Absolutely nothing other than locking up, with the additional hen.
I'm going out shortly to see the behavior before dark.

 

[C Siena]

Thank you. Absolutely nothing other than locking up, with the additional hen.
I'm going out shortly to see the behavior before dark.

EST in Ohio, not really dusk. Most hens/pullets outside.

Note, the new hen addition to Gen1 coop, roosted. Fifth night in the other coop. She began on the lower roost, 2nd night moved up, 3rd, 4th and 5th/tonight on top roost. Past 2 nights, next to senior too. I'll update in 30 minutes.

 

[C Siena]

All quiet on the home front. Senior Roo only stomped twice at 9:04pm and not forcefully as the past 4 nights.

Blessed that I have read about behavior. Someone may have stomped back at him...