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Rooster Behavior

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by beebiz, Aug 30, 2007.

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  1. Aug 30, 2007 #1
    beebiz

    beebiz Songster

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    Late yesterday evening, I was outside and heard a horrible sound comming from the direction of the hen yard. I walked over to where the hen yard and hen house is to see if I could tell what was going on.

    In a few seconds, one of my Buff roosters bolted out of the hen house like a bullet fired from a gun. Right behind him was the #1 Buff rooster. I didn't think too much about what I saw. I just laid it off to a squabble over peck order.

    Just before I lost enough intrest to make me turn and walk away, I saw something that I had never seen before. The #1 rooster caught the other one, grabbed him by his neck feathers, jumped up on his back, rode him to the ground, and much to my chagrin and disgust, proceded to try to "breed" him!!

    This went on for a good 10 to 15 minutes. To my knowledge, the #1 rooster never did hit his "intended target," but it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying!! This afternoon, the #1 rooster again attempted to perpetrate the same "rump ranger boogie" on the same rooster as the evening before. This time, it appeared (again to my chagrin and disgust) that the #1 rooster may very well have found his mark! Afterward, the #1 rooster went on about his business of "taking care of" his harem of hens.

    Has anyone else seen or had this problem with their roosters?? Do I have a gay/bisexual rooster??? Could it be that the rooster being chased is a morphodite??? Or, is this normal activity that I just had never been blessed enough to witness before???

    Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.

    Robert
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 19, 2012
  2. Aug 30, 2007 #2
    2mnypets

    2mnypets Songster

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    All I can say is WOW [​IMG] AND [​IMG]
     
  3. Aug 30, 2007 #3
    rosyposyosy

    rosyposyosy Songster

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    i assume its possible. with people it is genetic somewhat, just like being right handed/left handed. i guess it would be the same with chickens. have you ever seen him mount a pullet/hen? if he is a bisexual rooster i dont think you have anything to worry about since he wont get depressed and lonely that the other rooster wont let him "ride". if you have a gay rooster - i dont know what to tell you. hopefully somebody else will step in
     
  4. Aug 30, 2007 #4
    rooster-red

    rooster-red Here comes the Rooster

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    My top rooster, when sorting out the pecking order with my other 2 roo's, pulled the same thing on the lower order roo's a couple of times.

    The effect was that the other 2 roo's were subdued afterward, seemed almost to be humiliated.
    Seemed like a way to say "I'm top roo, and you guys are my B****s"
     
  5. Aug 30, 2007 #5
    beebiz

    beebiz Songster

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    W. Tennessee
    Rosy, I forgot to mention it, but I have seen him mount the hens. But, that was what I was alluding to when I said that he went on about his business of "taking care of" his harem of hens.

    Rooster-red, that is probably what is going on. The rooster being chased is without a doubt on the very bottom of the peck order. I guess what I need to do is to get rid of some of my Buff roos! That might take care of the problem.

    Thanks for the responses!

    BTW..... 2mnypets...... That was exactly how I responded to what I saw!!!!!!!
     
  6. Aug 30, 2007 #6
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD Premium Member

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    Everett WA/Corvallis OR
    Yeah, I've seen top roosters do it. I think it's a dominance thing.
     
  7. Aug 30, 2007 #7
    MayberrySaint

    MayberrySaint Chillin' Out

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    Even if it isn't a dominance thing...most young domestic animals would be considered bi-sexual if you want to use human terms. Their hormones are in over-drive and just want to mount and shag anything that moves. Young bulls and boars ride each other...cockerels are no different. I have a young cockerel that will try to mate my forearm...:)
     
  8. Aug 30, 2007 #8
    rooster-red

    rooster-red Here comes the Rooster

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    Quote:EEEEWWWW!
     
  9. Aug 31, 2007 #9
    rufus

    rufus Crowing

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    Cackling rooster and crowing hen come to no good end.

    Rufus
     
  10. Aug 31, 2007 #10
    speckledhen

    speckledhen Intentional Solitude Premium Member 11 Years

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    Blue Ridge Mtns. of North Georgia
    It's asserting dominance and/or raging hormones, nothing more. A Barred Rock cockerel I used to own always danced for Suede, who has as much a look of horror on his face as a chicken can muster, LOL.
     
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