Rooster chirping/trilling at night near new chicks, does it mean something?

[loyalcrowlist]

So I have four younger chicks to introduce to my older ones. What I've done so far is set up a crate with supplemental heat for them next to the older one's pen so they can see each other. Mostly, the pullets seems to mostly ignore them and the cockerel does for the most part during the day. At night, though, he keeps pacing back and forth at the section where he can see them. Sometimes he's quiet but often he's making a sort of quiet trilling or chirping. He only does this when pullets are sleeping on their roost. I'm not really sure if this is normal or if it means something. I've tried looking it up but a lot of the articles mention neck feathering/poofing up but he's not doing anything like that. Sometimes he'll sit down and kind of look at them as well but mostly it's the pacing and trilling.

 

[aart]

How old are the chicks?
He may want to gather them to roost with the rest of the flock.

 

[loyalcrowlist]

How old are the chicks?
He may want to gather them to roost with the rest of the flock.

They're about 24 days old!

 

[Jayteetee]

What was the outcome of this? I have a young 7 week old and I’m trying to understand the trilling

 

[loyalcrowlist]

What was the outcome of this? I have a young 7 week old and I’m trying to understand the trilling

When we finally let them meet each other without a cage between them, he was really intent on 'herding' them around! I definitely think he was trying to get the chicks to be with the rest of his little flock.

 

[16 and me]

What was the outcome of this? I have a young 7 week old and I’m trying to understand the trilling

My rooster does that to his broody when sitting on eggs, and the young chicks while they are all still with mama hen. I believe he is imprinting his voice on them. If there is no mama hen, he may just be filling that role as the leader of his flock. If he is not scuffing his feet or raising his hackles or showing signs of agression, this is likely what he is doing.