Rooster/Cockerel Behavior

[Ridgerunner]

I'd expect the behavior to start any day if the roosters are 16 weeks old if the pullets are close to that age. Most of the pullets will get more cooperative when they are at egg laying age. They certainly will not cooperate until they are ready. I think there is some "dominance" behavior involved also. I think that is why some continue to resist, even after they start laying.

I have no idea what PTSD is. Probably something that Valium helps certain people get over. I like Jack Daniels myself. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, maybe?????)

Although my numbers have been reduced, I once had 5 roosters and 23 pullets in a 12' x 32' run and that was plenty big enough for the pullets to avoid the roosters. It's not so much a place to hide as room to run away. The pullets would climb the fence to get away when trapped in a corner.

As far as behaviors, I once saw a rooster start his dance around two pullets. One ran away and one squatted. He ignored the one squatting and chased the one that ran. He never caught her.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Could that be why the #2 rooster has been pulling pullet feathers, etc.? Is he trying to make them submit to mating?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - yes that makes perfect sense. I had some chickens who had post traumatic raccoon disorder once. But they got through it after a month or so.

The rooster chasing the one who ran instead of the one who squatted.......for dominance sake you think? He should have gone for the willing girl. Silly boys!

I can't wait to see this dance. What does it look like?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Could that be why the #2 rooster has been pulling pullet feathers, etc.? Is he trying to make them submit to mating?

Probably, especialy if it is around the head.

The rooster chasing the one who ran instead of the one who squatted.......for dominance sake you think? He should have gone for the willing girl. Silly boys!

Silly boys indeed! There is a reason they are called bird brains. I think he just started dancing for the one that ran. He was not even noticing the other at the time.

I can't wait to see this dance. What does it look like?

Some dance more than others. With mine, they lower a wing and sort of turn in a half circle.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

If you have the room to accomodate them, perhaps you can try penning your "campers" separately from your favorite roo, as far away as can be. Then you'll be better able to see how that roo behaves with only other ladies around. Being one of several roos could adversely affect his behavior.

My number one criteria for keeping a roo is that he doesn't sneak up behind anyone and jump up to flog/spur them. I will not tolerate that behavior for a moment.

Otherwise, I want them to be alert for predators, sounding the alarm when something flies overhead, and saying the Bad Bird Word when he sees a hawk. I like for them to call their girls over with a "buk-buk-buk-buk" when they find a tasty treat and stand back allowing them to eat first. I remember reading *something* somewhere about how the best roos do the "wing dance" when courting their ladies, but I don't remember why that behavior was so desirable. It's interesting to watch, they extend a wing down almost to the ground and circle around the hen they're trying to woo.

I wish you success in picking the best guy!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Wow! I can't wait to see that dance. I'm sure i haven't seen it yet.

I am planning to separate the campers a week from Thursday. Reason being, i have a newcomer in the quarantine quarters right now, and his 30 days will be up on the 17th. So around that time, i can sort of switch them. Although, i'm sure the 'switching' will be more complicated than that.

The only thing aggressive the alpha roo has ever done to me (he doesn't actually have dangerous spurs at this point) is once he pecked me hard and on purpose in the knee when i was holding one of the pullets. That pullet was kind of squawking at me, so it seems to me he was trying to protect her. The other thing is once - for some reason i couldn't figure out - he grabbed onto my arm with his beak and would not let go. We had a nice long talk about that one. And every time we have a 'talk,' it seems easier to get him to submit. I just hold him until he stops struggling - and i hold his beak if he has tried to use it on me. The last time i picked him up - which i don't do often - he didn't protest at all. That seemed like a good sign to me. That particular time, i wasn't picking him because he had done something wrong - just wanted to look him over a bit. He was completely compliant that time and didn't resist at any point.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Exactly!

My rooster wing dances every morning. He hates the fact that the hens all run out of the coop without his permission; so he runs from one to the other of them wing dancing. Doesn't work. They just sidestep him and go about their hen bizness.
He lives the life that every male should; trying to keep 13 females in line.

I love it when he mates a girl that has a mouth full of food. She'll squat, but she never lets go of her treat.

 

[PunkinPeep]

hilarious!