rooster makes weird purring/gurgling noises? why?

[77horses]

Not that this is very relevant or anything, but I was just curious if anyone knew the reason behind my rooster's odd behavior. What he does is he'll find a small area (such as in a nest box, under the shed, etc...basically anything that is like a little hiding spot), he'll crawl into the little hiding spot, and he'll make purring/gurgling noises as he stomps his feet and buries his head into the hiding place. It's the funniest and oddest thing to watch! If I call his name he purrs and gurgles and clicks his beak even more, as if it encourages him to do it more. He'll do this until I (or a hen) come over to him and then he'll come out of his hiding spot and do a little courtship shuffling dance with his wing down. So I'm thinking it's a form of courting or something? He's been doing it for as long as I can remember, and it's just the most amusing thing to watch!

Anyone know why he does this? Do any of your roosters do this too??

 

[darin367]

he's showing his ladies something... might be a nest site, a bug, who knows... but then the dance, yes he's trying to be a man..... this is 1 of the reasons i say every flock is happier and more fun with a roo....

 

[speckledhen]

He's showing them a good place to lay that egg, like my big blue turkey of a rooster. My Delaware makes crazy sounds like that, too, while getting into two of his own favorite nests, but he rarely convinces the hens of one of them--my blue Ameraucana, Charlotte, would lay in Ike's preferred nest, but she passed on last year and no one has really taken it since.