Thanks, I will try to do this. It's not often possible, but maybe once we start he'll get it and stop running from us when we come with food. He is obviously scared of our hands, when he sees our hands he either runs or tries to attack it.To missquote Tigger, what roosters like best is to see their hens eating. Not a difficult aspiration given hens are very fond of eating. Of course, the hens and Henry are all quite aware that I bring the food and treats. The balance with some roosters, usually those who may take issue with you feeding his hens, is to not let the hens have any until you've shown what you've got to the rooster and let him, if he wants, take the first few pecks and probably drop a piece or two for his hens. All face is restored.
I've often thought chicken culture much like the Japanese culture. A lot of chicken stuff is about respecting the status of the others and knowing ones place. For roosters it's all about "face" more often than not.
At the begining Henry wanted to inspect everything. I would call him if he wasn't by my feet and open the containor of treats and lean down so he could see and take. Of course a full on crowd surfing mass of feathers arrives if one even whispers food.You may have to swat a few hens away and they'll very indignant but they'll know and Henry will know, no food unless he says its okay. As the rooster gets used to this routine, it didn't take Henry long, you should find you just need to show the rooster the food and then chuck it out for the hens. The crowd surfing mass of feathers will I expect follow the trajectory of the food you've just thrown leaving the rooster. Hand feed him some of the treat food while the hens are food surfing.
Do bear in mind, these things are variable. This works most of the time, but not all.
Theo's status is still pretty unsecure since he arrived when the hens were two and it took him several month to gain his place. It was only when Chipie sat and disappeared from the flock, that he really began to become the rooster of the hens.
I think maintaining the appearance isn't specific to the Japanese, but that it's present in many cultures/society where the rules are very strict.
Last week my partner sent Théo flying off as he had been attacking his ankle repeatedly. It was a very delicate shove with his foot, but he is so light that he did find himself back on his feet several meters away. He wasn't hurt, but he was really offended.
I've made arrangements to get feed for the next day out in the evening so I don't have to walk in the coop to pick a bowl of feed first thing in the morning, as this was really upsetting him. He obviously wants to be the only one to escort his hens outside the coop. This is maintaining the appearance and no bother for me.
He's so small that even though I understand he isn't a pet, I can't be afraid of him, he doesn't weigh more than 500 grams. However if we do keep Gaston it looks like he will be a big rooster and I hope that I'll manage better.
Gaston heard me call him goofy yesterday, and he's jealous of skeksis' legendary intelligence, so he borrowed my e-reader to do some catching up.
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Maybe one needs a certain amount of chicken madness to appreciate some of the content.
