STRANGE (broody?) ROOSTER !!!!

[dirtsaver]

Let's start out by saying our Australorp Roo (23 weeks old)is a mellow guy. He is not rough on the girls,is docile with us,follows us around to watch whatever we're doing,is learning his job as look-out for the flock....just a good roo so far.

Now comes the "strange roo" part. Today Eva went out to gather eggs. She saw two black hens together in the nest box,something that happens at times. She also realized that Rooster was not there watching her(he always seems to "monitor" the egg collecting and while he's never aggressive about it,you can tell he doesn't like the eggs being taken away). After checking the run and doing a "head count" and still not seeing Rooster anywhere it hit her! Sure enough, it was Rooster in the nest box sitting on several eggs! She picked him up and moved him out of the box to get the eggs and he quietly grumbled some and went on his way.

Go figure! Do we have a "broody" roo? Anyone else have this happen?

Larry

 

[Chickengal505]

hahah my roo did that ALL the time and we thought he was gay (sorry my father's words not mine) he's being a good roo, in the wild the rooster would find a good spot for the hen to lay and fix the nest for them! Hes just being a good rooster!!! LOL (crazy chickens)

 

[dirtsaver]

Crazy chickens is right Holly. Every night after their free range time out back they will come to me looking for their treats. I'll head for the coop/run and they all flock around my feet making it downright hard to walk. I sit on the edge of the sandbox in the run and feed them bread and Rooster sits on my knee waiting for his handout. Sometimes he'll get his own piece off the slice in my hand. He's not dumb,that's for sure!

Larry

 

[centrarchid]

I have seen similar behavior in American Games. In my opinion has nothing to do with sexual orientation. Roosters as I understand it can be made broody by being forced to sit on eggs, if the breed is prone to become broody. Egg (multiple) contact with breast promotes prolactin production which leads to broodiness. Normally roosters do not come into contact with clutch like hen does so capacity of male broodiness not expressed. Captivity and domestication have resulted situations where contact more likely.

I have had multiple game roosters that would get broody over chicks when hen passed away. Only happened when no other hens present to occupy rooster. Broody rooster may not be a successful with ladies interested in starting their own broods.

Grey jungle fowl, alleged to be part of foundation of most domestic breeds, are reported to have bi-parental care of young where pop takes care first set of chicks while mom sets another brood. This may be source of some roosters being broody.

 

[dirtsaver]

Quote:
Rooster has no problems with the ladies. Since he has been watching closely as Eva gathers the eggs for a while we think he's just being protective of what he believes belongs to his girls.

You've passed on some good information! I didn't realize a roo really would go "broody"!

Larry

 

[cthrash1]

The Japanese Bantams I gave a friend locally bred and kept their eggs til the female went broody. The male stayed watch over her for three weeks and after she hatched out nine chicks, the male shared the care of the chicks. Then the female gor taken by a predator and the male took over brooding the chicks. A few days later a game hen started to help him with the chicks odd enough.