Teenage roos

[Bonecop]

Hi y'all! I'm not having any violence issues with my two roos, (19 and 16 weeks), but they are being different. My younger boy, Socks, would run to me and jump into my hands a week ago. Then, suddenly, he hardly lets me near him and squawks when I try to pick him up. The older roo, Grumpy, has been acting like this for a few weeks now. I have raised both from eggs, and they are friendly. Just stand-offish. When I sit with them, they get close to me, but I still can't pick them up.

Is this just a teenage thing that will go over? I don't have a son, so I have no experience with the male teenage years (I have a male cat, but, you know, cats...)

 

[DobieLover]

I don't have a son, so I have no experience with the male teenage years

Human behavior is nothing like chicken behavior.

You do not have two roosters. You have two cockerels just coming into sexual maturity. They are going to start behaving like sexually mature males. They will continue to develop their personalities as they continue to mature.
Roosters are hardwired to protect their flocks (from other males and give early warning predator alerts) and breed. They are prey animals so their instincts tell them to avoid predators. You are a predator.
If they want to come to you and jump in your, lap they will. I never force the issue with my birds. It stresses them.

 

[Bonecop]

Human behavior is nothing like chicken behavior.

You do not have two roosters. You have to cockerels just coming into sexual maturity. They are going to start behaving like sexually mature males. They will continue to develop their personalities as they continue to mature.
Roosters are hardwired to protect their flocks (from other males and give early warning predator alerts) and breed. They are prey animals so their instincts tell them to avoid predators. You are a predator.
If they want to come to you and jump in your, lap they will. I never force the issue with my birds. It stresses them.

Thanks! I understand that. I don't force them, only offer. I was wondering if this will go back to the way it was. I see people with super tame adult roosters all the time, so is this just a period or is there something more I need to do than just hanging with them? They do enjoy my company as long as I don't pet them.

For the record, they are the last of my chicks, so they are a bachelor pair. I'm keeping them until I get hens, but we don't have a large enough pen yet. My husband is going to build one over the winter in preparation for the new batch.

 

[Sussex19]

Chickens definitely do go though a teenage phase, and they can get standoffish then.
Some will go back to how they were before, but others will stay that way.
Personally, I think its good for them to be a bit more skittish around that time, as you don't want a cockerel to be to much 'in you face' when hormones start going wild. Just take them as they come, and as long as there is no aggression there's nothing to worry about, or do.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Human behavior is nothing like chicken behavior.

Au contraire. I read the news pages in the morning.

On the subject of the more civilized species, they are maturing and developing their view of the world. Let them do so and enjoy the spectacle.

 

[DobieLover]

Au contraire. I read the news pages in the morning.