The Old Folks Home

[Arielle]

I have a number of roosters, like 15+, and they generally mind their manners with each other; occasional disputes and confrontations, with plenty of running room to negotiate territory. Only ONE bugger attacks us and we are learning how to not provoke an attack. Overall, the boys have a variety of mating behaviors; most are pretty rough, only a rare few are very gentle with the ladies. From what I have seen, rough mating behavior is more common. ALso depends on the hen, some run like the wind and others just lay down. Just saying--a gentle wooing rooster isn't a typical rooster IMO.

 

[Stumpy]

Cynthia, your poor sister! So far he hasn't attacked a person, but he (Henry) grabs the girls by the back of the neck so roughly. Sometimes it seems he does it when I come around and pay attention to the girls. A couple of women came to visit today who have had chickens for years and they confirmed my suspicion, that another of my chickens (Margaret) is also a roo.

I've never butchered anything and I can't bring myself to do it to two of the only three chicks I've ever raised. I'll have to wait and see how things develop and probably get rid of Henry first.

 

[Wisher1000]

I think alot depends on the opportunities available. The meanest roo I have had so far was number two in rank. He couldn't mate a hen gently for several reasons. First, everytime he tried to woo a hen the number one roo would attack him. Secondly, the hens favored number one and wouldn't submit to number two. Thirdly, the hens would chase him and that would set off number one who would join the chase and jump on poor number two when he caught him (and he always caught him!) The number three roo would keep a low profile and was able to mate the hens pretty often. Number two was so frantic to mate and so frustrated that he would attach the hens and hold them down so he could do it as quickly as possible before number one got to them. He also started taking his frustrations out on the humans and that is when he messed up. He is no longer part of the roo ranking at our place.

 

[Bunnylady]

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had a bantam Cochin roo that would sometimes attack my feet. My knee-jerk reaction to an animal coming after me is to strike back, so this rooster took a few "unscheduled flights" courtesy of my foot - but I wondered, why some times and not others? Finally it hit me. Among my maternity clothes, I had a red corduroy jumper that I frequently wore. Apparently, the sight of that much red was more than this guy could bear, and he'd go after me when I wore it. Who knew a chicken could be a member of the fashion police? Once I'd figured it out, I knew to watch this chicken when I went into the pen with the Cochins on the days that I wore that red jumper. After getting kicked a few times, this bird had learned not to launch frontal attacks, but would try to sneak around behind me and come at me from behind. Fortunately, he was one of only two white birds in the flock, and it wasn't hard to keep track of him out of the corner of my eye. I'd see him sneaking around, trying to get behind me, turn to face him, and say, "And just what do you think you're doing?" He'd be like, "Who me? Nothin'! I'm not doing anything, Whatever makes you think I'm doing something?" And he'd quickly walk away trying to look like attacking me was the furthest thing from his little bird brain.

 

[Stumpy]

Sneaky.

 

[Cynthia12]

I think alot depends on the opportunities available. The meanest roo I have had so far was number two in rank. He couldn't mate a hen gently for several reasons. First, everytime he tried to woo a hen the number one roo would attack him. Secondly, the hens favored number one and wouldn't submit to number two. Thirdly, the hens would chase him and that would set off number one who would join the chase and jump on poor number two when he caught him (and he always caught him!) The number three roo would keep a low profile and was able to mate the hens pretty often. Number two was so frantic to mate and so frustrated that he would attach the hens and hold them down so he could do it as quickly as possible before number one got to them. He also started taking his frustrations out on the humans and that is when he messed up. He is no longer part of the roo ranking at our place.

Laughing at the first and middle part..the last part, not so much. What a combination of things going on for a rooster to be able to mate!

 

[Cynthia12]

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had a bantam Cochin roo that would sometimes attack my feet. My knee-jerk reaction to an animal coming after me is to strike back, so this rooster took a few "unscheduled flights" courtesy of my foot - but I wondered, why some times and not others? Finally it hit me. Among my maternity clothes, I had a red corduroy jumper that I frequently wore. Apparently, the sight of that much red was more than this guy could bear, and he'd go after me when I wore it. Who knew a chicken could be a member of the fashion police? Once I'd figured it out, I knew to watch this chicken when I went into the pen with the Cochins on the days that I wore that red jumper. After getting kicked a few times, this bird had learned not to launch frontal attacks, but would try to sneak around behind me and come at me from behind. Fortunately, he was one of only two white birds in the flock, and it wasn't hard to keep track of him out of the corner of my eye. I'd see him sneaking around, trying to get behind me, turn to face him, and say, "And just what do you think you're doing?" He'd be like, "Who me? Nothin'! I'm not doing anything, Whatever makes you think I'm doing something?" And he'd quickly walk away trying to look like attacking me was the furthest thing from his little bird brain.

I know those chickens are smart! I think we all know that by now. Sometimes we have to show them whose boss, and it isn't always a rooster. I've had a few hens that I had to straighten out. What's up with that? Not even the head of the flock, but wanted to be boss of me. Me! the one that feeds the mouth. Oh no you don't!

 

[Wisher1000]

Cynthia- LOL! Not to worry about us humans, we can hold our own. The number two roo now has a new home with hens of his own breed, no other roos to contend with and is not giving his new owners any problems. After he left, I hatched some Campine eggs in the bator and have just realized that the resulting chicks are likely his and I have an UGLY BO cross cockeral that I think is his as well! So he was successful with two hens, at least!

 

[dsqard]

I also have a roo who is rough with the girls because he is not number one or two. Right now he is number three. I call him Squirrel because he runs around all day looking for his opportunity. The funny thing is, if he would just settle down a bit and woo the ladies, he would have a much better go at it. Number one and number two don't really mind so much if he mates it is when he gets the girls squawking that usually brings number two around to chase him off. I did have to laugh yesterday though. Tom is about as laid back as you can get for a turkey. He doesn't usually retaliate even when the chickens pull a feather from him. Yesterday, apparently Randy (number one roo) had done something and Tom had enough. He chased Randy around for about half an hour. Randy wound up on top of one of my feed cans to hide.

 

[Arielle]

I also have a roo who is rough with the girls because he is not number one or two. Right now he is number three. I call him Squirrel because he runs around all day looking for his opportunity. The funny thing is, if he would just settle down a bit and woo the ladies, he would have a much better go at it. Number one and number two don't really mind so much if he mates it is when he gets the girls squawking that usually brings number two around to chase him off. I did have to laugh yesterday though. Tom is about as laid back as you can get for a turkey. He doesn't usually retaliate even when the chickens pull a feather from him. Yesterday, apparently Randy (number one roo) had done something and Tom had enough. He chased Randy around for about half an hour. Randy wound up on top of one of my feed cans to hide.