What does it mean when the rooster "dances"?

[cchapmanelectric]

I've recently had my roo go after my daughter who he doesn't know when she came in from out of town so I'm watching him closely.
He's shown "signs" of... Not really aggression but more of his 6-8 month adolescent behavior is showing he's attempting to dominate the yard.
Here's the reason I joined discussion today...
Just a few minutes ago, I was on the ground, belly down to get to the level of a few of the girls. I was talking nicely, peacefully and the roo wasn't far away. He was fine and then got close to me and my face to do this "dance". He dropped one wing (always his left one), "held it down" perse with his claw and did his little jumpy/side winding kind of dance close to me.
Now...
because I've been concerned about his hostility towards my 27 year old daughter who certainly showed fear made me want to do a little bit of soothing attitude adjustment with him.
I've been picking him up and petting him as he slowly calms to laying/sitting on my arm with a little resistance after a few minutes though, when opportunity arrives, he's OUTTA HERE?!

This morning I went a step further...
While holding him I found his "eyes closing" spot.
Rubbing the side of his face to his front of neck to the back neck rub and he actually closed his eyes with extreme comfort and didn't jump out of my arms as quickly.

Saying all of this because of the dance situation....
Do we suppose he was telling me "we're buddies now" with the dance or could he still be showing the want to attack? (Which he has never done to me but showed he could if I didn't teach him "I'm boss".....
Help

 

[cchapmanelectric]

Bunyberries,
I agree 100% what egghead mentioned.
I was having a bit of a "problem" with my young too. I had heard to pick him up, walk around your property, showing him off to the others as you ignore any behaviors of the flock other than the roo. Stroke him while talking to him in a soft, firm but soothing voice. Doing this will inform him that you are absolutely in charge and he is just a pet of yours. Mine went from aggressive behavior to obeying my commands if he begins aggression to any of my guests. (not always successful). At this point he will jump on my lap and sit. I will pet him, giving him neck and full body massages. Under the wings, lifting them up like in flight now kind of attention... kind of like he's becoming spoiled brat!
.

 

[cchapmanelectric]

One other word of advice is to pick him up with your palm under his body with both legs on outside of your hand. It makes him helpless

 

[analogue]

OK, so what if he is showing aggression? So what? it's not as if he's 200 lbs and could kill me. I don't worry about it- if he is aggressive, as long as he can't harm me, I won't give it a thought. There are some very, very expensive bulls- as in bovines, not chickies- that are aggressive. If every farmer culled each one that showed some beefiness, we'd have a lot of weakly, ill-bred cattle in this country. It isn't important to me who's "boss", or what the chicken thinks. I am bigger, I could kill it in an instant if I needed or wanted to, that is all that matters.

 

[Lizzy733]

My boys are coming of age in a month or two and I do hope I've raised them right. No signs of aggression so far and I have them all in bachelor accomodations out of sight of any hens.

I enforced a 1 meter 'zone' over the last month and use 'flipping' them as a disciplinary action - have done since hatch. They stand up to my hand or act jumpy, I grab them by the legs and hold them out till they calm down and yield. They then get scooped up for cuddles and I do not let them go until they've settled in.

They now know I can come up to them, but the should give me my space and this has been working out so far.

Is there a sudden switch when they're ready to mount or any behaviors I should keep an eye out for in the bachelor pen to know they're ready?

 

[Mika1940]

Don't be so sure it's always a sign of aggression.

Usually roos who are doing the sideways dance as a sign of aggression, will often come erect, open their wings and fly at you, known as "flogging".

I have a Buff Brahma roo Penrod, who does the side-ways dance whenever I bring him a treat. He then picks the first bite or two and offers it to me while honking his encouragement before eating any himself, behavior of a roo with a favorite hen.

The behaviors are very similar. If you spend time with your roo, you will soon learn what his true intentions are. To automatically assume this dance is aggressive is doing the roo a serious injustice, especially if you haul off and drop-kick him when he's just trying to let you know he's fond of you.

This true. This comment has been hear since 2012. As a new chicken mom (2020's) This true. If you're smart enough to understand your roosters behavior, you'll see the difference between aggression/dominance and excitement. Well. Actually if you're observing/learning and understanding roosters behaviour the no. 1 meaning of whatever you called it but for me It's dancing is excitement/fondness cuz you're around. They acknowledge you as one of they're favourite. I got 1 rooster raised from chick. I've witnessed all of his development from sweet chic to being cocky stage (attitude changing season where he literally going to peck my hand and won't let go until I lightly pinch his beak) and then now he's a 3 year old clingy rooster who always want my attention and cuddles. I've seen his moves and knew if he's happy or planning to attack. I never hurt him just to show that he should respect me. He respects me because I know all of his moves. He mostly attack if he doesn't like my clothes or footwear. Usually if rooster is planning to attack you their footsteps is a lot heavier and they look bigger (idk what's the right term but I'm talking when they look like a pompom because their feathers were all "standing? ") and most of the time they are quite. If happy, they dance and being so talkative. There's so many ways to tell if their being cocky when you're around. Not just the gesture. Sometimes the sounf they made will tell you if they are upset or happy. Then I got another roostwr, he looks like 1yr old or maybe just months old. Idk how he would react to me so I studied him whole day om his 1st day. He's lil bit shy (not afraid but he looks like he doesn't trust me. Idk how they caught but it looks like they made a rough strategy to catch him) 2nd day while giving him treats I tried to pick him up. He literally doing his best to avoid my hands. Next day he's still doing the same thing. When there are people around, he will go to the other side of his cage (it's spacious don't worry) but I still do my daily pick him up routine to introduce myself. 2nd week, he started to show excitement whenever he saw me coming. That was 4months ago. Now, he just won't stop dancing when I'm near him. He's so funny and loves to overreact about everything. So.. Yeah I hope people don't just listen for other lazy chicken owner's advice (lazy for understanding deeper the rooster behavior and look only or assume only that roosters will always mean) try to look for comments like this because considering what to believe. PROBLEMS NEED TO BE SOLVED not GETING RID OF IT!