What is my rooster doing to my hand?

[BigBlueHen53]

he in fact.. in love with me...?

Apologies in advance, as I'm going to get a little philosophical here. I do not believe roosters mate hens because they are "in love with" them. (I assume you're wondering if this is mating behavior.) Nor do I believe they mate, or breed "to perpetuate the species" or "propagate their genes," at least not in their minds. Breeding is strictly hormonally driven, they do it because they have to, in the same sense that they eat because they are hungry. Because you have handled this cockerel since he was a chick - and he is a cockerel, not a rooster - he sees you as part of the flock. Therefore you fall into one of two categories: rival or potential mate. The way he grasped your hand is the way he would grasp a female he intends to mate, IMO. If you don't allow that, you become the Other - a rival. And as such (again, IMO) he is going to start trying to get rid of you - by chasing, flogging and challenging you with no holds barred. It could get ugly. One of you will have to go.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I could be wrong. That's why I said IMO - In My Opinion.

 

[RandaShea]

A rather painful grab can be how a young cockerel tries to initiate mating. Looks like what mine try on the pullets and hens when they are starting out. If he's annoyed with me vs. amorous it is a quick pinch, not a grab and hold.

Can you take video? I don't think this boy is aggressive yet but probably imprinted and thinks you are a sexual option. I've had roosters that always saw me like this, but it never turned into flogging and true aggression.

I do have a video but I dont think it will let me upload it, in my opinion it looked like he was trying to mount my hand

 

[The Moonshiner]

Apologies in advance, as I'm going to get a little philosophical here. I do not believe roosters mate hens because they are "in love with" them. (I assume you're wondering if this is mating behavior.) Nor do I believe they mate, or breed "to perpetuate the species" or "propagate their genes," at least not in their minds. Breeding is strictly hormonally driven, they do it because they have to, in the same sense that they eat because they are hungry. Because you have handled this cockerel since he was a chick - and he is a cockerel, not a rooster - he sees you as part of the flock. Therefore you fall into one of two categories: rival or potential mate. The way he grasped your hand is the way he would grasp a female he intends to mate, IMO. If you don't allow that, you become the Other - a rival. And as such (again, IMO) he is going to start trying to get rid of you - by chasing, flogging and challenging you with no holds barred. It could get ugly. One of you will have to go.

Or couldn't they just allow it?

 

[RandaShea]

Apologies in advance, as I'm going to get a little philosophical here. I do not believe roosters mate hens because they are "in love with" them. (I assume you're wondering if this is mating behavior.) Nor do I believe they mate, or breed "to perpetuate the species" or "propagate their genes," at least not in their minds. Breeding is strictly hormonally driven, they do it because they have to, in the same sense that they eat because they are hungry. Because you have handled this cockerel since he was a chick - and he is a cockerel, not a rooster - he sees you as part of the flock. Therefore you fall into one of two categories: rival or potential mate. The way he grasped your hand is the way he would grasp a female he intends to mate, IMO. If you don't allow that, you become the Other - a rival. And as such (again, IMO) he is going to start trying to get rid of you - by chasing, flogging and challenging you with no holds barred. It could get ugly. One of you will have to go.

Yes I know animals dont experience "love" I was just being dramatic.. he's just always been a lover boy when he sees me that it caught me off guard

 

[RandaShea]

Or couldn't they just allow it?

As long as he isn't being aggressive, I'm not getting rid of him.. I would rather have a rooster that thinks I'm his mate, then a rooster trying to attack me everyday.. and IMO (i've had a mean rooster before, last year) I'll take the lover boy ANY DAY

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Upload video to YouTube, Vimeo or such then post the link to it here.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Or couldn't they just allow it?

You lost me, Moony. Who allow what? Oh, the owner allow the hand grab? Well sure, I guess . .. until it escalates.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You lost me, Moony. Who allow what? Oh, the owner allow the hand grab? Well sure, I guess . .. until it escalates.

I mean ... do you really want a rooster mating with your hand? Not you... the OP. I wouldn't.

 

[CoopBoots]

I mean ... do you really want a rooster mating with your hand? Not you... the OP. I wouldn't.

Haha! For the record, my amorous boy eventually settled down. He rarely grabbed my arms or hands after a little while. Then he settled for shoes/ankles, and never got aggressive when I (understandably) yelped and pushed him off. Ow. Not to mention ew.

As he matured, even that behavior mostly went away, and he restricted himself to mating chases, wing dances, and just hanging out with me. He had lots of actual hens around so I'm sure that helped.

I can't guarantee every rooster will turn out this way but he ended up a great little buddy to me. I'd be more concerned with how he might treat other humans later on...