What is my rooster doing?

[greggooo]

Hopefully he is just shook up and on high alert. The flaring of head and neck feathers usually comes just prior to attack. When noticed It needs to be corrected before getting to the jumping and spurring. A startle or misdirection sometimes works, backing down or running away makes him the winner and promotes the behavior. There are a few different opinions on handling roosters. From pinning him as another dominate roo would do, smacking him back with single swift shot as he comes at you, just to snap him out of it or locking him up away from anyone he may try to assert his dominance toward. The big thing is not to freak out and back off or use your feet or legs to kick out or block as that just initiated a fight by simulating another roo kicking it's feet up. Just keep in mind that if this continues as he matures getting bigger harder Spurs and better technique a rooster can cause serious injury. Good luck and I hope he is just on edge from the hawk experience.

I hope so. He didn't puff up his neck feathers like i have seen him do when they run around and puff up at each other. I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt this time and make a plan just in case...

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... My rooster wouldn't stop crowing at one of my friends, the woman in the video. Then looks like he's running at her. What's that about?... she had just finished giving them treats. Was he into her? Did he wants her to be his new hen? Didn't like her boots? Thank goodness his spurs are still tiny...

Roosters, in fact most male birds engage in feeding behavior. It is hard to say what's on a roosters' mind but I suspect that he sees your friend as a rival for the affection of your hens simply because she fed or doled out treats, which the rooster sees as his job.

 

[greggooo]

Roosters, in fact most male birds engage in feeding behavior. It is hard to say what's on a roosters' mind but I suspect that he sees your friend as a rival for the affection of your hens simply because she fed or doled out treats, which the rooster sees as his job.

That's interesting. He HAS been making a big deal about picking food up and telling the hens that he found it for them. And then just putting it back on the ground for them.

 

[chickens really]

I never let my Birds out with inexperienced people...My Rooster has never been aggressive although I do not trust him either..Birds are excellent at reading people's posture and manners..I usually carry a white pail with water and a grey pail with feed...I carried an orange pail one day and my Rooster flogged the pail...Being he is young, hopefully it does not mean your Rooster is becoming aggressive...

 

[Chickassan]

Its possible he just doesn't care for her.

 

[sourland]

@bobbi-j has provided a good article by Beekissed. I generally agree with most of what Beekissed says, but I have found that subordination works on some roosters. Forcing them to the ground and holding them there firmly, repeating until they give up - scooping them up and carrying them around in a short handled fishing net - anything that takes their control away. You are bigger than him don't let him get away with any BS, and don't let him loose when children or strangers are around.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's hard to say exactly what was going on. It is aggressive behavior but I don't know if it was caused by her behaviors, they can detect if someone is nervous around them. It's very possible you hit the cause in the first post, it may have been something about her boots or how she was dressed. There are several posts on here where people have problems with a rooster when they wear certain colors or certain shoes. Since he did not bother anyone else it was probably something about her specifically that got his attention.

Since he is still a fairly young cockerel it's possible he's pretty hyped upon hormones. That hawk attack may still have him on edge. It's possible he will grow out of that mode but I personally would not keep him since you don't know what set him off. At the very least be very careful with other people and especially kids.

 

[chickens really]

I finally watched the video....She had her hands in pockets and tossed her hair, then turned her back to him and he attacked..Second clip she was nervous and turned her back to walk away...He attacked her again but really ran at her when she started yelling...He is a Rooster/Cockerel..Her behaviour was all wrong..Keep him confined when people come to visit..

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I don’t think your rooster liked your friends movements.

 

[chickens really]

I don’t think your rooster liked your friends movements.

Exactly why people that do not know how to interact with livestock and especially males of certain species should stay away from them...