What the heck is this craziness?

[Agsgranik]

Rooster just spent some time hiding in a bush, making strange noises. After about 10 minutes one of the hens came to check on him. He got up and followed her back to the flock and they all went off together into the woods. ?!?!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Awwwww! He is calling hens to a spot he decided is a good place for a nest.

They came and told him to try again.

 

[MarkJr]

He’s showing acceptable nest spots I believe.
Had a cockerel that did that in my hay barn. Within a couple days I had eggs in the hay. Under the trailer. In the shop overhang.

Locked them up to reset. Caught cockerel making more suggestions and the pullets abliging. Wound up locking them up for ten days straight. Ultimately he got spunky with humans so was turned to dumplings.

 

[Agsgranik]

Oh that makes sense! I’ll have a good stern talk with him to stop trying to mislead the hens. Nesting boxes are just fine, thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

Same as when my husband would send me a link on Realtor.com a couple years ago.

"Honey, what do you think of this one?"

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Rooster just spent some time hiding in a bush, making strange noises. After about 10 minutes one of the hens came to check on him. He got up and followed her back to the flock and they all went off together into the woods. ?!?!

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

I believe these folks are correct and have hit the behavior on the head. It's both endearing and yet so frustrating! Cool that you caught it on camera. Thank you for sharing!

Locked them up to reset. Caught cockerel making more suggestions and the pullets abliging. Wound up locking them up for ten days straight. Ultimately he got spunky with humans so was turned to dumplings.

This has been my approximate experience as well.. just waiting to see if one or both of my two boys will be be coming to supper any time soon. Both have tested me at different points but mostly toed the line well enough after correction, by my not over reacting or kicking at them but responding quickly and confidently none the less.. most recently grabbing them up and pulling on the back of the neck feathers since that's kinda what they do to each other.. I'm not becoming part of the pecking order yet still (attempting) to communicate in a manner they can comprehend that doesn't escalate things. Once correction has been made.. and bird has calmed down.. they are sat facing away. They usually practice avoidance IF possible.. if I force them to act stupidly, I would take that into consideration. Sorry.. kinda off topic. That's cockerels, I expect these guys that search out nest *MIGHT* become fantastic roosters one day.. and I hope to find out, as a good ROOSTER is such a blessing to an entire flock!

We have been on lock up in a brand new coop for 11 days now.. and I've only gotten 2 eggs from 4 Bielefelder pullets @ 33 weeks old.. about 12 hours of daylight currently. I was very impressed with carcass and growth rate but not so much in laying department YET. Days are only getting shorter, my new incubator arrived yesterday, and my fridge is only a dozen eggs strong. Boo hoo, what can ya do! Practice patience.

 

[aart]

My birds are confined, and the cock still does this on occasion in a corner of the coop.
They ignore him and lay in the proper nests.

 

[Crazy Fun Chicken Lady]

This is great. I will keep an eye out to make sure my roos don't get any ideas. Thanks

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Love the video--so handsome. He's even nested down like, "See? Look how comfortable this spot is." I think this behavior is one of the coolest things about having roosters. Just like he'll find treats for his flock, he looks for safe spaces for them to set.

My ladies are like @aart 's: they ignore the cockerel's suggestions and go to the nesting boxes. I've not needed to confine him (or make him a dumpling). Sometimes it looks like they're shopping for furniture: he keeps pointing out spots he likes, and she's like, "Yeah, I'm going over here."

Unlike @aart , my birds aren't completely confined. They have a 2K-square-foot yard with lots of hidey holes, but they still go to the nesting boxes.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Awwwww! He is calling hens to a spot he decided is a good place for a nest.

They came and told him to try again.

ya, the hens have standards! That roosters spot doesn’t live up to them!