When will my cockerel protect the flock?

[Kelliejanine]

So this is my first time having chickens. At the moment we have 10. The cockerel is 5 months old but doesn’t seem to understand or be aware of danger. We live in a rural area with hawks, falcons, etc. He doesn’t even seem to care when the falcons and hawks are circling above. They seem clueless. We also had a cat sitting in the years next to them and they didn’t even see it or again realize it’s a threat. Is this due to his age and inexperience? Do they not learn until an attack happens?

 

[sourland]

In my experience most fowl have an instinctive fear of flying predators more than of mammalian predators. Understand that depending upon breed and temperament the most protection your cockerel/rooster may provide is as a warning system. Many make it back into the hen house before the hens.

 

[Kessel23]

He should be making alarm calls for the hawks by now. Like sourland said it is instinctive for them to have the fear. My roosters do it when they hear flapping or see a shadow, or a leaf blowing in the wind, and lots of other things.

Here is a video of my broody hen, she shakes her feathers at around 0:12 seconds in and the rooster responds with an alarm.

 

[Kelliejanine]

He is a Rhode Island Red and he does crow but maybe I’m not understanding what he “should be doing”. I assumed he would set off a warning and I’d see them all run to the coop. But I haven’t seen that. They do walk around as a flock so I’d imagine he must be in some sort of control. Is it possible they might hide under my trees instead of going to their coop? I just never see them actually do anything when the hawks are out, it seems strange but maybe I’m not giving him the opportunity if I run out too soon. Thanks for the info

 

[chickens really]

Definitely too young to protect Hens yet. He needs to mature..Generally around 9 months the hormones get high enough for him to start acting like a Rooster. Although not mature till over a year old.

 

[Fishkeeper]

They walk around in a flock because chickens are flock birds, not because of the rooster. You're gonna have to warn them about hawks for now, he'll take over eventually if he's a good roo.

 

[SueT]

My rooster is just a year old this weekend. Last month, when he was 11 months, a hawk grabbed one of the bantam hens and he charged at it, making it let go. The hawk flew away when I ran out the door. The hen and rooster were fine, I am not convinced everyone would have survived this had I not appeared. It is said that many roosters sacrifice themselves. It may have taken this event to make him and the flock aware of the danger from above.

 

[Kelliejanine]

Definitely too young to protect Hens yet. He needs to mature..Generally around 9 months the hormones get high enough for him to start acting like a Rooster. Although not mature till over a year old.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Fishkeeper]

I don't think any roosters intentionally sacrifice themselves. They just attack threats that they can't beat. Remember, the goal of any animal is to continue its genes, and a rooster with a large flock of ladies will make more babies than a rooster whose flock gets eaten. A roo who dies fighting a predator, especially in non-domesticated birds that have a breeding season instead of laying year-round, will have way fewer babies.

 

[Kelliejanine]

They walk around in a flock because chickens are flock birds, not because of the rooster. You're gonna have to warn them about hawks for now, he'll take over eventually if he's a good roo.

Thanks, I’ll keep doing what I have been. I’m hoping he will be a good Roo one day lol