Why do my cockerel crow at me and also when I'm not around??

[blackmulberry]

Hi, guys! I hope you could help me to understand my big baby. I have 3 4 months old chickens. Auri grow too much bigger (3,2kg) than Sol (1,6kg) and Ébano (1,6kg). Auri crows every morning until I let him out. He tries to bite me and stomps his feet at me. He makes a strange sound as if he's grumbling when we humans approach him.

Ok, I think he's trying to show he's the boss here, but he still loves sitting on my legs, he cleans himself near me and he let me hug him too. This week, I was laying on the floor and he jumped ON me and started CROWING while standing on my back!! It was sincerely ridiculous. I can't understand why he's doing it without attacking me.

When I go work and he perceives I'm not around, he starts crowing too. I'm getting mixing signals. Can someone please help me to understand him better? Does he need a hen? My Sol is such small pullet and she hates it when he tries to grab her. Mom loves her more than Auri and said if he's going to be violent he'll be sent to my father's farm. I don't want it 'cause dad only feed corn to his chickens!!

 

[SourRoses]

Your cockerel sees you as competition. In other words, he wants to destroy you, in his tiny chicken mind.
I don't say this to hurt your feelings, but to be realistic.
You can't force someone/thing to care about you. Not with all the love in all the world. They either like you or they don't.

Your aggressive cockerel is going to turn into a mean, mean rooster. You are in danger from him, especially when you do stuff like lay on the floor or let him climb on you.
Many people have lost vision or even an eye from chicken attacks. At least one man in recent years died when his roosters spur cut an artery in his leg.
Send him to the family farm before he hurts someone. If it helps you to think about it this way, he's more likely to survive if he doesn't have the chance to injure someone. Because if he does, the adults would likely make soup out of him.

 

[blackmulberry]

Your cockerel sees you as competition. In other words, he wants to destroy you, in his tiny chicken mind.
I don't say this to hurt your feelings, but to be realistic.
You can't force someone/thing to care about you. Not with all the love in all the world. They either like you or they don't.

Your aggressive cockerel is going to turn into a mean, mean rooster. You are in danger from him, especially when you do stuff like lay on the floor or let him climb on you.
Many people have lost vision or even an eye from chicken attacks. At least one man in recent years died when his roosters spur cut an artery in his leg.
Send him to the family farm before he hurts someone. If it helps you to think about it this way, he's more likely to survive if he doesn't have the chance to injure someone. Because if he does, the adults would likely make soup out of him.

In fact, they probably won't, since I'm an adult myself and it's me that actually feed them... It's kind of sad since I grow him since he was a chick. Isn't there really no other way? I'm trying to feed him from my hand and also picking him from the floor a lot. He behaves well when I pick him... and even let me wash his dirty feet.

 

[FrostRanger]

Are these the only 2 birds you have? 1 male to 1 female is not a good ratio for chickens. He will likely overbreed her badly. Generally you want about 10 hens per rooster although I would certainly go no fewer than 6. It's also not good for her to be alone. I would get rid of the cockerel - he's not shaping up to be a nice rooster at all - and get a few more pullets for company for your girl (at least 2 more should be good).

Edit: reread and you said you have 3. In that case just get rid of the cockerel

 

[Mrs. K]

Sitting on you, crowing on top of you are all signs of dominance. Fluffing up, jumping up on things to make him taller, excessive crowing are all very aggressive signs.

As you are an adult, you can decide. But I too, think this is going to get much worse, and he will be attacking you or others soon. Also with just a pair of hens - not a great combination.

I think he is sending you signals that this is going to get much worse. I too, agree with Frost ranger - send him to your dads.

Mrs K

 

[blackmulberry]

Are these the only 2 birds you have? 1 male to 1 female is not a good ratio for chickens. He will likely overbreed her badly. Generally you want about 10 hens per rooster although I would certainly go no fewer than 6. It's also not good for her to be alone. I would get rid of the cockerel - he's not shaping up to be a nice rooster at all - and get a few more pullets for company for your girl (at least 2 more should be good).

Edit: reread and you said you have 3. In that case just get rid of the cockerel

Hello! Thank you for your reply! That's right. I have an Ayam Cemani (which is in my photo) and a yellow one. I don't know what is her breed but she's very friendly and is always running to me. My Cemani too. I'm kind of heart broken for Auri, my big cockerel, but I think you are right. He attacked my Cemani today and I found a lot of his feathers while I was in the gym. I felt very sad. Do you think I should eventually get another pullet for my Cemani, since it will be two birds?

 

[FrostRanger]

I would get some more pullets, 2 birds is the absolute minimum but if one gets sick and needs to be separated or dies you'll have a lone bird

 

[blackmulberry]

Sitting on you, crowing on top of you are all signs of dominance. Fluffing up, jumping up on things to make him taller, excessive crowing are all very aggressive signs.

As you are an adult, you can decide. But I too, think this is going to get much worse, and he will be attacking you or others soon. Also with just a pair of hens - not a great combination.

I think he is sending you signals that this is going to get much worse. I too, agree with Frost ranger - send him to your dads.

Mrs K

Thank you, Mrs K!
I talked to my dad and he agrees with you. He said he won't get any better. He will not have as good life quality there as here, since I treat them as pets, but he'll meet many hens and will have to struggle for a position within my dad's two other roosters. Well, with only 4 months he looks already like a rooster himself... I don't know if he's a breed created by EMBRAPA (brazilian agricultural research corporation) or if he's a Balão Sertanejo, a brazilian breed...

Anyway, keeping my yellow one and my Cemani safe is my priority. Do you think they could live ok together? Should I get myself another pullet?

 

[blackmulberry]

I would get some more pullets, 2 birds is the absolute minimum but if one gets sick and needs to be separated or dies you'll have a lone bird

Got it! I'll get at least one more pullet. It's a bit difficult to have many since I brought them as pets... even though we have a spacious backyard and no predator at all, I don't have the intention of getting more of them for now since I wish to move from my mother's... I still don't know if in two years I'll live in a house or in an appartment.