Why is this bad???

[dandydoodle]

I have a roo that is about 5 months old, he puffs up and dances next to me. He has never flogged or bit me. I was talking about it on hear and someone told me that this is really bad but, they didn't say why. Why is it bad, does this behavior mean that he will probably start flogging or what does it mean?

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[Prisserbabe]

Wish i knew but ill take a guess... could he be getting ready to mate with you (try to mate)

 

[chickmashnoon]

It means he sees you as a threat and you are not dominant enough in his eyes that he needs to be gentle and nice, but yet you are high enough on the ladder to warrent his warning dance and possible attack. Fluffing his hackle feathers = chicken equivelant of a dogs' growl. there are a few threads on how to deal with this. I'd do a search and pick a method to nip this in the bud.

 

[Happy Chooks]

He thinks you are beneath him, and he's treating you like a hen. If you let it continue, it will lead to full flogging. A flogging happens super fast too.

 

[dandydoodle]

Oh so he thinks I am high enough on the ladder that he needs to warn me before attacking me? So he is warning me he is gonna attack me? So if they do this do they usually start flogging and biting?

 

[gryeyes]

What Happy Chooks said, better than I could have!

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Hi,

I am new at chickens too. I have a BO roo that is 6 months old.
I am still learning but I can give you my two cents worth.

The dancing the he does is what a roo does before he mounts a hen. In
terms of humans it could be a behavior that he is exhibiting because
he think that he is dominate over you.

If it were me I would make sure that he knows that you are the Alpha roo
and not him. Chickens do not understand commands but they do understand order.
I would start by giving him a firm but not hard kick to let him know that you are the
alpha roo. If you can pick him up and parade him around the hens. I have had
to take my roo and force his body to the ground and hold him there till
he submits. My roo has challenged me once, then when I tried these
tactics on him that I just mentioned he makes sure that he keeps
a good distance from me.

If I do feel that he is getting a little to comfortable with me I give him
a swipe with my foot and indicate to him that I am the Alpha.
So far no problems with him. In fact, when I am in the pen he
takes his position in the back till I leave.

Like I said, I am new to chickens and doing this for the first time.
This is what I have done and so far it is working.

Good luck.

 

[dandydoodle]

Oh so he thinks I am beneath him?

Quote:

 

[dandydoodle]

So I have another roo that is 6 months that started biting last week. He doesn't do the dance, what does this mean will he start flogging?

 

[debs_flock]

Yes, he thinks you are a subordinate member of the flock. He can dominate you, flog you, bully you. Not a good thing.

Deb