Troubling Times

Double Dots, my three year old Golden Comet rooster

A couple of weeks ago, a troubling thing happened.

I was standing in the barnyard observing my flock, as I am prone to do. Pavelle had her babies outside and I wanted to get pictures. Also, as I am prone to do.

The chickens were milling around about me, as they are prone to do.

I was holding my phone, paying more attention to Pavelle and her babies than anything else, when sudden my I heard flapping of wings and felt bird feet on the back of my head. A couple of seconds later, my head rooster, Dots, goes flying over top my head and lands on the ground next to me.

He flew at my head.

It was puzzling, to say the least. Was he attacking me? Trying to perch on my shoulder or head?

Needless to say I’ve been a little (a lot) more mindful of where he is in the barnyard when I am down there now.

And then… Yesterday it happened again. I was in the barnyard with my daughter, watching the chickens. She was holding her favorite hen. Dots was behind us on the barn stairs and suddenly starts flapping his wings and launches himself at me. He did not connect this time or get as high off the ground. But my Girl witnessed it and needless to say, we were both shocked.

This is a rooster I have raised from a baby. He usuallyets me pick him up, cuddle him, let him. He comes to the sound of his name. If I sit on the steps, he has been known to come and sit on my lap.

So, I ask myself, “what is going on with my handsome man?” Have I done something? Is he jealous of my attention paid to the younger roosters? Is he confused because I have lost 96 lbs and no longer look like the Mom who raised him?

Or is this a change in hormones or temperament?

He’s three years old, though and in that time, he has never been a bad rooster. He still is letting me pick him up and carrying him. Still likes pets, neck rubs and water massages.

I just don’t know what to make of this. I hope I don’t have to make a hard decision.

3 thoughts on “Troubling Times

  1. Oh no, Dots!!! That is most shocking! 😦 At least he’s not attacking you viciously, but still. He is attempting to claim dominance over you. What I would do is what I now do for my roosters every so often regardless of their temperament and behaviour: catch him and hold him down low to the ground between your knees, gently patting him, talking nicely to him and covering his eyes a bit if you feel like it. Keep him down low until he relaxes. You can test it out by releasing your hold a little. The trick is to hold them down long enough so that they stay crouched low on the ground until you walk away. This method is supposed to show them that you are the boss but at the same time you’re not going to hurt them; so you’re not a threat like another rooster is. I really hope he settles down for you. It is very disconcerting having a rooster with unknown intentions. 😐

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    1. I know! I am not afraid of him, and thankfully we have trimmed his Spurs recently enough that they are blunt. He is not pecking eitherz thank goodness. But the change itself is shocking. I was thinking of your Elrond last night and how he went rogue on you so quickly. I wonder what goes through their minds in those moments.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. That’s good. Yes, it is a shock. Having Elrond attack me was so scary, as he was big and got a lot of height up in the air. I couldn’t believe the way he just kept coming at me in the air when I tried to fend him off. But looking back, there would have been little signs of him wanting to be dominant that I didn’t pick up on. And I didn’t raise him, so I think that makes some difference too. I think Mr Bingley could have flipped on me towards the end, as I kept taking his egg-eating ladies away and he was crowing a lot when I was around. I just kept doing the holding him to the ground thing if he was crowing and eyeing me up too much. I do wonder what is going through their minds. If only we could have a rooster translator…

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