DO ROOSTERS GIVE PRESENTS?

[Bella Roo]

I've never had (well, kept) a rooster before. I have Bella, a young frizzle (3 months old) who was very cuddly until he began puberty and is now kind of a jerk (Bella Roo). I pull his tail feathers and pin him if I have to- this all starting after he began biting me and not letting go... He's pretty well behaving now, though I have to give a good foot stomp in his direction or pin him on occasion, or hold him and "force love upon him", which he detests but it makes me laugh... This is nothing compared to past
roosters, and he was my favorite, so I haven't given up on him and want to do everything right that I can to promote a healthy relationship. If not, then I'll eat him.

Anyways, one thing we do for fun is: I go "bock bock bock bock bock" and he will go "BACH!!!!"
Yesterday I was videoing him after he came looking for the little Silkie hen Lilo, who was in my lap. I began our little exchange and on the second round he surprised me by jumping on the step next to me, sideways to me, began a fast clucking noise which increased as he picked up a rock and thrust his head up tall and proud, clucking with his rock in his beak all the while... then he dropped it and wondered off as I laughed in surprise.
Two of my friends say he was "gifting me". But why?
One says it's because he sees me as dominant and is appeasing me. The other had a rooster that gifted things to his hens... I certainly don't want Bella Roo to consider me one of his flock!
Has anyone else experienced this?
I do have a video if I can figure out how to load it...

 

[GitaBooks]

Welcome to BYC!

A rooster loves to call hens to him and pretend he has something real special for them. He may do it with a nesting site, with food, or sometimes just with a rock (that he is pretending is food). My roosters do the same clucking to call their hens over, and all the hens come running! Its a similar sound that a hen makes to call her chicks.

I make the sound to call my chickens to me, like a mother calling her chicks, but I don't think they have ever made it back. Could he have been calling the hen in your lap?

Best of luck!

 

[Bella Roo]

I appreciate the welcome!! I've been a "Backyard Chicken" stalker long enough...

And thank you for your input! That actually makes perfect sense. And makes me very happy actually; being the silky, Lilo is so tiny and is often left behind the rest of the flock and doesn't always realize they've left her. I was thrilled that he came seeking her, and now that he went the extra mile to get her attention. Maybe that explains why he was a little more challenging towards me this morning, as well...

 

[aart]

haha... great story...agrees he was gifting the hen in your lap.