Is it bad to look a rooster straight in the eyes?

[santas_little_helper]

I've had my rooster since he was a chick. I think he likes me.He hasn't pecked me since he became an adult roo. I often pick him up and look him straight in the face and show him affection, and he gets really still and stares at my face.But I heard that eye contact with rooster can challenge it and cause aggression, is it real? And why does he stare at me so still when I lift him up?

 

[AGstudy]

I think that looking any animal in the eye shows that you have no fear of them. If you consider your own chickens' pecking order, the dominant birds look and strut toward birds lower than themselves, and those birds shy away. So, I would think that looking a rooster in the eye would be expressing some type of dominance.

Personally, I always look my roosters in the eye. I think it is important for them to know that I am head rooster and I am protecting and caring for them, they are merely helpers.

I have 2 roos and one cock. I have a rooster that imprinted on me and he has always kind of watched me, more closely as an adult. He stares for long lengths of time. I think he is trying to understand me. He is a total people pleaser. If a hen makes a fuss when I pick her up he comes over and pecks her on the head. There is one hen that he bullies. He has gotten much better, but I caught him the other day going to peck her on the comb. I ordered him "Bravo, No!" And he halted his plans and just looked at me. Then he tried again. This repeated maybe 4 times. Eventually, I said "Bravo, there is a space up there." And I pointed to the perch above him. "Go up there." And I'm not kidding you. He jumped up there! I was very suprised, but he seems to be far more aware of what I want than everyone else.

Now my other rooster never paid any attention to me and spent all his efforts feeding the women. When he reached 5-6mos and he started that watching behavior, he also started standing with an aggresive posture. After a few weeks of this he started attacking my legs and flying at my face. He went into immediate rooster training.

Both roosters (1.5years) and now the young cock stare at me, but so do some of the hens and the guineas.

 

[McChooky]

My rooster is comfortable around me and enjoys watching me build things out of lumber when they free range. He normally keeps his distance and never approaches me when I feed or water them or gather the eggs in the coop.He doesn't like petted or picked up.He's not a pet but will eat out of my hand if I don't stare at him

 

[Mrs. K]

I think a lot of people misinterpret when a bird goes still in your arms. When being attacked, once a prey is captured they go completely still. For some predators the excitement of the fight, is what is needed for the kill. So it is a self defense instinct, not so much this is a safe place to be.

The stink eye is a glare that is a signal a bird is considering the odds of taking you on.

I look at my chickens, but don’t stare.

 

[McChooky]

My rooster is comfortable around me and enjoys watching me build things out of lumber when they free range. He normally keeps his distance and never approaches me when I feed or water them or gather the eggs in the coop.He doesn't like petted or picked up.He's not a pet but will eat out of my hand if I don't stare at him

Weird how my comment reads "He's a pet" until you click on reply Then it says "He's not a pet" Welcome to the Matrix folks! Keep your glasses on !Happy Saturday!

 

[Sally PB]

Direct, prolonged eye contact with any animal might be construed as a challenge or a threat. It can also depend on the relationship between the two.

Even between humans. It can become a case of "What you lookin at?" and escalate from there. So much depends on the circumstances.

 

[Shadrach]

It's all about the vibe. Just like hens always seem to know if your going to try and grab them, roosters can feel your intent in much the same way. Our aura for want of a better word is visible to most creatures even humans although we are getting less and less practiced at picking these things up.
Eye contact shouldn't be a problem whereas trying to stare down a rooster might prove to be.

 

[AGeese]

My little cockrell is coming of age, he's a Sumatra that's supposed to be good around people according to Meyer Hatchery, and has been so far.

The other day I caught him heading toward me in the corner of my eye so I whirled around and touched him on the wing before he knew what happened, turned tail and headed off.

No probs since.