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It’s all about balance. When the rooster climbs on top of the hen to fertilize her, he places his paws on the female’s half-opened wings. To better balance and complete mating, he needs a third support point so he doesn’t fall. “It’s a bit like trying to climb a ladder without using your hands”, says veterinarian José Roberto Bottura, from the APA. As the rooster really doesn’t have arms and hands, the way out is to use the beak to hold on to the poor fellow’s head feathers. “The pecks don’t usually hurt the hen, except in cases where the male is extremely aggressive”, says José Roberto. After a few weeks of active sex life, however, some hens may reject a suitor’s «flirt» on account of having a slightly bruised head. When this occurs, the rooster ends up imposing itself by force.