Sigh. I was afraid this would be the common opinion. He isn't really super-aggressive - my 4 y.o. daughter scares him and he runs away from her- but I am starting to see a change from the snuggly chick that he was to a chicken that doesn't like to be handled as much anymore. We do bop him on the head a bit with a stern, "no pecking!" scolding when he tries pecking at anyone, and he does back down, but I can't see that being a long-term solution. I have been talking to my oldest daughter about doing away with him. She got mad at me at first, but I think she may be coming around to the idea now that he is not as willing to sit in her lap and let her pet him. All the same, I don't think I'll tell her where the chicken stew came from when the time comes.
Sorry. He is young now, and was thought to be a pullet, right? He will only become larger, with bigger spurs over time. Spurs have to be whirled off every once in a while because they can actually interfere with the rooster's ability to walk. An aggressive rooster will attack with their feet, using the spurs to do damage.
Unfortunately, a lot of aggressive roosters with spurs become known as "Spike" before someone gets tired of it, and renames them "Stew."
She'll figure it out if the rooster goes missing and chicken appears on the table soon after.
What happens if a younger child comes over with a visiting family? Are you sure to have child proof locked latches on the coop and run? I long ago discovered if I couldn't open my child proof medicine bottle, all I had to do was hand it to a friend's four year old who was delighted to show me how good she was at opening them. (My friend's other children have not shown that talent; but she still has both a serious locked cabinet in her kitchen and a locked shed for anything potentially toxic.
lol!
