Having roosters with small children and babies

[haleymarie]

I recently started my first flock of what were supposed to be all pullets, but it’s looking like two of the seven I purchased are cockerels - a Salmon Faverolles and a Black Australorp (thanks to those on here who helped me ID them!). They are currently 4ish weeks old. I’m planning to get more chicks, hopefully all pullets, when I move this batch to their coop in a couple of weeks because I would like to keep a rooster around and I want him to have more than five hens. However, it is my first flock, aside from the smaller flocks we kept growing up, none of which included roosters, and I don’t want to be irresponsible. I have an almost two year old son and will have another baby this fall. The chickens will be free range during the day when I’m home and will be put up when I’m not. Obviously I won’t let my son go out with them unsupervised. I’ve heard that both Faverolles and Australorps make great, docile roosters, but I also know every roo is different and I don’t want to generalize and just “hope for the best”. I know I’ll most likely have to cull or give one away later on simply because there won’t be enough hens for both and I’m fine with that. I’ve been doing a lot of research and there’s a lot of info and differing opinions out there! Is giving one a chance too risky with my kids? Possibly both if it works out with additional hens? If not, should I get rid of them now or wait to cull them later on so they can go in the freezer? Sorry for the long story, and thanks in advance for advice!

 

[BantyChooks]

It depends. In my experience, raising cockerels with same-age pullets CAN make it more difficult to have a decent relationship with them as they don’t learn things from their older flock members like they would in a normal social structure. Plus, children have no idea how to interact with roosters, which can set off a less tolerant rooster even if he interacts well with you. I had a rooster that was an absolute angel with me and every other adult, but young kids that didn’t know how to regulate their attention got spurred. I have also had roosters that were completely fine with even the most annoying kids.

Even if you supervise your kid, accidents happen, and you don’t want one slip to result in an ER visit. Personally, I would not recommend keeping the roosters in your situation, but that’s a generalization based on my experience with same-age flocks and how a good chunk of roosters react to that dynamic. Usually aggression doesn’t crop up until 8-12 months old so I would say wait and send them to freezer camp - no need to waste their meat.

 

[BantyChooks]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...g-roosters-how-to-deal-with-aggression.74690/
I wrote this a while ago. It’s just one viewpoint, so take it with a grain of salt, but it details some of my theory around causes of aggression, preventing it, etc.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

If you let one or both cockerels grow into adult roosters, you will then know what their behavior is like. You could very well get lucky with one or both well-behaved roosters. I have three, though it took me awhile to get there. Just don't let your son around them until you're sure you've got a good one. He's only 2, so there's time.

My prediction is this: The first one or two roosters you have will be dickheads because there are no older hens or roos to teach them manners. Don't give up. Let them mature, then when you add another YOUNG cockerel or a few to the flock, the older birds will take over schooling - and that's when you may get a rooster who's well-behaved with the children. I had to dispatch a few roosters before the flock finally raised some good boys.

As I said, I have three very well-behaved roosters whom I mostly trust to be around my grandchildren. With younger children, I always supervise (for their safety of course, but also to educate and prevent them from succumbing to the temptation to chase them). My older grandkids are frequently around the flock without supervision and without problems. But they know to leave the roosters alone, don't chase or try to pet the hens, and don't run or startle the flock in any way. They're terrified of taking eggs from under a protective, vicious hen, but they're not afraid of being near the roos.

 

[nuthatched]

Since you're new to chickens and have two small children, I'd rehome or cull.
Roosters are a completely different animal and not for the still learning.
Never believe what you read online about temperament, chickens are individuals. getting more hens will not solve anything except possibly over breeding.
You are not a bad owner for getting rid of them, in your circumstances, they would not be a wise choice. Your kids health and safety are much more important.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

...Don't give up. Let them mature, then when you add another YOUNG cockerel or a few to the flock, the older birds will take over schooling - and that's when you may get a rooster who's well-behaved with the children.

Since you're new to chickens and have two small children, I'd rehome or cull. Roosters are a completely different animal and not for the still learning. [.....] Your kids health and safety are much more important.

LOL - two entirely opposite viewpoints from experienced chicken owners. @haleymarie, it really just highlights the different experiences people have. You'll have to decide what you're most comfortable with, and how much value you place on having a rooster in the flock vs. the risk to your children.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Personally, I'd rehome both. They'll be too large compared to your children should something go wrong, and as a person who was attacked as a kid (albeit more like 10 or 11 than 2), it doesn't really go away even after that rooster is now gone. Over 10 years later, I still get a bit nervous around some of my boys (especially the ones that look similar to those agressive males) because I remember the roosters who were aggressive.

Now, I know how to fix the problem quickly when i have a male go sour, but when I was a kid and on the ground being attacked, it was more than I could solve myself.

 

[haleymarie]

It depends. In my experience, raising cockerels with same-age pullets CAN make it more difficult to have a decent relationship with them as they don’t learn things from their older flock members like they would in a normal social structure. Plus, children have no idea how to interact with roosters, which can set off a less tolerant rooster even if he interacts well with you. I had a rooster that was an absolute angel with me and every other adult, but young kids that didn’t know how to regulate their attention got spurred. I have also had roosters that were completely fine with even the most annoying kids.

Even if you supervise your kid, accidents happen, and you don’t want one slip to result in an ER visit. Personally, I would not recommend keeping the roosters in your situation, but that’s a generalization based on my experience with same-age flocks and how a good chunk of roosters react to that dynamic. Usually aggression doesn’t crop up until 8-12 months old so I would say wait and send them to freezer camp - no need to waste their meat.

Thank you for the response! How would I integrate cockerels in the future without a head rooster to learn from? Can they learn from only older hens?

 

[haleymarie]

LOL - two entirely opposite viewpoints from experienced chicken owners. @haleymarie, it really just highlights the different experiences people have. You'll have to decide what you're most comfortable with, and how much value you place on having a rooster in the flock vs. the risk to your children.

Thank you both! I figured I’d have a variety of opinions. I appreciate both replies!

 

[BantyChooks]

Thank you for the response! How would I integrate cockerels in the future without a head rooster to learn from? Can they learn from only older hens?

It seems to help. One of my best roosters was raised only by older hens.