What do you think?

[Jesusfreak101]

Ok here the thing i have two kids one is turning three in march and the other well he a new born he almost two months old. I going to be adding a batch of chicks this spring (lost quite a few to stray cats and our dogs before we decide to secure the area they roam during the day) we only getting twelve more i could order directly from ideal poultry (out of austin two hours away) or i could buy from a feed store that gets them from ideal poultry either way i get the same chickens i want but if i order them i probably get extra since their policy now i could keep said roosters and wait and see which one is nice and cull the others or i could just cull all or go to the feed store and for sure get all hens(havent got a rooster from them ever good chance of getting no roos). I concerned about the roosters and my kids as i cant block off the yard i work in the most. The chickens have the side where my garden is granted now my garden is fence off but trying to explain/tell a stubborn three year old who has no fear that she cant go in and out because of a rooster is out of the question. So i under the assumption that if we get a roo its pretty much playing with fire my husband thinks we would be ok but i want to be sure before i decide i would love to raise some chicks of our own when we need to but i dont want my kids in danger i want them to be able to enjoy the chickens without fear. Lucy loves the hens she has one that follows her where ever she goes so thats another thing that would make it hard to keep her out of the yard.

 

[donrae]

I like buying from the feed store when possible, if they have the breeds I want.

First, I don't have to fret about shipping and getting to the post office, etc. That's a stressor off me right there

Second, my feed store orders enough chicks they usually have them for several days. My theory is to find out when they hit the store and wait a few days to pick them up. That way, the stressed or failure to thrive chicks will already have died off or be obviously ill or unthrifty, so I can easily spot them and not purchase those birds. My feed store will let you reserve chicks from a shipment, they'll hold them for a few days. Not sure if your store would do that.

I think avoiding a rooster with your littles right now is a great idea. Hens are much better pets than roosters.

 

[Spartan22]

2x @donrae chancing your kids safety w/ roo is not worth it. I got small kids and rooster is out for now. Some of my hens are way too friendly I had to protect my kids from getting peck on the face or the eyes. Rooster will be a totally different story.

 

[Pork Pie]

I'd say that unless you absolutely want to breed your own chickens, then there's no need for a roo and your chickens will be (more than likely) a lot happier without one. It would save you having to fret over your kids' safety (and your own, for that matter).

I love breeding chickens, but after some calculations, it works out cheaper for me to buy 4+ week old chicks, as the costs of vaccines for a few chicks costs more than buying 4 week old chicks!

You could always buy fertile eggs when one of your hens is broody and raise chicks that way, if you wish.

all the best
CT

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Ok so my thinking was right.... Guess i should rub that in to much lol. Thanks yall, and spartan our hens dont dare peck her lol they actually squat for her they smart enough (due probably to her chasing them so much when they were younger) that she over them. Which i think is the funniest thing ever since non of them will squat for my husband lol but if the domiente hen spies lucy coming they all start squating including her lol.

 

[Pork Pie]

Squatting hens sure beats the crap outta being gored by a nutcase roo

CT

 

[donrae]

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Yeah lol true and thats why he went the way (stealing someones saying) of the dumpling lol i just keep hearing about nice rooster but i am going to assume they are more on the rare side and all it takes is one time so yeah. Plus my husband wants our deleware girls to breed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Farm families have been raising children with free ranging chickens with a rooster for thousands of years. The kids are usually the one that gather eggs and often take care of the chickens. I grew up on one of those farms and I was the one that took care of the chickens. I never was attacked. It is possible that a rooster (or broody hen for that matter if you bother her babies) will attack a kid but that really doesn’t happen that often. There are some major differences though.

One these farms chickens are not pets, they are livestock. We did not chase or harass the hens or baby chicks and give the rooster or broody a good reason to attack. We did not carry hens around, cuddle them, or let them ride on our shoulders where they could easily peck our eyes. We pretty much ignored them and they ignored us even when we were in the same general area.

Your situation is different. I agree you do not need a rooster free ranging around your kids. That does not mean you cannot breed chickens. Build a pen big enough for the rooster and keep him contained. He can live by himself or put a few hens in with him so you’ll always have fertile eggs if they are laying. Put a lock on it so your kid cannot open the gate or door. When you want hatching eggs put a few hens in with him, wait three days, and start collecting fertile eggs. A lot of chickens don’t free range or forage. It just depends on how badly your husband wants to breed those hens.

 

[Mrs. K]

Space is the big difference between farm or ranch kids and chickens, and backyard chickens. My kids and grandkids have always been around the chickens, gathering the eggs, helping with chores, but they don't play down there. They have lots of space and the chickens when out have lots of space. In town in a back yard, that is not the case, they are sharing the space. The kids are moving, fast, jumping and playing and being kids.

I am with the group, wait a few years for the rooster. Not worth the chance.

Mrs K