20 week old cockerel attacked almost 3 year old daughter

[Thechickenchick2]

Why aren't your chickens in a pen or run with a hawk proof or chicken proof covering.
In any case a 20 week old cockerel or stag is in no respect a typical rooster. Besides when you were herding pullets or hens this cockerel was looking at you as a possible threat to his harem. Roosters are forgiving in the extreme but they don't like folks monkeying with their girl friends. In all due respect the fault lies with you.

Excuse me? It’s entirely my choice as to whether or not I want my chickens to free range with zero run or want to have an enclosed run etc. Our set up is perfect for what we need for the time being (we bought this house with this chicken coop/run 2 weeks ago). We just moved into this house and started using this coop/run. It’s beautiful and functional and was man made by the previous owners and has certainly worked great for us. We have plans to reroute their run to a large open field with electric fencing with our goats but that’s really none of your business. I hadn’t even stepped next to any of the pullets when he had decided to attack my innocent 3 year old walking next to him. All of the girls were coming towards me but I had not touched or started to herd any at that very moment. I had walked ahead of her to start the process but got interrupted by the cockerel attacking my daughter. I’m very aware that roosters protect their hens (that’s why I wanted them.......). I take zero responsibility for an unruly cockerels behavior and you sound ignorant for even suggesting such a thing


Edited to add that if I was the threat and the issue than he clearly should have come after me.. not run behind me to target my daughter

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Yeah! This is why I was trying to hook you up with a faverolle. I don't just keep them for the dapper beards, the only attacks iv'e seen have been on my christmas decorations and tomato cages. Iv'e heard brahmas are similar, but do know you can get a rotten boy with any breed.

When were you thinking of swapping him out with his son? I do want him but I'm afraid my daughter and my hubby may still be a little roo-shy, leftovers from Leroy the Lunatic. :-o I do have some leverage here, considering my birthday is the 12th, and I'm willing to use it!

 

[KikiLeigh02]

My husband really wanted a rooster with our flock, I did not because we have small children and I was worried about ending up in a situation similar to yours. We compromised, someone he knew had an older rooster (12-18 month range). Something had killed the rest of his flock, but since this guy roosts so high up at night he was the only survivor and they were going to cull him. He had already proved himself as a good flock rooster during the day, and not people aggressive at all. It was the perfect compromise for us. A lot of times you can find roosters from breeders that are right around a year old that they decided not to breed for one reason or another. Anyway, that is a solution that has worked out amazingly well for us!

 

[Thechickenchick2]

My husband really wanted a rooster with our flock, I did not because we have small children and I was worried about ending up in a situation similar to yours. We compromised, someone he knew had an older rooster (12-18 month range). Something had killed the rest of his flock, but since this guy roosts so high up at night he was the only survivor and they were going to cull him. He had already proved himself as a good flock rooster during the day, and not people aggressive at all. It was the perfect compromise for us. A lot of times you can find roosters from breeders that are right around a year old that they decided not to breed for one reason or another. Anyway, that is a solution that has worked out amazingly well for us!

That sounds like a good idea! The hormones have settled down a bit but can still protect the flock and fertilize any eggs!

Thanks for the suggestion. I honestly hadn’t thought too much about it going forward and how to have a roo... I was primarily focused on handling this one at hand now.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Sorry, ADHD. My thinking was if you could offer a solution to your husband where he can have still his rooster he may be more willing to let the one you have now go.

 

[Thechickenchick2]

Sorry, ADHD. My thinking was if you could offer a solution to your husband where he can have still his rooster he may be more willing to let the one you have now go.

It’s certainly a compromise I’m willing to suggest. We do also have another cockerel (same breed) that would still have a spot in our flock after we culled this one... I’m unaware as to why the need for this cockerel... he’s the first one to get on our dogs cases for play nipping the kids but let’s keep an unruly rooster that viscously attacked our baby girl

 

[lumaie]

Hi. I only read page one, so you may have already made your decision. Still, thought I'd share. We went through this a few months back with two roos attacking everything and everyone before they went after my son. (The less dominant became highly aggressive when the original alpha was removed.) That was my end point, we re-homed the birds. Then I spent a little time looking for another roo, in a proven breed, a little bit older and family tested by the breeder. It paid off. This roo is not a hand held pet, but friendly, protective and creates pretty babies. Best of all, my son is not the least bit afraid of him. He is however, respectful.
Have your hubby do his research and contact breeders. It is worth it for your little ones.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

we have some Asian Blacks that up to now we’ve really enjoyed. They’re a bit flighty but really no complaints. We have two cockerels but with our amount of girls it’s appropriate. One of the cockerels is obviously more dominant and very recently started to get a little brave around me. He isn’t babied by any means and is not over handled. When we got home yesterday he was free ranging the yard (he jumped the fence in their run) which I don’t typically care about. I warned my overly confident daughter to beware of him as I felt I couldn’t trust him anymore and as I was rounding up the other girls that got out of the run he was viciously attacking my almost 3 year old. She’s now terrified of ALL of the chickens which is so unlike her and I’m pissed. I know that it’s in their nature and he didn’t do anything I wasn’t already anticipating ... I was well aware of the risks but no less disappointed

What I really want to know is if there’s any recovering from this? Or can we expect him to do this as long as he isn’t sizzling on the stove in our Sunday sauce...

Oh, I definitely would not keep him! Unfortunately he now knows she is fearful of him if she screamed and ran. She will get picked on probably anytime he see's her unfortunately and since she is only 3, she probably is too young to show it dominance. That is my experience with animals, if you cannot put them in their place, they will try to rule the roost, that is just the nature of the beast

 

[SurferchickinSB]

If I were to rehome the bird it would be fully disclosed on how he is.. I rehomed an unruly silkie roo just a few weeks ago with full disclosure. It’s not wrong to give someone a bird that they have a complete understanding of. What would be wrong is if I wasn’t honest.


Also, I had just gotten home and the birds got out while we were not home. I don’t let the cockerels out of their coop when I’m home. I was corralling all of the chickens up to get them back in the run so the dogs could go out and the kids could play. I am by no means an irresponsible chicken owner and I don’t find owning roosters to be irresponsible as long as the unruly ones are not kept on my property. We have never had any cockerels up to this point and they will all shortly be in an electric fence corral with the goats so they won’t be in the kids/dogs space at all. I just wanted to know what the reality Was so I knew what kind of fight to put up when it comes to culling...

Yes, just rehome it to someone with experience in handling that type of situation. He may be easily put in place by an adult, he did attack a small child, has he ever attacked an adult?

 

[Chickassan]

I'm not on a time limit or anything with him.

When were you thinking of swapping him out with his son? I do want him but I'm afraid my daughter and my hubby may still be a little roo-shy, leftovers from Leroy the Lunatic. :-o I do have some leverage here, considering my birthday is the 12th, and I'm willing to use it!