20w old Copper Maran Rooster flogging kids

[Family of 6]

We got 16 chickens end of September. Our first chickens. Mix of breeds including a copper maran roo and an ameracauna roo. No real issues until this week when the maran flogged my 6yo son two days in a row. I did not see the incidents. I spent a long time reading up and watching for him over the next few days. Saw no issues. Just now he flogged by 3yo who came in crying. We love this roo and he has shown to be a good protector of the hens already. Obviously can't take any chances with the kids though. Is it worth trying to work with him or does he have to go?

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

With young kids, unless he is really worth it to you and you can keep him separate to see if he calms down, I'd rather not risk it.

If you decide to keep and try to teach him, keep your kids away. Do you know what they were doing when he attacked them? Especially with young children, it can be dangerous as their heads are close to his level.

 

[wamtazlady]

I don't take chances when it comes to children. My rooster attacked me, my house sitter, the neighbor, and then my grandson. He was dispatched quickly and humanely. That happened after I'd worked with him for 2 months hoping to get him to calm down. In the end it wasn't worth it. There are wonderful roosters that protect their hens but are not people aggressive.

 

[Family of 6]

Thank you for your thoughts. It is not worth it for me to deal with separating him at this point since we are still learning. Might try to re home him before putting him on the table.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Ok. That sounds like a good decision to me.

 

[Peeps61]

I have had an experience with an aggressive rooster before, but my last three have not been human aggressive, and my brother in law's young children know to be calm around them, so they haven't attacked there either. The first rooster was handled as a chick, the others were not.

My rule of thumb with raising cockerels is to keep my hands off of them so that they retain some of their natural fear of humans. I handle my pullets as chicks, but as soon as I know I have a cockerel, I don't pick up, handle or feed/pet them in any way other than to take feed/treats out to throw for them.

You might try that with new chicks that turn out to be cockerels and see if it helps. Some roosters will be aggressive, no matter what. It's up to you to keep him or not, but if he's attacking your kids, I'd dispatch him and start over.

 

[aart]

With kids that small and y'all just learning..best decision is to get rid of both cockerels.

It's more about the humans involved than the birds,
until the humans can learn the proper engagement behaviors,
best to stick with an all female flock.