Am I crazy for considering keeping a Rooster around Toddlers?

[DoubletakeFarm]

I'd like to add: it is also good practice to teach your kids to wash their hands when they come in from the coop. Good habit to teach them early!

 

[Krazzy]

Trust your instincts.

 

[duckinnut]

Pretty sound advice from all the posters. But remember all roosters are different and will all have different behavior patterns. If he squares off with you he will most likely square off with a child. You have to monitor their typical behavior and make a judgement call. I used to have a white rock roo and he would square off with any and everyone. That S.O.B. even bit me one night on the roost when I was separating to hens that were fighting. While he wasn't fast but was built like a bowling ball and weighed about 10 pounds. He died of a heart attack. My current roo a Buff/ Araucana mix is all beauty and no bravery. He would rather steer clear of everyone and is afraid of his own shadow. He has only charged me once in the 2 1/2 years I have had him. By no means his doing the blame falls on me as I purposely kept him from his girls and he was having a fit. He charged toward me but stopped short of an all out attack. The point is all roosters are different. So knowing the birds typical behavior is key but no guarantee that it won't turn one day.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

Of course, this is advice coming from a girl who didn't wear a helmet when she rode her bigwheel, so do with it what you want!

Those were the days weren't they?

 

[bobbi-j]

Pretty sound advice from all the posters. But remember all roosters are different and will all have different behavior patterns. If he squares off with you he will most likely square off with a child. You have to monitor their typical behavior and make a judgement call. I used to have a white rock roo and he would square off with any and everyone. That S.O.B. even bit me one night on the roost when I was separating to hens that were fighting. While he wasn't fast but was built like a bowling ball and weighed about 10 pounds. He died of a heart attack. My current roo a Buff/ Araucana mix is all beauty and no bravery. He would rather steer clear of everyone and is afraid of his own shadow. He has only charged me once in the 2 1/2 years I have had him. By no means his doing the blame falls on me as I purposely kept him from his girls and he was having a fit. He charged toward me but stopped short of an all out attack. The point is all roosters are different. So knowing the birds typical behavior is key but no guarantee that it won't turn one day.

This is the thing - not EVERY rooster will attack a person, small children in particular. Roosters are like stallions and bulls, only in smaller packages. Each has the potential to be dangerous or aggressive. We each have to go by our own situations. I have had human aggressive roosters, I have had roosters that were not aggressive. I think some breeds tend to lean more toward aggression than others. I will have to respectfully disagree with the statement made in a previous post about having the toddler handle and hand feed treats to the rooster. There are so very many threads about how "My rooster that I've handled and cuddled since he was a baby suddenly turned mean!" Again, handling them doesn't guarantee that they will get mean. They may have had that tendency anyway. But I would not want my toddler holding his hands out toward a chicken's beak to begin with. That could cause accidental pecking while the bird is trying to get the treat, resulting in the child being afraid of chickens. In the end, a person has to make their own decisions and closely monitor if they do decide to let their small children be around any animal that has the potential to attack.

 

[theoldchick]

I would never trust a toddler around a rooster or a rooster around a toddler. Just too many things could go wrong. I'd hate for a young child to lose an eye.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think a very important consideration, especially when comparing with the olden days..... and that is space. If you just have a small backyard, where the chickens and roosters are going to be sharing that space with your children, I think that you are increasing the chance of a wreck with possible damage to your children. On the other hand, if you have a chicken area, a greater distance from the house area, there is less chance of a conflict.

Most animals will move away if given the opportunity, however, intact male animals can become aggressive at any time, more so, when the females are in heat. Females with babies can become aggressive if cornered. Less space means more threatening chances of being cornered, which will lead to attacks.

Personally, I have two marvelous roosters at this time, perfect gentlemen..... but when my darling grandchildren come, all my chickens remain locked up. Their beautiful faces are not going to be bet on the behavior of a rooster who's brain is not the size of a walnut.

My advice, is don't rush it, right now it may seem like those little ones will be little forever, but they will grow up quickly, and once they are even 1st or 2nd grade, they are just taller, they are a little more aware of animal's behaviors, they have more reasoning skills.

Roosters OFTEN attack children first.

Mrs K

 

[mithious]

A lot of great advise here. My own experience with chickens, started when I was 2 years old. Things WERE different then. The space for the chickens is mentioned, that had a lot to do with it. Also, My Dad was with me at all times, when I was that young. He taught me how, when, why, ect. I was even present during processing day at 2.

They were my responsibility, once I got in school. Eggs in the am before school, water, and feed. Cleaning after school. We kept two flock roosters with the 50 layers we had. Once and only once, did I have an issue, a big one. I can't remember how old I was, probably about 8 or so, I did have a rooster flog the living daylights out of me. I still have the scars. One day he was fine, the next, he flogged me from behind. He was a Barred Plymouth Rock and weighed, probably ten pounds. Dad culled him, as soon as he got home from work. No clue what set him off. I had been in their pen every day, twice a day or more, since he was young and never a problem, until that one day. By the time I got flogged, I was old enough, and knew enough, to get away and protect myself, but it all happened so quick, I did get really hurt. These are animals. Nothing is predictable or certain.

I had my own kids out with the chickens around the same age. They bred and showed them also, as they got older. Like I did as a kid.

There are no guarantee's that a rooster will remain that calm good guy that he was as a chick, but that shouldn't stop someone from teaching their children and having them involved with chores and such.

All should be done with thought and responsibility, from the parent and the child. I don't hand feed ANY roosters, Jr's or adults, I do the hens, but the rooster? Well good animal husbandry goes with that. It's a roosters job to feed his hens. When they forage, it's his job to find the feed. Just something to think about. Learning about any animal and what their natural instincts are, will help a parent make proper choices when to involve the kids.

During peak breeding season, a rooster is almost certainly going to be less trust worthy, as their hormones are running on high speed. There are many things to think about when involving children and livestock. Still shouldn't stop a parent from teaching the kids, and getting them involved.

My Dad would do the chores first, then take me out, and the teaching started, until I was big enough and knew enough, then it was all my job.

 

[dstinett]

Frizzle Cochin roosters are what I keep. I've never had a problem. I have 1 year old son. I have a smooth that flogged him the other day. It happened so quick!!! No injuries except a very upset little boy. I really believe the rooster was acting out because its breeding season. he normally is very gentle. Since he is small and feathered feet, it keeps injuries to a minimum. just my two cents

 

[centrarchid]

I do it with a gamerooster (cock) around house and to a lesser extent with a free-range flock farther away from core of where kids are when outside. We also have a gamehen currently with just over a dozen chicks. My son is 2.5 years and daughter is 10 months so comparable to OP's. Birds around house are trustworthy with kids because daughter is slow enough as a threat for even hen with chicks to avoid and we supervise very closely when she is out. I still watch with her out like a hawk and dogs usually take the brunt of chicken aggression when conflicts arise. Rooster was chosen because he is good around people in general although he will attack another rooster held in your hands. Most of remaining of unknown habits are confined well from house although some are known to be trustworthy. Birds of biggest concern represent a flock of American Dominiques that free range pasture adjacent to penned area. Son goes down and interacts with them with a level of supervision. He has been flogged by broody hens but not actually hurt. He is learning to not go after chicks and the hens are learning not to dally when the little ape comes down. I made certain son was prepared, some kids often are not which can cause scarring of the mental kind more than physical. I have been flogged numerous times, especially as a kid, usually for chick napping. Attacks were sometimes directed at head but most seem to be at hands, legs and torso and it generally smarts but does not ruin your day. I repeat is does smart and the bill and spurs are not what I generally feel first.

I do not allow the same with visiting kids. The biggest problem with such kids is they are prone to rush like a threat but do not respond appropriately when chickens try to repel them.

If you have any reservations, then do not allow little ones to interact with birds. With roosters coming from genetic background I am not familiar with or has demonstrated man-fighter tendencies, then no until that bird is replaced. They need not be man-fighters to be good at what I value them for.