Cockerel behaviour towards child

[BaaKaaawk]

I know everyone has different methods of training their birds, but I have read in several places that carrying a bird 'roo or otherwise upside down can be dangerous especially if it is not something you do regularly and know how to.
Just my opinion..

Agreed to each their own- but in my experience when you get them upside-down they just stop. They don't fight, they don't go crazy (aka harm themselves writhing around) they just kind of go limp and hang there. That's the time I like to think that they have time to reflect on their bad behavior and remember the outcome.

 

[Sonya9]

Personally I think the idea that the rooster/child "will become friends" is not going to help. If the child acts like a predator the rooster will treat him like one, and it isn't going to be judged on a day by day basis, meaning if the child scared the birds one day being "nice" the next day doesn't eliminate the perception of a threat.

The rooster may start to see the boy as a non-threat but it is going to take a track record of peaceful non-predatory behavior in order for that to happen. Food may also help.

 

[LaFleche]

Agreed to each their own- but in my experience when you get them upside-down they just stop. They don't fight, they don't go crazy (aka harm themselves writhing around) they just kind of go limp and hang there. That's the time I like to think that they have time to reflect on their bad behavior and remember the outcome.

They do not reflect about "bad behaviour"or whatever, but due to their typal physique they are close to passing out if you hold them "upside-down". Nothing funny about it.

 

[SueT]

A rooster can fly up high enough to attack a child's face, eyes. I would rehome it, with full disclosure, it isn't worth the risk.

 

[Chicalina]

A rooster can fly up high enough to attack a child's face, eyes. I would rehome it, with full disclosure, it isn't worth the risk.

Calm down. Fly? It is a bantam Silkie. He didn't get his spurs up any higher than my 6 year old's knees!

 

[Chicalina]

Having reflected a bit, the cockerel wasn't asserting dominance or challenging my son, he was just protecting his hens from my son running after them trying to pick them up. So I don't think my son needs to do any dominance training with the bird, I think my son needs to prove himself to the cockerel to be a trusted and safe human around them. I think I need to work on helping them build a bond together, and some mutual respect. Treats will certainly help, as will my son being respectful and allowing space around the hens and cockerel.

Thanks everyone for your input. It has helped me figure this out.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

They do not reflect about "bad behaviour"or whatever, but due to their typal physique they are close to passing out if you hold them "upside-down". Nothing funny about it.

You realize 24,657,534 chickens are slaughtered daily in just the United States, right? I think obedience training my pampered backyard pet is quite a bit mild compared to the other options the rooster has. Additionally 99% of people on here say to just "put a bad rooster in the pot". At least I am trying to give it a chance.

 

[SueT]

Calm down. Fly? It is a bantam Silkie. He didn't get his spurs up any higher than my 6 year old's knees!

Thanks everyone for your input. It has helped me figure this out.

Well, you have to make sure your son doesn't lean over, squat, sit on the ground. I had an aggressive rooster and that was one way he'd get us. I followed the advice of the top BYC experts to no avail, patiently trying to reform this bird. Each time I was sure I had it figured out until I realized I didn't. Finally I found someone who took him in spite of his history. It was the first time I felt I could finally relax in my own yard and not have to look over my shoulder.

 

[CindyinSD]

I've had a couple of bad'uns. It wasn't their fault. They couldn't help it they had testicles as big EACH as their heads. I learned this by inspection. They made very good chicken & rice.

Roosters attack children way more than they do adults. We can speculate as to why, but the only thing we *know* is that they *do*. Of course there are many roosters who never attack anyone, but overall, small children are a much more likely target. If the rooster has sharp spurs, this is dangerous, even if it's a diminutive breed. I have no small children about the place, so my aggressive roos (young enough that their spurs weren't a problem) were allowed to remain until I was done hatching for the year. Now they are gone. If I had a six year old justifiably afraid to wander around the back yard, I would definitely at least blunt those spurs in one way or another.

If I'm honest—though I hate to cause hurt feelings—it goes way against my grain—I would butcher the rooster and if necessary, get another one. They're not hard to find. Or if it was a super-special show-boy, I would confine it with a few lady birds I wanted to breed.

 

[LaFleche]

You realize 24,657,534 chickens are slaughtered daily in just the United States, right? I think obedience training my pampered backyard pet is quite a bit mild compared to the other options the rooster has. Additionally 99% of people on here say to just "put a bad rooster in the pot". At least I am trying to give it a chance.

You might call this obedience training while others might consider it animal cruelty. Try it for yourself and see how it feels to be held by your legs upside-down until the bloodflow to your head will have you pass out.

In any case it does not have anything to do with the number of chickens slaughtered daily, whether in the U.S. or somewhere else in the world.