Cockerel Biting Child

[Devils Flower]

We didn’t intend on eating him and it was actually pretty disappointing that he became aggressive towards our daughter and my husband became the final straw.

I whooped his a$$ the other day so that’s why he was still afraid of me. Not to mention I’m a crazy mama bear and I did hit him with the jet stream on the hose when he tried to bow up to me the same day he got my daughter.
He was our favorite and lead cockerel and he protected our flock but we can’t have a chicken that’s going to attack us and make my daughter afraid. She’s tough as nails and isn’t scared of anything but it shocked us as much as her that it chased her down and bit her.
Hence the new fear.

We free range the chickens so they can live their best life and my daughter shouldn’t have to be contained or heavily monitored so she can live her best life. She should be allowed to be a free spirit so everyone has to get along.

She did come before the chickens after all

All my flock free ranged too. Only way my family would have it. We fill they are much happier this way. They run around with the cats and dogs. My granddaughter is a force to be reckoned with. She just needs a reminder that's it's ok to defined her self when the boys get a audited and that she is the boss not the roosters or turkeys. She's much older then your sweet little one. I totally understand what your saying and how you fill.

 

[ElizaMay]

Ok, If you've mentioned how the bird is and they still chose to take it, respect of a persons free will an choice must be honoured. Freedom ALWAYS comes before safety, for it is more important, even then life itself, what is a life worth living without choice and freedom if only safety is the option.

But there's no need to even impinge on freedom of choice if we *don't offer to give an aggressive roo away to begin with*, but accept our responsibility as stewards of our own livestock, look after our own business, and cull dangerous animals. I'd no more give an aggressive rooster away, than a biting dog.

 

[ElizaMay]

Today I monitored Big Poppa and when my daughter ran across the yard he immediately ran after her.
This was a controlled experiment because before he could reach her I stepped between them and he turned around and walked off instantly.

I told my husband via text. However he still wanted to give him a fighting chance since no actual “attack” happened.

Tonight he walked outside with the dogs and once he stepped off the porch Big Poppa ran straight at him and started biting at his pants (which are those nice thick Duluth pants luckily) he nudged him off with his leg and he came back at him trying to flog him.

We are now having chicken for dinner.


My daughter will hardly leave my side when we go outside and cries “mama safe! Mama safe! Chicken biteeee chicken biiiitttteeeee!” Due to the 2x (in the same day) he bit her. We let her help in the plucking and explained the mean chicken was gone and she won’t ever have to worry again. We will always keep her safe. Now she seems a lot more confident around the chickens and will gain more once she really realizes she’s safe.

The funny part is our 2nd in command cockerel immediately started trying to mate with the females.

Also don’t mind my partially painted coop in the background…nothing to see here folks

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Well done.

 

[Feathercrazie]

You do not mess around when a toddler is around a Cockerel, especially at that age when they can be unpredictable due to hormones. Your child could be blinded so quickly. I would confine him anytime your child is out, or re-home him. You can try to "train" him but he's just being a rooster.

My grandmother had a RIR rooster , when I was about five, that would chase me any time I went to the outhouse. One time I went to the outhouse and he jumped on me. I picked up a coke bottle and hit him. We had chicken for supper that Sunday.

 

[Feathercrazie]

I’ve never had a rooster before.
My daughter is extremely tough and capable of handling herself but of course I worry about her well being. There’s no way to keep them separate so either everyone has to get along or the roosters gotta go.
However with them free ranging do they not require a rooster to keep them safe??

No, a large guard dog is a better protector than a rooster. Even a mature hen is a better protector. A rooster is good for just one thing, to fertilize eggs.

 

[Isadora]

No, a large guard dog is a better protector than a rooster. Even a mature hen is a better protector. A rooster is good for just one thing, to fertilize eggs.

Have you read through this whole thread? It's been resolved

 

[ElizaMay]

Have you read through this whole thread? It's been resolved

HeathenHavenHomestead's question, "However with them free ranging do they not require a rooster to keep them safe?" is still a question that people reading this thread perhaps years from now might also wonder. Feathercrazie's response/opinion is still valid even if the original point of the thread is resolved .

 

[Isadora]

HeathenHavenHomestead's question, "However with them free ranging do they not require a rooster to keep them safe?" is still a question that people reading this thread perhaps years from now might also wonder. Feathercrazie's response/opinion is still valid even if the original point of the thread is resolved .

It was answered already in the thread.

 

[ElizaMay]

It was answered already in the thread.

I know for certain that a question that comes along in BYC forums thread has been answered more than once, here and there, especially in longer threads. While it may be annoying sometimes, rather than chance being being hurtful, why not let it pass? If it's truly disconcerting for you, perhaps you could call it to the attention of a moderator?

 

[Isadora]

I know for certain that a question that comes along in BYC forums thread has been answered more than once, here and there, especially in longer threads. While it may be annoying sometimes, rather than chance being being hurtful, why not let it pass? If it's truly disconcerting for you, perhaps you could call it to the attention of a moderator?

I commented in this case because the person replied twice over the span of a few hours, which led me to believe they didn't realize the problems had been resolved. And you're right that sometimes even though a problem has been resolved that someone can reply and have helpful information.
As far as my response being hurtful, I know we live in the age of snowflakes, but that's extreme.