Cockerel Biting Child

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

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.

I’m starting to think why even take on the task of having fertilized eggs when I can buy chicks since I don’t want to spend the time or money on incubation.
If a hen can handle the look out then we might just have hens only.
I’m starting to have new cockerels trying to size up my daughter and we’re a little fed up.
We’re culling more tomorrow. We have too many anyways and while I’ve grown fond of them they can’t jump my daughter - no way.

 

[ElizaMay]

It is I think rare to find a really good rooster. The one I have now is a Blue Orpington of substantial dimensions. But while gentle and large, he mostly lazes around all day, eats a LOT of pellets, does not take the hens foraging aound mour fields, and runs head-down-ass-in-the-air for the barn at the first sign of a shadow overhead. Not the brave protector of female fowl I was lead to believe all roos are.
I am hopeful the 3 cockerels I have that are 4 months old now, will turn out to be more than burdens and embarrassments to feathered kind as well. So far I am unenthused.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

It is I think rare to find a really good rooster. The one I have now is a Blue Orpington of substantial dimensions. But while gentle and large, he mostly lazes around all day, eats a LOT of pellets, does not take the hens foraging aound mour fields, and runs head-down-ass-in-the-air for the barn at the first sign of a shadow overhead. Not the brave protector of female fowl I was lead to believe all roos are.
I am hopeful the 3 cockerels I have that are 4 months old now, will turn out to be more than burdens and embarrassments to feathered kind as well. So far I am unenthused.

I have 2 cockerels that haven’t even cared to be around us. They haven’t done any bad and are to be judged still. Our main rooster tried to flog my daughter for just standing there and watching me feed them away from everyone and he still jumped her. he’s been so good so far with the ladies and baby Pullets so it’s just strange that he did it and I’m starting to think I can’t trust any of the cockerels.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

With males, while I love friendly (actually friendly and not ones sizing you up), I always say it's better to have a skittish male than an aggressive one. I have tons of boys that are well behaved around me, but I've also had tons that literally drew blood on more than one occasion (I give them 2 chances if they bite because I hand feed and know hens that lockjaw too sometimes. They only get one chance of kicking. If they jump and kick, they get put in a slaughter stacker.)

 

[Boomerwaffen]

My cockerel is about 15 weeks old.
He’s a RIR.
He’s bit my husband a few times but he was always provoked.
Tonight he charged my toddler and bit her twice.
She’s always picked him up (not something I encouraged and frowned upon and always stopped) and he’s always been chill with it.
Tonight he charged her and stared biting her while she was running across the yard.
The 1st time she was trying to get the chicks so I thought maybe he was being protective but the 2nd time she was just following my husband and he ran over and started biting her.
Of course we don’t want this behavior but killing him just seems extreme (however my husband isn’t above it cause obvi our babies safety is priority)
Is it hormones kicking in overdrive?
He’s always been nice to her and the other hens.

Yeah it’s hormones. You shouldn’t let your toddler near a rooster ever. The rooster’s hormones are driving him to breed and protect his hens. At least he’s not jumping at people yet with his feet or spurs. Grab him and hold his face to the ground and tug (on his neck feathers for a minute or two. Pinch his neck skin gently a time or two. Lather rinse repeat as required. He’s still young so you can likely still ge your bluff in on him.

 

[NatJ]

Yeah it’s hormones. You shouldn’t let your toddler near a rooster ever. The rooster’s hormones are driving him to breed and protect his hens. At least he’s not jumping at people yet with his feet or spurs. Grab him and hold his face to the ground and tug (on his neck feathers for a minute or two. Pinch his neck skin gently a time or two. Lather rinse repeat as required. He’s still young so you can likely still ge your bluff in on him.

This situation was permanently resolved 3 days after the first post:

We are now having chicken for dinner.

 

[Boomerwaffen]

This situation was permanently resolved 3 days after the first post:

Hilarious. That must’ve been a very satisfying dinner. There’s a film from a couple years ago called “He never died.” Which is a story about Cain living a quiet life in a city apartment and haunted by his memories. He was punished for killing his brother Abel and turns out to be the source of vampire mythology. He’s driven to eat people but tries to control it by being a vegetarian. Anyway some young crime lord tries to kill him repeatedly and fails. So he ends up at the criminal’s lair and tells him; “I’m going to kill and eat you. I’m literally going to eat you.” .