Cull or keep/ wait and see

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Keep doing what you are doing, your chickens sound like they are having a great life, most of my chickens run from me, others come to see if I have anything.

Grabbing a hen can make some roosters go into defense mode, he was just defending his girls from an attack, I don't think he's a bad rooster.

I personally would probably keep him around and see where his behavior is going, but I don't have young children, if I did like you, I would find him a nice home or just not let him wander, it will just remove that stress of wondering where the rooster is, and where your daughter is, I'm sure you don't need any more stress or things to worry about.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Thats what we want to do we love him and i know that he sweet heck he lets a two year old play with him but the same time if he starts attacking the he isnt safe for her to be around much less when my son is born. I want whats best for my children first and the animal second. Thats what makes this so hard is how we all care for him.

 

[chickmomma03]

Quote: I don't really understand what you're saying. I live in the country and don't need any sort of permits/permissions to own a rooster. I'm a first time chicken owner and I have made mistakes along the way with having my rooster, but I have also learned a LOT from this experience. Everyone starts somewhere, and mistakes will be made.

That being said, to the OP. I would absolutely keep the rooster separated from any small children. My son is 12yo and big for his age, and even he doesn't want to go by my (overall docile) rooster. He likes to look at him from a distance. I made the same mistake of cuddling mine, loving on him, etc. Before I knew he was a roo, and in the beginning of knowing he was a roo (around the 3mo mark mine really started shifting his attitude and desire to be picked up, I took the signs and left him alone). He is really sweet overall, but he wants his space. He doesn't want to be played with, cuddled, or held anymore. So far, we have an understanding, he keeps his distance I keep mine. I do still treat feed him, but overall I just enjoy the beauty of him at a distance now. He gets TICKED when one of the hens need to be picked up, and goes into protective mode. Other than that he's pretty chill. He has his moments of attitude though with me.

 

[pfields]

Years ago I had chickens and my roosters never tried to attack me. We had to tear down their coop to build a new garage so I gave them all away. In March 2014 I got back into chickens. I got two roosters out of a batch that were suppose to be pullets. Anyway, for almost a year they never bothered me and then it started with the BA rooster running at me and then one day he jumped up eye level and that really scared me, so much I screamed. Had he been closer it would have been my face he got. After we sold him the timid GSL just took his place.

One morning I went inside the pen to fill their feeders, I saw him at the fence with some hens minding their own business. He showed no signs of aggression or that he was even paying any attention to me so I just walked by to their feeders. The next thing I know I feel him hit my leg from behind. When I looked down his spur got me to the bone in the front of my right leg and scratched me deep on the back of the same leg. I didn't fight him or anything, just quickly filled the first feeder and moved on to the second feeder. When I turned to walk back out of the pen he came toward me between the feeders. This time I stuck out my left leg and hollered at him and he attacked me again. This time both spurs went to the bone on my left leg. It was pouring blood and I knew I needed to get to the ER for antibiotics (it was a Saturday).
Here's what my left ankle looked like by that evening. It was so painful and continued to bleed through the night. My biggest fear was infection because my husband got a prick on his finger from a live shrimp while fishing in August 2014 and got mycobacterium marinum. He's still on antibiotics today. In my mind a rooster's spurs were more bacteria filled than a shrimp's horn.


The infection went from his finger to his arm to his elbow. Now you can see why I freaked out from the spurs and getting an infection.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

this is the rooster in question and my daughter the one in the crab sand box the hens and him were on the other side of the yard when they noticed she was over there and ran to be where she was a few minutes past after I took this picture that he got in there with her and was helping her dig. I was in the garden next to her and this was several days before he mocked attacked me. I don't have a picture of the two in the sprinkler that I can post since she normal doesn't wear clothing while in it. You can see how big he is that's what has me concerned now if he going to become aggressive or if this was just a fluke because I had grabbed the hen.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

thank fully he still doesn't have spurs just little buds that are rounded not sharp the only sharp things on him right now are his claws and his beak.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

yikes I have played with shrimp most of my life and never thought it could get infected... geez is he doing better. and that ankle looks horrible I am so sorry. that's what I am afraid of with him, he been very sweet up until yesterday and that's what has me concerned I dont want it to get worse. that's why I came on here for advice. My two year old loves her chickens so much that she refuses to eat breakfast unless she can see them. and she loves collecting the eggs. she considers it her job to feed them and to water them. She does the same for the cats, dogs, and fish we have. that's why if he dangerous he has to go and cant be locked up because she wouldn't understand why she cant help.

 

[chickmomma03]

You need to keep him separated from her. She's a small child. I wouldn't take any further risks.

 

[chickmomma03]

If she enjoys feeding/watering then I would be right by her side making sure to protect her in the event any of them try anything funny.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Some of the leghorns even like Lucy and I so much they will try to fly into the house if the window is open. And rooster Cogburn, crows through the window demanding attention as a matter of fact his royal painness is crowing right now because I opened the windows and I am not talking to him.