free range chickens and my kiddo.

[Aacre]

Well, you certainly don't want her eating it. Though it wouldn't kill her, you'd want to issue some firm "NO!'s". I'm sure youngsters on farms have walked through chicken poop for centuries, probably eaten some (ick) and lived.

Now, you didn't say if your chicks would include a male. If you end up with a rooster, you cannot allow small children around a free range rooster, even one that is normally friendly. Kids make quick, jerky movements and lots of noise and make roosters defensive and nervous. They can react suddenly and a small child is the right height to lose an eye. Only takes one flog to do that. Even my super sweet marshmallow of a rooster is visibly nervous when he hears kids screaming and playing at the neighbors, even though he cannot see them.

X2!! I don't have children, but there are plenty of neighbors that do- and since we live on a dirt road, a lot of times, the kids will play "in the road". My flock runs free range, and I don't have a fence all the way up to keep them in my acre, so whenever I know kids will be out playing, I keep my flock penned up because I don't want to risk the kids getting hurt. It's impossible for me to watch my flock's every move, so I'd rather just play 100% safe and just pen them up. Both of my roos are docile, but they have some nice sized spurs that could take eyes out in seconds!

Not worth the risk anyhow!

 

[Beekissed]

Cynthia, I'm not going to argue with you. I like you too much. But I read it that way and I'm sure others would too. I wanted to be real clear with that. There is way too much that gets misinterpreted on here.

I always read it that way when I see folks cautioning people on here about roosters and small children...it seems like an unnecessary cautioning. To me it seems an obvious thing that any creature without the ability to reason between good and bad, who also has pointy things growing out of their body~be it cat, dog or rooster~would be something you'd teach your children about and watch your children around, particularly when they are 2 yrs old.

Being country bred and raised, probably the same as you were, it's just something you grow up knowing from that age....stay away from the rooster. Stay out of the field the bull is in. Stay away from that billy goat. Don't walk behind that horse. Our parents or grandparents taught us that and then we were properly warned and supervised up to a certain age.

I think it's a given that a 2 yr old will be directly supervised while around chickens...all chickens. It should also be a given that they grow up being cautioned about living around livestock, not just roosters.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Well, apparently, you guys haven't read enough here on BYC. It's seems that it's not a given. Many backyard chicken owners are not country raised, have no experience around livestock as you and I do. They expect chickens to be like amiable labrador retrievers. I cannot count the number of shocked posts I've read over the last 8 years by folks who are stunned at the injuries their small child sustained at the feet of their normally docile rooster. So, I always err on the side of caution and speak to those people who do not have the benefit of experience with livestock.

Roosters generally do react differently with little kids than adults. I've seen it with my own very docile roosters here, just with them hearing the commotion a neighbor's grandchildren make and when those kids have run up here on rare occasions uninvited. Have seen it with friends' roosters as well. So, I won't argue with you because it is better to be safe than sorry, especially with a small child. No need to endanger them for some principle.

ETA: Sorry for the tangent. Didn't realize that my off hand comment/warning about roosters and toddlers would sent the thread down a rabbit hole. Back to the original subject, please!

 

[jcbenton]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I am new to chickens and so therefore am lacking in what you would call "commonsense". The other day I caught myself washing the chicken feeder and waterer in my kitchen sink and had to think really hard about whether or not that was sanitary. I wash my dog's bowl in the sink (with a seperate sponge of course) so why not the chickens' dishes? It was brought to my attention that my dog doesn't go to the bathroom on her dishes like the chickens do so i decided it would be best to wash them in the yard. I am very grateful to have this resource for all of my questions. Thank you again!

 

[Beekissed]

Well, apparently, you guys haven't read enough here on BYC. It's seems that it's not a given. Many backyard chicken owners are not country raised, have no experience around livestock as you and I do. They expect chickens to be like amiable labrador retrievers. I cannot count the number of shocked posts I've read over the last 8 years by folks who are stunned at the injuries their small child sustained at the feet of their normally docile rooster. So, I always err on the side of caution and speak to those people who do not have the benefit of experience with livestock.

Roosters generally do react differently with little kids than adults. I've seen it with my own very docile roosters here, just with them hearing the commotion a neighbor's grandchildren make and when those kids have run up here on rare occasions uninvited. Have seen it with friends' roosters as well. So, I won't argue with you because it is better to be safe than sorry, especially with a small child. No need to endanger them for some principle.

ETA: Sorry for the tangent. Didn't realize that my off hand comment/warning about roosters and toddlers would sent the thread down a rabbit hole. Back to the original subject, please!

True enough....good point. I'm constantly amazed at how many folks lack the basic knowledge, or even the imagination to grasp the concept of, dangerous items~be they inanimate or animate, living beings. That has little to do with livestock experience or not, because even an amiable Labrador should be a cautionary tale when around small children, as is the house cat, the gerbil or hamster, etc. Anything with the potential to bite would be an automatic caution flag, but many can't seem to get that idea.