Help ! 5+ month EE Rooster aggressive towards my young children!

[BarnyardChaos]

First, let me say that your children should not be around this rooster, from this moment forward, unless you are holding him securely. You do not want a trip to the ER for stitches or punctured eyes.

He's just doing his job. Really. A rooster lives for one thing: To further his genes. To do that, he must protect the flock from threats, mate with as many hens as he can, and keep other roosters away from his hens. He sees himself as the Alpha and will not tolerate any challenge to that authority. Between 5-6 months old, those hormones start surging and he'll go a little bonkers in response.

Watch your rooster in the video. Do you see how he's standing sideways, with his head down, and watching your little girl? She stepped into his space - he thinks she's challenging him to fight. She moves slowly, but directly towards him. He can't allow that. His stance is a clear warning that he's about to attack and he's looking for an opening.

That's all it is. No amount of cuddling and love, or treats and family time will change his mind. He has a job to do and he's trying his best to learn how to do it. By the time his hormones settle, he may very well calm down and be reasonable. Or it may escalate. You won't know until you know.

One thing you can do is when you see that stance, you stand your ground. Do NOT back down or look away. Quickly pick him up and tuck him under your arm. Walk around with him, talk to him, do a chore or two.... or just go for a walk. Let him know that you will not fight him nor hurt him, but you'll always win. You are THE BOSS.

Since you raised him from a chick and he's used to treats and being handled, you have a good chance to train him. But still...... never trust a rooster around your children, no matter how much you want to.

 

[Sussex19]

Well there are well behaved roosters that can be around children, this is absolutely not one of them.
He's got to go, even if you think that you can keep him separate, a gate will get left open, he'll fly out; things happen.
And then you could have a badly hurt child.

 

[Sussex19]

Also, never underestimate the strength of a rooster; I was just handling my well behaved roo, and he tried to get away.
He's spur just clipped my hand and took a bit of skin off, and I couldn't hold him.
Bearing in mind that he was only trying to get away, his strength was amazing.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I still have a scar to remind me of the rooster we had when I was a teenager. We used to carry a pitchfork into the run with us and the bastard still got me.

 

[Lspears218]

Thank you all for the overwhelming responses. After reading all of your posts it is very obvious that I will not be able to keep him. I was very hopeful that there may be a way to let him stick around, but I cannot allow my children to always be at risk of getting attacked every time they go into their own yard to play. Luckily we have not had any injury , more so just fear and taunting, but that is enough to not let this situation get any worse. My children are and will always be my priority and your replies definitely tell me what I need to do.

I appreciate the response from all of you , if not for you all I likely would have tried to keep him and “fix” the situation with no resolve and a trip to the ER with a lifelong scar or injury to one of my little girls before I decide to do something. I can’t let that happen. Thank you.

 

[Lspears218]

First, let me say that your children should not be around this rooster, from this moment forward, unless you are holding him securely. You do not want a trip to the ER for stitches or punctured eyes.

He's just doing his job. Really. A rooster lives for one thing: To further his genes. To do that, he must protect the flock from threats, mate with as many hens as he can, and keep other roosters away from his hens. He sees himself as the Alpha and will not tolerate any challenge to that authority. Between 5-6 months old, those hormones start surging and he'll go a little bonkers in response.

Watch your rooster in the video. Do you see how he's standing sideways, with his head down, and watching your little girl? She stepped into his space - he thinks she's challenging him to fight. She moves slowly, but directly towards him. He can't allow that. His stance is a clear warning that he's about to attack and he's looking for an opening.

That's all it is. No amount of cuddling and love, or treats and family time will change his mind. He has a job to do and he's trying his best to learn how to do it. By the time his hormones settle, he may very well calm down and be reasonable. Or it may escalate. You won't know until you know.

One thing you can do is when you see that stance, you stand your ground. Do NOT back down or look away. Quickly pick him up and tuck him under your arm. Walk around with him, talk to him, do a chore or two.... or just go for a walk. Let him know that you will not fight him nor hurt him, but you'll always win. You are THE BOSS.

Since you raised him from a chick and he's used to treats and being handled, you have a good chance to train him. But still...... never trust a rooster around your children, no matter how much you want to.

I have taken your response serious and appreciate it very much.

 

[Lspears218]

There are things that could be done but children cannot do them with consistency so the only recourse is to rehome this cockerel. He is not a full grown rooster. He has ways to go and he is already showing that he is overly protective, reactive and not really thinking about what is an actual threat to his pullets. He is a danger to your children and a liability to visitors. Period. Pen him up, advertise him and move him out.
I have read too many threads about spurs being driven into legs and arms. He hasn't developed them yet but just think about your child taking a spur in the eye.

Thank you very much I have taken your words serious. We will attempt to re-home him first before “drastic” measures. We do live in a farm town so I am hoping one of our kind neighbors (who don’t have kids) that own chickens may take him in.

 

[Lspears218]

There are things that could be done but children cannot do them with consistency so the only recourse is to rehome this cockerel. He is not a full grown rooster. He has ways to go and he is already showing that he is overly protective, reactive and not really thinking about what is an actual threat to his pullets. He is a danger to your children and a liability to visitors. Period. Pen him up, advertise him and move him out.
I have read too many threads about spurs being driven into legs and arms. He hasn't developed them yet but just think about your child taking a spur in the eye.

I am in a small farm town and I am hopeful one of my kind neighbors may take him…taking action immediately! Thank you.

 

[Regina Larsen]

Thank you all for the overwhelming responses. After reading all of your posts it is very obvious that I will not be able to keep him. I was very hopeful that there may be a way to let him stick around, but I cannot allow my children to always be at risk of getting attacked every time they go into their own yard to play. Luckily we have not had any injury , more so just fear and taunting, but that is enough to not let this situation get any worse. My children are and will always be my priority and your replies definitely tell me what I need to do.

I appreciate the response from all of you , if not for you all I likely would have tried to keep him and “fix” the situation with no resolve and a trip to the ER with a lifelong scar or injury to one of my little girls before I decide to do something. I can’t let that happen. Thank you.

I think you are making the right choice

 

[drdoct]

Man, that was hard to watch. Especially when she bent down to him. I have a rooster that looks exactly the same. When a rooster is doing their 'I'm just a chicken' routine (pecking the ground) they're actually planning their attack. I hope to have a cockerel in the 4 eggs my broody is sitting on because he's going to be replaced. I tried to give him a year to 'calm down' but he's still the same.

NEVER trust a male chicken. Luckily I have almost adult children who can kick him, but I'm still getting rid of him.