Help! Raising a Rooster around kids??

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Why not confine him to a pen by himself until he is a good 10 months old? Then you and toddlers can learn to read him and potentially make adjustments in your behavior or get rid of him before problems arise. I have just started penning my American Dominique cockerels, some singly, and about half dozen others in a bachelor pen. I do expect troubles from them but if they have inclinations it can be read when they are not able to get at little kids. The penning can also be a confidence builder for the human side of the equation. Once he comes into adult feather you can release him to see how he operates. Generally, my hypothesis differs markedly from from most on this forum because I am far more rooster oriented. Even so, a penning setup will allow assessment regardless of logic used to predict rooster behavior.

I like to pen up young maturing roosters too, especially if they are making troubles. It puts a stop to bad behaviors becoming normal to them, and gives everyone a break from him, or them.

Every rooster I have managed this way has grown up to be a good respectable boy that takes good care of the hens.

Time spent in a pen where they are forced to sweet talk the hens through a fence teaches them good manner. Some I actually need to manage until about 2 years. If they are nice roosters I like to give them a chance to improve. Those that continue to put themselves first go in the freezer after that. My birds are completely free range so having good roosters that look after the hens is important to me.

 

[pittmanbirds]

Like the others said it just depends one the rooster. I can't free range but have a large run. I always go in with the little kids, with the rules of no chasing chickens. My 3 year old brown leghorn and buff Orpington roos have always been very well behaved. They don't run from us but don't square off with us and give us that "look" my roos give when they're getting the idea to flog. I've had 1 roo that flogged 1 time ( a white leghorn). The rest usually hit the stew pot as soon as they are acting iffy. I got 3 roos who hatched last fall that I've been watching. So far they have been respectful.

 

[pittmanbirds]

Like the others said it just depends one the rooster. I can't free range but have a large run. I always go in with the little kids, with the rules of no chasing chickens. My 3 year old brown leghorn and buff Orpington roos have always been very well behaved. They don't run from us but don't square off with us and give us that "look" my roos give when they're getting the idea to flog. I've had 1 roo that flogged 1 time ( a white leghorn). The rest usually hit the stew pot as soon as they are acting iffy. I got 3 roos who hatched last fall that I've been watching. So far they have been respectful.

And i have kids ages 1thru7