Killed my rooster.....

[organictoon]

So I was outside and my 4 year old daughter went down to close up the chickens and as she escorted the last hen in the rooster flogged her on the hand and was about to do more damage until she started crying and protecting herself.

This rooster has been recently doing the same to me and my worry had already started. But this was it for me he was not even 5 months old and was a manfighter already.

Was this just a terrible reaction from me?

I feel horrible about this since I thought I was a great dude to that rooster... I spent hours with the flock daily and brought treats non stop.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would say that was exactly the right reaction from you. Some would suggest having let him try to outgrow those obnoxious hormones, but you have a small child. She needs to come first. I have two 6 month old cockerels, and neither of them have shown signs of human aggression. So, it's not necessarily the age. Some are just predisposed to be a problem. You did the right thing. Don't beat yourself up.

 

[tinakevin]

I would have done the same thing. Your baby girl comes first and she should be able to enjoy the chickens not be afraid to go in to close it up. Good decision. Being good to the rooster doesn't mean that much to them as Bobbi-j says some r just that way. I had to do the same thing to a rooster that my son used to pick up every day but he was just too mean. Please don't feel terrible

 

[Mrs. K]

I bet you have him with just flock mates. They tend to get bigger faster, and begin to bully the pullets and anything else including people. Some just do not work out. Consider your child's eyes, yep, no rooster is worth that. I think your were a responsible owner taking care of him.

An all hen flock is a great one to start with, next year if you want, look for a rooster. Get an older one close to a year, who has stayed alive just cause he was so nice, and people could not cull him. That is the one you want.

Mrs K

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Roosters and kids don't mix well. Be grateful she wasn't seriously hurt. I would have strangled that rooster myself. I suggest you don't keep any roosters until your children are a lot older and can handle themselves around what can be dangerous animals, it's not worth the risk, and I like roosters.

 

[donrae]

We've done exactly the same thing. Long long ago, my Sugar Monkey was about 18 months old. I had a pretty silver EE rooster who jumped my baby on the back and started flogging him. My husband grabbed the baby, kicked the rooster away. Rooster of course came after my husband. Husband tucked Sugar Monkey under his arm like a football and went to the gun safe. Pulled out a shotgun, went back out and the rooster came for him. He had the kiddo under one arm and used the shotgun in that action movie shoot from the hip thing no one really does in real life----it was kind of a bummer cause we didn't even get to eat that rooster----pellets everywhere!

Anyway, yep, kiddos come first. Attack me, we can try to work something out, if I like you enough. Attack my child, you're dead right then. It may take a while to get the deed done, but you're a goner, trust me.

It's not impossible to mix children and roosters, but for most backyard folks, not raised around animals, it's best to let that particular combo go until the littles are a bit older.

 

[QueenMisha]

Don't even feel bad. I see no reason to tolerate or have compassion for a shin flogger. Any day of the week I'll cuddle and kiss any good cockerel or any other bird and treat them as my own family, but in the past I've had cockbirds attack me that one last time and I grabbed em and killed em and processed em right there in the coop (no sense wasting good meat). It's a natural reaction to defend yourself and your family.

 

[aart]

Little kids and male chickens very often not a good mix....so, good move @organictoon ......Kudos!

 

[Dmontgomery]

We've been very lucky so far, that none of our roosters have been aggressive towards us. I have grandchildren aged 4 & 6. If any bird tried to attack them, rooster or hen, they'd be dead. We truly love having chickens, but nothing hurts a child and lives.

 

[mtnviewfarms]

organic -

of course you feel bad about the rooster but as has been said, your daughter's safety comes first AND i echo others who have suggested you wait until your daughter is older before getting another roo OR if you do, NEVER allow a child of any age or an adult not experienced with rooster behaviors be around them w/o your close and direct supervision.

that said, there are plenty of great for the flock's protection but non-human-attack birds out there. in my 12 year experience of breeding, growing out 175+ chicks every spring into started pullets and selling them - when i enter the chicken house or one of the 6 roosters i currently have with my flock of 65 pullet coming into lay comes near me outsike - a 'perfect rooster' - IMHO, does not make direct eye contact but goes the other direction - i liken the behavior to the parting of the red sea if you will pardon the biblical reference here.


fortunately for me, my local feed store will take any good looking rooster to resell ( usually to serve as food ) and gives me a credit good toward feed purchase. i always make sure he knows that the rooster has been a 'flogger' so he will not sell him to a family.

also, don't feel 'betrayed' by that roo as you mentioned how great your care of him has been, but acknowledge that this aggressive behavior is meant to be a defense of his flock's females - the floggers just take it too far which is at the one end of the continuum.