Whoops, it seems I skipped right over this thread!
Anywho, pleased to meet you all! I'm Caitlin (aka MamaDoodle) and I have been a lurker on BYC for this past year. It wasn't until my second flock grew up that I joined, and I wish I had been more active on here rather than just winging it.
I am a twenty year old newly married mother, and my daughter is about to turn two, so she loves to chase down my chickens when she see's them out in the yard. While they usually just skitter out of her way or hop out of reach on the picnic table, one of my roosters tends to chase her down and attempt to flog her (luckily, his spurs are not grown in yet), so I don't allow her to run around with them anymore. Hopefully she will be willing to help me with the garden instead, kids like the dirt, right?
My animals include: five horses, five dogs, a dozen cats, two fish tanks, and five chickens.
We all live in the wooded, mountain area of Tennessee (US) and so my animals are all put up at sun down and spend their days fenced in for safety - especially with the predator issue we have been having recently. However, I do make sure my chickens get free time when I am not working, by sitting in the yard with their protector, my loopy hound dog, and keeping an eye on how far they venture before calling them back to the run by evening.
I hope to add a pair of goats and another pair of chickens to my family soon! I would like to get another set of hens, as my best hen just passed away, and my roosters now outnumber my hens.
And finally, here is a picture of my barn and pasture, just outside of the main property and house in the treeline.
I hope to learn a lot here, and maybe meet some new buddies~
Anywho, pleased to meet you all! I'm Caitlin (aka MamaDoodle) and I have been a lurker on BYC for this past year. It wasn't until my second flock grew up that I joined, and I wish I had been more active on here rather than just winging it.
I am a twenty year old newly married mother, and my daughter is about to turn two, so she loves to chase down my chickens when she see's them out in the yard. While they usually just skitter out of her way or hop out of reach on the picnic table, one of my roosters tends to chase her down and attempt to flog her (luckily, his spurs are not grown in yet), so I don't allow her to run around with them anymore. Hopefully she will be willing to help me with the garden instead, kids like the dirt, right?
My animals include: five horses, five dogs, a dozen cats, two fish tanks, and five chickens.
I hope to add a pair of goats and another pair of chickens to my family soon! I would like to get another set of hens, as my best hen just passed away, and my roosters now outnumber my hens.
And finally, here is a picture of my barn and pasture, just outside of the main property and house in the treeline.
I hope to learn a lot here, and maybe meet some new buddies~
roosters can be a very real threat to children - because they are easier to spur in the face, etc. The rooster was protecting his flock. Chickens are attracted to shiny objects and tend to peck at eyes, glasses, so children should never hold a chick, etc. up close to their face.
I'm thinking of making a sign on the gate "protective roo" as we often have guests. 
