My Leghorn Flogged my little Girl

[Mortimer]

Quote:
We have 4 Delaware roos. I've told my kids the same, 3 yr old boy and 5 yr old girl. They love to go gather eggs after lunch every day. I usually go out with them, but I've told them ANYTIME the roos start scuffling their feet or come towards you just kick the bejesus out of them. My daughter gets a little frightened sometimes but still kicks at them and they scuttle off. My 3-year-old boy on the other hand will flat give those roos a whollop if they bother him.

Just the other day he was standing next to me while I was cleaning a turkey from hunting, the chickens all came over to see what was going on, one of the roos snuck up behind him and pecked him right on the butt . . . he turned around and kicked so hard that roo flew up 4 ft in the air. "Good job!!" I said!

I make a habit anytime the roos do that foot shuffle towards me to give them a foot-nudge just so they know who's boss. Never had one give me a go yet, but sometimes they look like they want to, when that happens I toss a foot out & make them stand down.

I agree with everyone else, if any of my roos ever attacked one of the kids, especially enough to draw blood or leave any kindof mark, I'd be making him into some soup for sure. You don't need to make a big deal out of it or tell your kids during dinner "Yeah, that's the one that pecked you the other day," just make sure he's out of the picture and can do no more harm.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Um...y'all can do what you want with your kids and your roos, but I do not tell my kids to kick animals. I don't think it's funny and I don't think it's commendable to kick a bird 4 feet into the air. I think it's unkind to the bird and potentially dangerous to the child. Many roos attack due to fear, and I think this type of treatment could just teach a roo to be afraid and wary around people, therefore acting more aggressive the next time someone comes near.

I think the smaller/younger the child the more they need to be monitored around any animal, to insure the well-being of both. I teach my kids how to care for our animals, to treat them well with kindness & consideration. They are taught that being kind to animals means trying to see things from their perspective, treating them in ways that make them happy (i.e. at ease, unafraid, not stressed), and not only pleasing ourselves. Children usually want to hold, pet & hug the animals they love, and must learn that many animals don't perceive that as kindness. I teach my kids to be confident, not timid around our animals, how to shoo them away if they don't want them near instead of shrieking and running away. I showed them how to cover their faces with their arms & curl up on the ground if ever a bird got aggressive and attacked.

But I would never tell a child to kick a rooster away, especially not very young children. I think there is great potential for the rooster to retaliate with even greater aggression, and could easily overpower a young child's defenses.

I don't put up with unmannerly roosters, period. If the young ones we have free-ranging start acting aggressive towards any person, they are confined to the meat pen for the rest of their short lives. The rest are treated with consideration, so that they don't learn to fear us.

 

[can you hear me now?]

I keep a bunch of roos for the perpose of eating. That way if I have a problem they go to the soup pot. If they are great roos then I keep them.

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

But I would never tell a child to kick a rooster away, especially not very young children. I think there is great potential for the rooster to retaliate with even greater aggression, and could easily overpower a young child's defenses.

I don't put up with unmannerly roosters, period. If the young ones we have free-ranging start acting aggressive towards any person, they are confined to the meat pen for the rest of their short lives. The rest are treated with consideration, so that they don't learn to fear us.

I have four young roosters. Just today my DH told me they now have ALL gone after him. One had previously. Today the other three had had a go at him. They seem okay with me. He said he did kick one, who repeated the assault. I don't know what to do. I don't want to eat any of my roosters! He does.... he has no patience.​

 

[55885100]

he does sound pretty tasty

 

[Buster]

A rooster can blind or kill a child. Put that thing in the soup pot and call it good. I have had 8 roosters around here. One wasn't nice and the rest were great. Guess who doesn't live here anymore.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:

This makes so much sense, Kev, very well put. That's why there's not a One-Size-Fits-All answer to aggression in roosters. You don't have to instantly go for the axe the first time your rooster gives you a dirty look. Neither will careful behavior modification techniques work with every rooster.

But when children are involved, it's better to err very far on the side of caution. They only get two little eyes and have a long lifetime of seeing to do. I think it's important to train them how to behave around and towards animals so they're wise, safe, unafraid but respectful of them.

Some roos might respond well to getting kicked by a child and learn to never show aggression towards them again. But I think it's a terrible risk to take, potentially dangerous advice to give a child, and unkind treatment towards the animal.
My $.02 plus change...