Preparing Daughter for a Roo

[Redhead Rae]

My theory of rooster management is to get one that is wary of humans and gives them space. If you coddle cockerels too much, they start viewing you as a member of their flock and when their hormones kick in, they try to dominate you. Not good, especially when you have kids. I've selected very hard for good roosters and I've had pretty good success. Any rooster that displays any aggression towards humans is a goner. I don't count curious chick pecking, this is where @aart's head pecking reproof comes in handy. I count any thing from 16-20 weeks onward. I don't even like hens that are overly aggressive and pecky. I sell them.

My article Selecting Good Flock Roosters could be a good place for you to start. I can't take a risk with my kids. I've heard of too many children being maimed and mentally scarred by people who want to "fix" a bad rooster. There are too many good roosters out there to let a bad one stay.

 

[RobertaD1]

Pecking birds....
This might give her an upper hand and help in understanding that pecking is how they communicate, and that she can 'talk back to them'.

Have had this happen several times, mostly with hand fed chicks often as they come of age and get spunky. It's pretty easily curbed with calm and deliberate determination.

I peck them back, on the head or anywhere I can reach, with the tips of thumb and first 2 fingers, as hard and fast as many times as I can before they get away. Well, not hard enough to hurt them, just startle them and let them you mean business. That's what another chicken would do, so they understand that kind of communication.

If that doesn't work after a couple applications, I hold them down to the ground with my hand on their back until they submit....again firmly enough to get the job done but not hurt them....add a few finger pecks and/or tug on the feathers on the back of their neck.

I did that just this afternoon with one of my comets! Little booger saw I had a tiny scab on my ankle.... tried to get it. When I pecked her back, (but it was on the back...and it really smarted...me, not her).... the DD became upset with me and told me I hit her. I tried to explain it away, but did not realize what I was doing really, just knew I needed to "peck her" because thats what I had been taught as a kid.... NOW I know! Tomorrow morning, while handing out dandelion greens, I will be able to explain it better!
As I recall, DD had a scab on her knee both times she was pecked.... hhhmmmmmmm.......

 

[RobertaD1]

My theory of rooster management is to get one that is wary of humans and gives them space. If you coddle cockerels too much, they start viewing you as a member of their flock and when their hormones kick in, they try to dominate you. Not good, especially when you have kids. I've selected very hard for good roosters and I've had pretty good success. Any rooster that displays any aggression towards humans is a goner. I don't count curious chick pecking, this is where @aart's head pecking reproof comes in handy. I count any thing from 16-20 weeks onward. I don't even like hens that are overly aggressive and pecky. I sell them.

My article Selecting Good Flock Roosters could be a good place for you to start. I can't take a risk with my kids. I've heard of too many children being maimed and mentally scarred by people who want to "fix" a bad rooster. There are too many good roosters out there to let a bad one stay.

Just LOVED your article! Read it twice! will read it several more times! I am DEFINITELY going to look for the signs! Ive never seen good with roosters, but have tolerated them because of protection. Like I said in my original post.... I have never had good one! Thats why Ive put off replacing our last one. My wee cockerels..... (thanks you @aart for clearing that up in another post!... ALWAYS called them wee-roos) are still skittish, and are establishing their pecking order amongst themselves (the 6 one month old brooder mates), but they have not.... as of today, challenged me, the daughter, or even the bigger girls. (Yesterday, a couple got their butts busted good by a couple of the teenagers....now, they don't even peep when the big girls are in there). After the episode with the lead hen... little Barney, looked at me like.... WHAT was THAT!
I love when the actual integration starts! Im hoping he doesn't ruffle his feathers at her again anytime soon.

***DISCLAIMER***
No little pullets or cockerels were hurt during this process. They just thought they were "tough"..... they have since learned otherwise.... and have learned about all the hiding places.

 

[centrarchid]

I have two similar ages kids with my daughter to turn 7 at end of week. We have a lot of roosters. There are rules I have in place.
1) No running around the livestock.
2) Move slowly and deliberately.
3) Do not torment the roosters.
4) Do not torment the hens.
5) Do not torment immature chickens.
6) Feeding is not to be done in little dollops that increase when rooster approaches which means put food out at once and step back slowly.
7) Do not run from rooster.
8) Do not respond to him if he acts aggressively, freeze in place and act like he is not there.

If protocol followed and rooster still were to be problematic, then off with his head. I have not done the off with head for aggression issue so far. I know my way around chickens.

 

[RobertaD1]

I have two similar ages kids with my daughter to turn 7 at end of week. We have a lot of roosters. There are rules I have in place.
1) No running around the livestock.
2) Move slowly and deliberately.
3) Do not torment the roosters.
4) Do not torment the hens.
5) Do not torment immature chickens.
6) Feeding is not to be done in little dollops that increase when rooster approaches which means put food out at once and step back slowly.
7) Do not run from rooster.
8) Do not respond to him if he acts aggressively, freeze in place and act like he is not there.

If protocol followed and rooster still were to be problematic, then off with his head. I have not done the off with head for aggression issue so far. I know my way around chickens.

GREAT set of rules! Some are already in place here...
-no running, tromping or walking that you aren't looking where you're going
-and the no tormenting.... anything! Dog, cat, chickens.... anything! (she's a big food tease... drives me INSANE!)

I may just print these out and hang them up! Best to get started A.S.A.P.

 

[Mrs. K]

If these are her first birds, if you only have flock mates, as in you do not have older birds around these birds, then I would strongly recommend you wait on the roosters, as in remove them from your flock. I think to keep them would be to set up this darling girl for failure.

A lot of people that have a lot of roosters around, have had flocks for YEARS. The dynamics of a well established flock with older and younger birds is VERY different than a flock of just birds all the same age. No one lives 24/7 with their birds, in a multi-generational flock the older birds school the rooster chicks. They are bigger than the rooster.

In a flock mate only flock, the rooster out grows the pullets rapidly and often times becomes a bully, gets away with aggression, and this often leads them to be aggressive with humans too, and they will attack children FIRST.

I vote, give her just a hen only flock the first year. Let her get some chicken experience and understanding.

Mrs K

 

[RobertaD1]

If these are her first birds, if you only have flock mates, as in you do not have older birds around these birds, then I would strongly recommend you wait on the roosters, as in remove them from your flock. I think to keep them would be to set up this darling girl for failure.

A lot of people that have a lot of roosters around, have had flocks for YEARS. The dynamics of a well established flock with older and younger birds is VERY different than a flock of just birds all the same age. No one lives 24/7 with their birds, in a multi-generational flock the older birds school the rooster chicks. They are bigger than the rooster.

In a flock mate only flock, the rooster out grows the pullets rapidly and often times becomes a bully, gets away with aggression, and this often leads them to be aggressive with humans too, and they will attack children FIRST.

I vote, give her just a hen only flock the first year. Let her get some chicken experience and understanding.

Mrs K

I do have the advantage of a multi generation flock. The good news, my more mature Hens, who have no trouble in schooling the teenagers of the flock, have been working on the chicks. They are VERY good hens, in that they let no one, not even each other, get away with just anything. My daughter does remember the last roo... but she was too little to remember his attitude. Which, is a good thing. We lost him last spring unexpectedly and I wasnt planning on replacing him for a couple more years.
This last batch did bring us a couple though. I will continue to work with my daughter, and see how my 3yr old hens work this batch of chicks. We are in the middle of supervised meetings right now, and for very short periods. By the end of the week, they should be completely open door to their pen. So far, there haas only been 1 show from each cockerel, of sassyness to the bigger birds, which they were quickly reprimanded for. I was VERY impressed with all of my girls. The chicks stopped immediately, and went on their way, while giving the oldest birds a wide berth. If, at anytime I feel that these boys will over step their boundaries, I give you my word, they will be re-homed. They are currently 1 month old, and they are...at least for this week... learning their manners lessons well.
I promise, my daughter wont have the same experience I did growing up. Uncle had a few chickens.... and a mean ole rooster...... wow.

 

[Mrs. K]

oh Thank God, somehow, I misread this as to be a flock mate only flock. That does change the dynamics, and I think with a six year old, and someone with a great deal of chicken experience, you both will be fine.

But as I always say, roosters are a crap shoot, but the best ones in my opinion were raised up in a flock.

 

[Redhead Rae]

oh Thank God, somehow, I misread this as to be a flock mate only flock. That does change the dynamics, and I think with a six year old, and someone with a great deal of chicken experience, you both will be fine.

But as I always say, roosters are a crap shoot, but the best ones in my opinion were raised up in a flock.

Amen to that. My best roosters were flock raised.

 

[RobertaD1]

That DOES make me feel a whole lot better! For a min, I will admit, I had my doubts. Even my husband did.... but he allowed me to open the door to the brooder and watch from the window and the boys did their thing. When the ...please excuse the expression...Fat 4 (older hens)busted their butts and put them back in place.... he laugh and walked away telling those boys good luck!

oh Thank God, somehow, I misread this as to be a flock mate only flock. That does change the dynamics, and I think with a six year old, and someone with a great deal of chicken experience, you both will be fine.

But as I always say, roosters are a crap shoot, but the best ones in my opinion were raised up in a flock.