Rooster attacked and injured my 3 year old

[campingshaws]

I've had many roosters around my kids since they were young. It can be done, but you have to be watchful. If a kid picks up a hen and the hen squawks, any good rooster will attack to save her. Teach the kids how to handle chickens gently, and only keep roos that respect you. I run a summer camp with lots of chickens in our farm program. We have kids aged 5-19 in our programs and have yet to have one attacked by a rooster. Wish I could send you a couple.

 

[MommyRooster89]

We tried correcting the behavior of our BR and let me tell you.. Doesn't work. Cull him.
The hens will survive.
Get a new roo if you plan on having chicks.
He used to never attack me but went after EVERYONE else. Almost got my three year old daughter in the eye. He's a dead bird soon as I learn how to do it.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

There's no need for a rooster. They are not that good at protection, at best they give their lives to give the hens a chance to get away from a predator. Young children unless accustomed to animals only make them nervous. Nervous livestock is not a safe situation. Stick with only hens until your three year old gets accustomed how to behave around them.

Forgot to say, cull the bird and make soup or some kind of crock pot dish.

 

[lisammckee]

We have a little one and 6 chickens. We do not want a rooster for that main reason - afraid he will hurt little one. He loves the chickens and feeding them treats. It would be traumatizing if he ever got attacked.

 

[Birdinhand]

I got whooped by a rooster when I was super young and it hurt. the thing with dogs and chickens and kids is that both roosters and dogs, often female dogs, will vie for a higher position in the pecking order/pack than the child. they do this by displays of aggression and often won't let up till they win. unless you can be there with your child and be ready to give that rooster a good kick in the pants, it should be culled. it's likely that it will stop going after your child if you are there to defend it, but will try and be aggressive when you are not around. we were told when we adopted our dog that we were not to leave it alone with our children for this reason.

if you can be there all the time with your child, take a stick and be ready to display an alpha stance, with threatening swings of the stick and kicks that are more dramatic than forceful. chickens communicate this way, it's their language. establish dominance, maintain dominance. keep the rooster only if you really value it and can be vigilant till your child is older, to see if your child can achieve dominance on their own eventually in the eyes of the rooster.

 

[sfgwife]

Hello
I have australorp hens which we raised since they were chicks and an australorp rooster, the rooster we got when he was already adult(about a year old) and he recently attacked my 3 year old boy and scratched his face, very close to the eye.

I am ready to put him down but since we only have one rooster and have predators I thought maybe there is another solution that any experienced chicken raisers are familiar with?

He never attacked me or my wife but he does run towards my 8 year old some times but never attacked her.

I thought australorps are children friendly which is why I got this breed in the first place, any advice would be very appreciated!

Wouldnt even have been a thought if he got a child... off with his head! Now right now.

 

[Mountainwalker]

Thanks everyone, the rooster became a fabulous soup for our family, and fabulous means truly amazing, i've never had a soup that good, it was a great experience for my 8 year old to process our first chicken which she liked, we got quite a bit of meat from that bird, so all is well.
I did order 1 australorp and 1 buff orphington rooster chicks from Mcmurry hatchery, just so we can breed our own birds, we will make sure the roosters get to know our children from day 1 as to avoid such incidents in the future.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks everyone, the rooster became a fabulous soup for our family, and fabulous means truly amazing, i've never had a soup that good, it was a great experience for my 8 year old to process our first chicken which she liked, we got quite a bit of meat from that bird, so all is well.
I did order 1 australorp and 1 buff orphington rooster chicks from Mcmurry hatchery, just so we can breed our own birds, we will make sure the roosters get to know our children from day 1 as to avoid such incidents in the future.

Glad he made a good meal for you and your family!

 

[aart]

Thanks everyone, the rooster became a fabulous soup for our family, and fabulous means truly amazing, i've never had a soup that good, it was a great experience for my 8 year old to process our first chicken which she liked, we got quite a bit of meat from that bird, so all is well.
I did order 1 australorp and 1 buff orphington rooster chicks from Mcmurry hatchery, just so we can breed our own birds, we will make sure the roosters get to know our children from day 1 as to avoid such incidents in the future.

Mucho Kudos!!