Rooster is mounting my toddler?

[dreamcatcherarabians]

A rooster mounting the human boy child is nothing less than an agressive and dominant act. The poster who said things will go down hill quick is correct. The rooster is telling everyone that HE is in charge and that absolutely cannot be allowed around human children. PERIOD. That's not anthropomorphizing, it's PURE-D, common, barnyard, sense learned through years of trial and error.

 

[7L Farm]

Adios big drumstick. Your done!! I wouldn't re-home him thats like relocating predators. I've had this problem before I had zero luck at trying to fixs Mr Roo. He went to camp kenmore & I got another one & thus far he has been great. He doesn't go crazy when I pick up one of his lady's & we get along. I don't mess with him & he doesn't bother anyone that comes to my farm.

 

[speckledhen]

Mounting can most definitely be an act of dominance in the animal world and not just with chickens. That is very well known and anyone who has watched National Geographic or has read anything about general animal behavior knows this very basic fact.

The mistake I see is that folks tend to treat a young rooster like they would a male puppy with their small children. Think of a rooster as a bull or a stallion in a smaller, more agile package.

 

[greenckick]

Thank you all for your replies. You all said what I felt, I guess I just needed the affirmation. The kids wan to help feed and take care of the girls, especially since we got our first egg on Sunday, now we want to go check the box when we get home. It isn't fair to keep them from helping because of a naughty roo. Thanks!

I have contacted the local chick dealer to see if they will take him back or can help us re-home George. If we don't have anywhere for him to go in the next week George will be gone for good.

Anyone in the Raleigh NC area without kids looking for a roo who sleeps in past 6am to manage and protect their girls let me know.

 

[furbabymum]

So, how old would the Roo have to be before you didn't allow your toddler around it???

I'm glad I read this I've been letting my son hang out with the chickens every night. Chickens are about 10 weeks.

 

[greenckick]

We didn't have any problems until George started crowing about 2 weeks ago. Then he became much more protective of his girls.

Like any animal we are with the kids when they are around the chickens, it is just in the last week that George has grown his balls to jump on them while we are right there. The girls are 21 and 19 weeks old and let the kids pet and pick them up without a fuss.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Sex can be both an act of agression and a tool to establish dominance in the animal kingdom.

...anthropomorphizing...not in in this case.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Mounting can most definitely be an act of dominance in the animal world and not just with chickens. That is very well known and anyone who has watched National Geographic or has read anything about general animal behavior knows this very basic fact.

The mistake I see is that folks tend to treat a young rooster like they would a male puppy with their small children. Think of a rooster as a bull or a stallion in a smaller, more agile package.

Good advice here.

 

[3GChicks]

I would re home the rooster. If he has tried it once he will try it again. I have to say that I would not let my 2 year old around the rooster. I have a 6 year old and I do not even let him around our hens because he scares them with his loud noises and sudden movements. I think that small children and animals do not mix, there are too many "what ifs" especially ones that could be violent.

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

So, how old would the Roo have to be before you didn't allow your toddler around it???

My rule of thumb is, as soon as I can tell they are roos not hens, they go on the rehome or cull list. To limit the amount of tears at the time the roo leaves, which ever way it goes, I would keep my little ones away from them from that point on. Kids form attachments amazingly fast and just because this roo is red with pretty irridescent green feathers can be enough to make that one the little kid's favorite. If he also turns out to be the one who is aggressive, when you eliminate him, the child will be heartbroken, so I just would keep them away right from the moment I knew I had roosters that I would have to rehome or kill.

This has been said before but it bears repeating a lot. You don't need a roo unless you are wanting to hatch eggs and even in that case, if I had little kids, I would order hatching eggs rather than run the risk. Hens will lay eggs regardless of the presence of a roo, so you don't need one to make the girls productive. I do find them somewhat useful in free range situations because they are so alert and vigilant but again, you can tighten up security a bit and do very well without a roo. I don't even have little kids and if one or both of my 2 goes ugly, I'll dispatch them very quickly and I won't go looking for another roo. A nasty roo is not worth the space, air and feed he takes up.