Rooster? Or no rooster? That is the question.

[rIrs roost]

I know none of y'all meant any harm by your advice. I appreciate it all. Just needing some opinions so I can narrow down my thinking process.
My mind was going 100 different directions when I started this thred.

I know that feeling lol. When I first joined byc I had a sick hen and I was worried to death. Thank God for all the wonderful people here. I still don't know a lt but I'm learning lol.

 

[TwinkleCake]

I know none of y'all meant any harm by your advice. I appreciate it all. Just needing some opinions so I can narrow down my thinking process.
My mind was going 100 different directions when I started this thred.

 

[smoore7489]

Yes, Craigslist, local ads, feed store (mine didn't want him) or . . . Yes I'm sure I'll tick off some on this forum, but we let ours go in a field. We couldn't wait to fuss with rehoming, and we couldn't cull. It gave the kids a hope that they lived too (lol) Good luck!

Lol well it worked out for Todd the fox in 'Fox and the Hound' !! haha might check into rehomeing! I know a couple people who have chickens and if they dont want em they might know who does

 

[smoore7489]

I know that feeling lol. When I first joined byc I had a sick hen and I was worried to death. Thank God for all the wonderful people here. I still don't know a lt but I'm learning lol.

Yes i am in love with this site! Such a great community of people on here!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Have to say, I grew up on a small farm with a flock of barnyard chickens. We always had at least one rooster, and they were never aggressive towards people, kids, even my baby sister was completely safe around them. I had no idea roosters could even be mean until visiting the neighbors one day and seeing their rooster viciously attack a woman. It was a shock.

So not every rooster is mean, but I think one that is showing aggression so young is not a good bet. I had an EE cockerel that got aggressive toward me, not my husband or boys, and I think it was because I was the one handling him as a chick. At about 17 wks old, I gave the EE to a lady with a large flock, with full disclosure of his aggression. Fortunately, the move seemed to change his behavior (or maybe the older hens in the flock straightened him up!) and she never had any problem with him.

 

[RainForestBird]

I have two dwarf roosters, an Olandsk and a Serama. The Olandsk is free range and the Serama keeps the more delicate girls happy in an enclosure. Even though the Olandsk is small he makes up for it in his vigor. He can stand his own with a huge RIR hen. I had a barred rock rooster who attacked my two year old many years ago when she toddled outside in only a diaper. The scratches on her face and abdomen were not pretty and took a long time to heal. Since then I've been leary of mixing full size roosters with kids. I realize my daughter shouldn't have been alone in the yard but I only looked away for a minute. If I had a choice I'd have no roosters, but one i hatched and the other I bought as a "pullet".

 

[TwinkleCake]

I have two dwarf roosters, an Olandsk and a Serama. The Olandsk is free range and the Serama keeps the more delicate girls happy in an enclosure. Even though the Olandsk is small he makes up for it in his vigor. He can stand his own with a huge RIR hen. I had a barred rock rooster who attacked my two year old many years ago when she toddled outside in only a diaper. The scratches on her face and abdomen were not pretty and took a long time to heal. Since then I've been leary of mixing full size roosters with kids. I realize my daughter shouldn't have been alone in the yard but I only looked away for a minute. If I had a choice I'd have no roosters, but one i hatched and the other I bought as a "pullet".

 

[Chaerie]

I'm new to chickens, but I just got a rooster because I'm planning on free ranging. I also have a small child who loves to help with the chickens, so first sign of any funny business from this guy and he'll be going in the pot. Farm life.

 

[aldarita]

centrarchid knows a lot about roosters behavior, he has many posts that have been very helpful to me.

 

[Mrs. K]

One of the notions the original poster had, was that the friendly rooster would be the best bet, even though he had been starting signs of aggression to her son. She thought that the son had chased the roosters, and the rooster was getting back at him for that.

That is misunderstanding chicken society. Chicken equate fear with respect. Chickens have a hierarchy where either a bird is afraid of another, or another is afraid of that bird.
As long as all accept the position, the flock is peaceful. However, this frequently changes as time progresses.

Because the rooster was out going, and not afraid of humans, people tend to think of that rooster as liking them. That is not true, that rooster thinks that people are submissive to him, as he comes into his own, he will want to keep that position, and will forcefully try and do so. They almost always pick children first, but eventually will attack women and men if not stopped.

I really don't like roosters with children if they have to share a tight space. If the coop/run is a long ways from the house, were as small children can play away from the chickens it is better. But even so, every person needs to be aware of roosters all of the time. Little kids can be seriously hurt by a mean rooster.

Mrs k