Small children & roos- can they get along?

[erinchelsea]

We ordered 25 chicks that were supposed to be all pullets. We ended up with one partridge rock cockerel. Fine with me, I kind of liked the idea of having one! Loved hearing him crow and was hoping to hatch out some chicks next spring. However, last week (he is 5 months old) he started attacking my 2 year old DS when we went in the run. I was NOT happy and told DH he would have to cull him, much to my sadness.

DH said, "why? Just yesterday we were out in the run and DS was chasing him around no problem!"

Now, DH has never been around chickens before or many animals for that matter so he didn't know that DS should never be allowed to chase or scare the chickens. Maybe this roo would have turned out to be a jerk anyhow, I don't know. I feel bad we had to get rid of him, but I can't run the risk of one of my kids getting hurt.

What is your experience of raising kids around roosters? is it pointless to try until they are old enough to understand not to be so loud or rambunctions around the birds? Or did I just get an ornery roo?

for the record, I had a talk with DH

and from now on DS will absolutely not be allowed to chase the chickens or otherwise scare them.

 

[Heathero617]

Yup they sure can i have 2 kidletts and they pick up the roos like all the others.

 

[gritsar]

IMO, you shouldn't even try to see if they can. A child getting along with a roo is not worth your child's eyesight and it can happen in a split second.

 

[ranchhand]

I agree with Gritsar, it's not worth the risk.
A friend of mine was attacked by a rooster when she was little. She has a scar to this day, 30 years later, down the side of her face, starting next to her eye. She's terrified of chickens, too.

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

My opinion would be to keep a barrier between your son and the adult chickens. Even a sweet hen might be curious enough to give him a peck in the eye when he leans down, and little kids never see it coming. They are too young to notice the birds posture and anticipate what is going to happen. Let him handle the eggs, and chicks, and small things that can't hurt him, and watch all the big chickens from a distance. Or put hens or roosters on YOUR lap, and let him pet, so that you are the one in control.

Kids will be kids, roosters will be roosters. I don't think either are to blame in this instance, but you can definitely take steps to avoid it happening again, without getting rid of either.

 

[Heathero617]

f you teach your children the proper way to treat the birds, and they respect that they are animals and CAN be mean if mistreated or frightened, then you should have no problems. My youngest is 4, he knows not to run around them or be overly loud around them. He can walk into the pen, walk right up to them and if they walk away from him he knows they arent interested. I do not agree with seperating children from animals, I believe in teaching them the right way to act and treat the animals. Afterall, your children will grow into adults and if they don't learn now, how to treat an animal, they may never learn because your fear of the "could happens" while the 2 species are near each other.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I respectfully disagree. Teaching them how to behave around dogs, cats and other household pets is one thing. Roosters are another story. They can be unpredictable and it could be nothing the child does or does not do that sets them off. Sometimes a rooster's little brain perceives a threat that doesn't even exist. Ever see a rooster flog? They can reach heights just about where a young childs eyes are. Blindness is forever.

I don't and haven't had a rooster that is human aggressive. I do have a 5 year old GS. If GS is in the yard, the chickens are out of the yard and vice versa. If GS wants to collect eggs with me he does so only under close supervision and the roosters are not allowed near us. I would no more allow him close to the rooster than I would let him close to a bull. If he wants to hold a hen, I bring a hen to him.

Our dogs (two german shepherds) and our cats, yes. He's been taught how to behave with them and the dogs especially adore him. Roosters are a whole 'nother ball of wax and there are plenty of threads on BYC about the dangers of young children and roosters. The child always ends up the loser.

Again, just MHO.

 

[Heathero617]

Quote:
I respectfully disagree. Teaching them how to behave around dogs, cats and other household pets is one thing. Roosters are another story. They can be unpredictable and it could be nothing the child does or does not do that sets them off. Sometimes a rooster's little brain perceives a threat that doesn't even exist. Ever see a rooster flog? They can reach heights just about where a young childs eyes are. Blindness is forever.

I don't and haven't had a rooster that is human aggressive. I do have a 5 year old GS. If GS is in the yard, the chickens are out of the yard and vice versa. If GS wants to collect eggs with me he does so only under close supervision and the roosters are not allowed near us. I would no more allow him close to the rooster than I would let him close to a bull. If he wants to hold a hen, I bring a hen to him.

Our dogs (two german shepherds) and our cats, yes. He's been taught how to behave with them and the dogs especially adore him. Roosters are a whole 'nother ball of wax and there are plenty of threads on BYC about the dangers of young children and roosters. The child always ends up the loser.

Again, just MHO.

Dogs and cats are just as unpredictable as any other animal, thats why you have reports of the family dog suddenly snapping. No one sees it coming, it just happens. Except a dog attack can result in the death of a child. I have taught my kids this fact of life with animals around us. I'd rather a rooster flog him and have his neck broken by my son kicking him away than a dog latching on to his face or throat and killing him or scaring him for life. Also JMO

 

[tofumama]

I have tried numerous times to keep roosters and they always go after my youngest, who is a small 6yo. ALL my kids KNOW how to behave around and handle the chickens. Doesn't matter. 2 out of 4 of the roos we had would attack completely unprovoked. I am totally against roos now...with the exception of the d'Uccles we have, I may keep one of the roos as they are small and not at all *feisty*...we'll see...

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yes, you have to look at it from the rooster's point of view. Young children typically like to run around, move fast, make noise. Now think about what a predator does; same diff. It's not about anything the child is doing wrong and it's not the rooster doing anything wrong. It's that there's no way to explain to a rooster the difference between a real threat and a perceived threat. A threat is a threat in their little peanut brains and they will act accordingly.