Small children & roos- can they get along?

[allpeepedout]

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I agree. I have read a great many of the rooster threads with much sadness. Anything new or noisy or fast is a potential threat, one that a good (protective) rooster will investigate to see if he can dominate. So, he's doing what he should do to care for his flock, yet off with his head!

I would never let a young child unaccompanied into a chicken lot with a rooster; However, I believe older children can be TAUGHT how to observe them, how to behave to be safe, and what to do if things go wrong, assuming the roo is a proven good guy who has been trained. The rooster needs an opportunity to gradually and repetitively learn to recognize specific people and to learn that they are safe and predictable.

 

[erinchelsea]

FWIW, I don't let my DS unsupervised around the dog either. My spaniel is the most mild mannered dog ever, but still it only takes a second for him to snap at a child and do some damage without meaning to. I'm not taking any chances with a roo either, especially considering we got the chicks in the first place to get eggs so we don't need a roo. I don't consider it worth the risk. As he gets older I can teach him more responsibility around animals. Right now, at age 2 he is too compulsive. You can't expect a 2 y.o. to walk quietly and not yell when he gets excited. I know the roo was just responding to DS as a threat because he was being loud and throwing treats to the hens.

As a kid, my parents ordered a straight run of chicks and meant to butcher the roos but they waited too long. Us kids were flogged terribly every time we went in the yard, it was horrible. I wouldn't ever subject my kids to that. They do go straight for the face, it's scary to think what could happen.

 

[erinchelsea]

Quote:
I agree. I have read a great many of the rooster threads with much sadness. Anything new or noisy or fast is a potential threat, one that a good (protective) rooster will investigate to see if he can dominate. So, he's doing what he should do to care for his flock, yet off with his head!

I would never let a young child unaccompanied into a chicken lot with a rooster; However, I believe older children can be TAUGHT how to observe them, how to behave to be safe, and what to do if things go wrong, assuming the roo is a proven good guy who has been trained. The rooster needs an opportunity to gradually and repetitively learn to recognize specific people and to learn that they are safe and predictable.

Yes, I agree with this- older children. Two years old is not an age to expect that kind of behavior.

 

[erinchelsea]

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That is interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[Blue]

I wouldn't recommend leaving a very young child alone with any animal unsupervised. As far as children and roosters, I know that they can get along. The first chickens I ever had were a hen and a rooster that were given to me as chicks when I was around 7 years old. I raised them both in a box in my room until they got too big and had to go outside. The rooster would fly up on my arm and was never aggressive to me or anybody else, so I know it's possible. I did, however, get flogged once, but it was by a broody game hen. My parents had told me the way to deal with a flogging was just to duck and cover, which did work for me.

That being said, older children need to be taught how to recognize when an animal is acting aggressive and how to deal with it, and younger children always need to be supervised when dealing with animals. I am not an advocate of keeping children away from animals; I just think someone should be there to keep an eye on the interaction.

 

[Cherry Bird]

My 2 yo son was attacked by a rooster last week while we visited grandma. Luckily, my won was holding a watering can and, quite by lucky accident, the rooster was deflected by a swat with the watering can.

My son may be permanently terrified by chickens, now.

He scheduled to make an extended visit in a few weeks and now I'm nervous about leaving him there.

 

[erinchelsea]

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Aw...that had to be scary for him! Glad he's okay. Hopefully he'll forget about it and grandma will make sure it doesn't happen again.

I think my 2 yo thought the rooster was playing or something...he wasn't scared a bit. I was though! (and mad!)

 

[annie3001]

never ever let sight of a rooster and a small child. never ever.
we have a rooster, he is one tough cookie. we have fenced off the yard from the kids playside away from him. he is not fond of males and went after my son. he was going to the dumpster stove, but got a second chance. there are no extra chances for him. the kids stay put away from the chickens for now, especially where the rooster is.
we have a broom, we use that if we go into the animals part of the yard. even i do.

 

[southerndesert]

I can show you some nasty scars on my legs from roosters.... My 13 year old daughter has some as well. We had a RIR roo a year ago that would attack anyone or anything here while leading his flock so we re-homed him. He is a loving pet now at his new home with no flock to tend....

All the warnings above should be heeded!

A roo can easily be set off by movement and gestures your child isn't even aware they are doing and in the roo's little one track mind it is seen as aggression so they attack and sometimes VERY violently...

Seriously I can get or genital giant BO roo Hubert to growl and dance by squatting with by arms bent like wings and making a few choice rooster sounds, poor old boy gets all worked up and stomps a dust cloud, but will not attack. Foghorn (mentioned above) would tear you a bleeding hole or two it you pulled any of that nonsense on him adult or child!

We keep only the non-aggressive roos since the 6 and 3 year old grand kids also live on the property and our flocks free range in the yard much of the day.

Just my 2 cents

 

[sourland]

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X 2 It's just not worth aking the chance.