Tonight was the first time I had to shoot one of my chickens.

[kfacres]

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The .410 shell from 4 feet away didn't leave any pellets in the meat. The only place it hit him was in the head. It was easier then trying to chase him down and hold him still for the axe, and just as quick and painless a death.

.22 works much better.. single peice of lead, and zero risk of bruised/ ruint meat...

It's the only thing that works when it's time to process free guineas... Those birds are smart though, first one you can walk up 10 foot, shoot in the head.. but by number 10.. you're slingin lead from a 1/4 mile away...

 

[Tres Amigas]

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x2

 

[BarefootMom]

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so you think you should just keep them in a pen? Seriously? Or just not let your kids play outside? Maybe I am biased b/c I have small kids and I firmly believe in free ranging chickens. I hate to see chickens in a pen with ZERO grass, just doesn't seem healthy and to me it is no better than a CAFO. Penning them ALL the time takes away from the meaning of BACKYARD Chickens.

I had a mean young rooster too and he also was shot. I have several roosters now and they all live happily in the yard while we are all outside. IT is not instinct for any animal to attack a human IMHO.

No the idea is to not do both at the same time. Have a time set up for free range for the birds while the kids are at a friends house or inside napping or watching cartoons. When they want to play outside you put the chickens up. It's that simple.

okay then explain to me how you put chickens up? My chickens go to bed when it gets dark and my kids go in and out all day long. We have about 100 birds, there is no way they would all go into their hot coops unless I literally caught each and every one of them. Oh and did I mention they have 300 ACRES to roam around on. IMHO the chickens can learn to live with us. It may just be me but you sound like one of those people that keep chickens as "pets" and have probably 2-3 birds in your backyard...in town. you really want me to say bad words......

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I have skinned and eaten roos who went after the kids (except the one the LOVED, who we rehomed since they wouldn't let me eat him)
I have several roosters now who are totally safe with the kids. Dusty, my BLRW is such a marshmallow! And the sussexes are still letting the kids pick them up. It depends on the chicken.

 

[speckledhen]

Whether you like it or not, roosters, even calm, even-tempered, non-human aggressive ones, react differently to loud, boistrous small children. They get nervous and jumpy around kids and may react suddenly and not like their usual selves. Small kids don't belong around bulls or stallions either for the same reason. A rooster is just in a smaller package and the right height to take out a toddler's eyes.

Small children just should not be out while roosters are free ranging, IMO. Pens attached to the coops solve that issue. All my flocks free range on a rotating basis, but when I want them corralled for any reason, they are penned up. If I had toddlers out playing, the roosters would be penned. There really isn't much way around that. Older kids are usually not in much danger, only the small ones.

 

[FireTigeris]

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If the puppy was aggressive and meant to harm my child you bet it would be dead.

puppies and roosters are not the same thing, no way-

I -do- train my dogs to not 'play using the mouth' on humans - but if a puppy, mine, yours or any other ever bit my son with the same intent to harm that the rooster was described as having, (posturing, stalking) it would have to go through me first (as I understand what those actions mean and my son does not), and may NOT survive.

 

[tarragon]

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No the idea is to not do both at the same time. Have a time set up for free range for the birds while the kids are at a friends house or inside napping or watching cartoons. When they want to play outside you put the chickens up. It's that simple.

okay then explain to me how you put chickens up? My chickens go to bed when it gets dark and my kids go in and out all day long. We have about 100 birds, there is no way they would all go into their hot coops unless I literally caught each and every one of them. Oh and did I mention they have 300 ACRES to roam around on. IMHO the chickens can learn to live with us. It may just be me but you sound like one of those people that keep chickens as "pets" and have probably 2-3 birds in your backyard...in town. you really want me to say bad words......

Surely you don't mean that those of us who only have room for 2-3 birds shouldn't be allowed to have chickens? Are we really only chicken owners if we have 100? And I'm pretty sure you can "put chickens up" by keeping them in a fenced run, not just a hot coop. Not everything is black and white in life, there are many shades of grey. And why does the thought of a small flock in a backyard..."in town" make you want to say bad words?

 

[silkiechicken]

I think we are done here. Please taking fighting off the public forum.