Will this negatively affect them?

[furbabymum]

My chickens aren't laying age yet. Impatiently waiting. My son loves them. I mean LOVES! The problem is he is always trying to catch them. It's kind of funny watching a 1 year old unsteadily running on his chubby little legs after a bunch of chickens. He finds the fact that they run away hysterical and can chase them for quite awhile. I should stop this right??? Can't be good for them? Or is it fine??

 

[FireTigeris]

I didn't allow that and don't- I don't want a mean hen or my roosters taking exception to my son.

He's a bit older (2.5) and faster- but he was taught to be calm(ish) and I can let him touch chicks supervised now.

Stress can slow or stop egg production, but not forever though.

 

[centrarchid]

My parents indicated I used to chase gamehens a lot as a very small child. I also got flogged a lot. Later in life I learned that even though I was not always at top of pecking order, it was the birds that were negatively effected. Part of effecient management of flock is having one that is calm so that when real disturbances occur you can more effectively guage the chickens behavior. Birds on toes around little kids are not as easy to read.

 

[furbabymum]

I figured it was a bad thing. I'll put a stop to it.