Having roosters with small children and babies

[haleymarie]

Personally, I'd rehome both. They'll be too large compared to your children should something go wrong, and as a person who was attacked as a kid (albeit more like 10 or 11 than 2), it doesn't really go away even after that rooster is now gone. Over 10 years later, I still get a bit nervous around some of my boys (especially the ones that look similar to those agressive males) because I remember the roosters who were aggressive.

Now, I know how to fix the problem quickly when i have a male go sour, but when I was a kid and on the ground being attacked, it was more than I could solve myself.

Thanks for the reply! I’m thinking this may be the right route to take at this time.

 

[WaterfowlsPoultry]

If you ask me, Its hard to determine what the rooster will be, Theres hostile where it attacks you frequently even if you grow it up as a chick, It can be Neutral, Where it will run from you but not attack you, Will take food from your hand and run off with it, Often showing cowardly traits but will still herd hens and be a rooster and such, and it can be friendly, Stays by you, Doesn't mind you and won't hesitate to approach you, The hostile rooster is the most common, Friendly is the hardest and neutral is fairly easy to get, You can try forming a bond with it but you really don't know if your bonding with one or being a nuisance to it

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve heard that both Faverolles and Australorps make great, docile roosters, but I also know every roo is different and I don’t want to generalize and just “hope for the best”.

To me, each chicken has its own personality, regardless of breed. If you read enough stories on this forum you will find a rooster of any breed that was great and another of the same breed that was a terror. I put no faith in breed when it comes to behaviors.

Is giving one a chance too risky with my kids? Possibly both if it works out with additional hens?

The million dollar question. You'll find people on here that are a definite "not no how, not no way". Others will say to give them a chance.

I grew up on a farm with five kids and free ranging chickens, including roosters. We didn't have any problems but the chickens were a distance from the house where we played. The kids did have the chores of gathering eggs and feeding the chickens some corn in the winter but there was really little direct contact. There were not many chances for something to go wrong. So one factor for me is how much room do they have and how much contact will there be. The more separation the better. I'd be nervous is they were on top of each other.

I'll go through this spiel. Why do you want a rooster? The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Everything else is personal preference. Nothing wrong with personal preferences, I have a few of them myself.

People mention security. Some people free range flocks of hens for years with no predator problems. Some people with a mature rooster are wiped out very soon after starting free ranging. You can get some security benefits with a rooster, from what I've seen they are more alert to possible dangers but often the dominant hen will assume those responsibilities.

My general suggestion as to how many roosters to keep is as few as possible and still meet your goals. You are not guaranteed problems with more roosters, but the more roosters you have the more likely you are to have issues. I don't know what the best answer is for you, 0, 1, or 2.

If not, should I get rid of them now or wait to cull them later on so they can go in the freezer?

Purely your choice. Cockerels are seldom a danger to kids, each other, or the pullets until they reach puberty. That can start before 12 weeks or wait until after 20 weeks, though I think around 16 weeks is more normal. Remember, each has its own individual personality.

If you think you will get so attached to them that it is hard to get rid of them I'd suggest as young as possible. If you can handle butchering I'd wait until they are about 16 weeks old or their behavior tells you it is time. You can eat any chicken of any age but 16 weeks is when they tend to put some meat on those bones. Don't expect a lot of meat since they are not Cornish Crosses but you should be able to easily get a meal out of one at 16 weeks.

 

[haleymarie]

I'll go through this spiel. Why do you want a rooster? The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Everything else is personal preference. Nothing wrong with personal preferences, I have a few of them myself.

Thank you SO much! All that you said was very helpful. I thought I’d give one of them a chance because of all of the different possible outcomes, and cull if he shows aggression to humans. Keeping both isn't really something I'm considering unless by some rare occurrence there's a big, happy family dynamic, which I don't anticipate at all. I still plan to get more chicks even if I end up with one or zero, as I originally had eight (one passed shortly after purchase) and assumed all were pullets.

We are in close quarters. While the property itself is large, our home and coop are fenced in about a half acre, so there would definitely be some running in to each other.

I would like a rooster because I want fertile eggs for various reasons, and eventually chicks hatched from my own flock. I’m also interested in the potential benefits a rooster can contribute to the flock in general. Again though, if he isn't a good protector or respectful of his flock, I don't have an issue culling later on for meat. Also, I personally think Salmon Faverolles roosters are just beautiful, and if it boils down to looks after considering all of the other benefits/risks of each, I'd want to keep him over the Australorp!

 

[Folly's place]

All good advice already here, i can't add much. Love Salmon Favorelles though! And I agree that cockerels raised in a mixed age flock tend to learn better manners, even if there are no adult roosters involved.
With an infant and a toddler in close contact out there, make your life easier by rehoming or dining on this year's cockerels!
Mary

 

[haleymarie]

All good advice already here, i can't add much. Love Salmon Favorelles though! And I agree that cockerels raised in a mixed age flock tend to learn better manners, even if there are no adult roosters involved.
With an infant and a toddler in close contact out there, make your life easier by rehoming or dining on this year's cockerels!
Mary

Thank you! I appreciate the response!

 

[LaFleche]

Keeping the chickens confined with very high fencing would be the only way for me to keep roosters when small children live, play, run, screech, play ball etc. on the same premises.

Anything can trigger a rooster attack, even more so the normal, but unpredictable, noisy and active way small children behave. They could lose an eye and get scarred for life - it is just not worth the risk.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Keeping the chickens confined with very high fencing would be the only way for me to keep roosters when small children live, play, run, screech, play ball etc. on the same premises.

Anything can trigger a rooster attack, even more so the normal, but unpredictable, noisy and active way small children behave. They could lose an eye and get scarred for life - it is just not worth the risk.

Heck, the one that first knocked me to the ground as a child was triggered by my younger brother running away from him. I was the closer of the two of us and so even though I wasn't running, I was the target at that point

 

[LaFleche]

Other peoples' experience

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/had-to-kill-my-rooster.376522/

 

[wrathsfarm]

One mans story... I did it.

I have 2 flocks, a rooster in each. Raised from day olds, 4 yrs old now. Grandbabies of various ages running amuck.
Pretty close quarters at my last place, 1/2 acre, back yard where coops were was fenced. Here now 1 1/2 acre, no fences, have runs and both flocks free range separately and coops are 100' from house/kids play yard.
My roosters have grown up around the babies but they never interact directly unless the younger ones are being held. I'm outside all day, if kids are out and I keep a watchful eye.

Not taking away any great advise you've been given. Just saying, where there's a will, there's a way.

You could pen the birds full time, pen them when the kids are out, various ways to make this work if you want a rooster. I love my roosters and hard to imagine life without one or 10.
But I'm also committed to my babies, so I'm diligent to keep them safe and try to train them, yes the chickens are pretty but we don't touch or chase. I've got a 2 yr old 'papas girl's so that makes it difficult when she's out and spots me around the birds, but that just means I have to drop what I'm doing and head for the play area and there's always at least 1 other adult out with them. Again, it can work if you make it. I will add the rooster adolescent age is a time when you really need to hone in and be extra careful... This is where planning free range and kids play separately works best.

Good luck with whatever you decide.