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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be fuming

25 replies

flashingLight · 20/12/2016 19:44

My son got attacked by a family members cockerel.

I took my son to visit family today and he played outside and the chickens and cockerel roamed around him, they all ignore each other and we have had no problems with them before as they all see calm and relaxed . Today out of no where the cockerel charged from one end of the garden to the other and started chasing and Pecking my son.

I spoke to my family member and she said that the cockerel had been showing signs of violent behaviour the past few days as she has been chased by the cockerel and that her dog had also been attacked by the cockerel but the dog turned on the cockerel and started to attack the bird back.

I am fuming! She knew the bird was starting to show violent behaviour but she didn't inform us because she thought he wouldn't attack my son as they have been around each other since he was a baby.

OP posts:

AmserGwin · 20/12/2016 19:45

That's awful. How old is your son? I hope he wasn't hurt too badly?

Mistoffeleze · 20/12/2016 20:05

It's time to hatch a plan as your sister's clearly run afowl of what's acceptable.

Are you sure your son wasn't egging on the cockerel?

Excuse my poultry mocking. I'm sure this situation isn't as funny for you as it is in my mind.

Earlgreywithmilk · 20/12/2016 20:10

today out of nowhere the cockerel charged from one end of the garden to the other

Sorry but that's funny

haveacupoftea · 20/12/2016 20:12

The whole thing is funny. Sorry!

NotStoppedAllDay · 20/12/2016 20:14

How old is your son?

Sirzy · 20/12/2016 20:16

Is your son ok?

It's not nice but surely when children are around any animal both should be closely supervised as animals and children are both rather unpredictable

Mumzypopz · 20/12/2016 20:16

At the end of the day, the cockerel is an animal that in theory could go ape sh*t at any time and you let your Son play with him. You can't blame this entirely on someone else, you need to take a bit responsibility yourself.

Silvertap · 20/12/2016 20:17

The chickens shouldn't even be outside with the threat of Avian Influenza. They should be in a pen, even if it's just covered and surrounded with chicken wire.

Topseyt · 20/12/2016 20:20

Cockerels can sometimes be like this, from the little I know about them from having worked briefly on a farm with loads of free range hens (no cockerels, as they weren't a breeding establishment, but they told me bits about them).

Firstly, your child should not have been playing unsupervised around the animals (was he?).

Secondly, if your relative had any doubts about the behaviour of her cockerel she should have penned him in for the duration of the visit, surely.

AngryGinger · 20/12/2016 20:21

Is he hurt? I'd be annoyed, but probably not fuming.

Cherrysoup · 20/12/2016 20:23

Haven't you watched Zoo?!

I think you should supervise your son rather than let him entertain himself unsupervised. I imagine, having chickens at the yard, that a determined cockerel could inflict some damage. They are used for fighting, after all.

Ditsyprint40 · 20/12/2016 20:23

I'd be a bit annoyed - having been attacked by a cockerel numerous times, it is really unpleasant. I'm actually really scared of them.

Topseyt · 20/12/2016 20:30

I am surprised people are saying this was funny. It was potentially very dangerous for a small child.

Small children and animals of any species should not be unsupervised together.

Sybys · 20/12/2016 20:33

I agree that it's surprising people find this funny. Cockerels can, and have, caused serious eye injuries from pecking (and based on their height, I'd imagine young children are likely to be more at risk).

I would be angry with the family member too.

Patriciathestripper1 · 20/12/2016 20:34

We had a beautiful cockerel given to us two years ago. It was great got a while (with 3 hens) but a couple of times it flew at the back of my legs. Didn't think too much about it.
DD who was 7 at the time, was sat on back step making a daisy chain when it flew at her face totally unprevoked. It's spur caught her under the eye and scratched right round to her ear. Could have been worse but she managed to push it away. The scratch took over 2 weeks to go.
My husband caught it and pulled its neck.
The spurs were over 6 inches long and razor sharp. Could have done horrible damage if she had been smaller and weaker.

Mumzypopz · 20/12/2016 20:35

It's just a funny opening sentence, I don't think anyone is saying it's funny a child was attacked.

Littlecaf · 20/12/2016 20:36

Hmmmm, if any animal gets annoyed, it'll attack. Cockerels are no different. I wouldn't be fuming, if your DS is old enough, he's learnt a lesson to stay away.

Hassled · 20/12/2016 20:37

Yes, why are the chickens outside? They should be indoors at the moment - Avian Flu risk etc.

eurochick · 20/12/2016 20:37

Where were the avian flu controls? An awful incident all round.

Sybys · 20/12/2016 20:38

I should add that the OP really shouldn't be allowing her child to play around cockerels in the first place.

gamerchick · 20/12/2016 20:40

So there you go OP the message from this thread is if the chickens had been shut away like they should be after official shizzle it wouldn't have happened.

BackforGood · 20/12/2016 20:47

Come on OP - we need to know how old he is - it makes a massive difference.

My ds is 20, and picturing this situation, I'm with the people that think it sounds funny.

However, if your ds is 2, then its your responsibility to be watching him, especially around animals of any sort. So yes, YABU to be fuming at the home owner, for not watching your own toddler (?) - see, the age is important.

purpleflower23 · 20/12/2016 20:49

My son got attacked by a family members cockerel

Sounds like an article in one of those trashy 'real life' magazines...

Aftertheraincomesthesun · 20/12/2016 21:06

My mother kept chickens, ducks, geese. The nastiest bird was a tiny bantem cockerel. Nobody could go on the farm without taking a broom handle as a weapon to keep it away if the bastard attacked. Cockerels can be vile.

Daisyfrumps · 20/12/2016 21:19

Cockerels can be right viscous bastards - your family member was in the wrong 100%. My sister (as a child) was chased around the garden by one who tried to scratch her legs with his claws - he managed it too - horribly deep and bleeding.

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