I have cockerels!!

[OverWyreGrower]

Yay! Finally got some boys

Got 5 Light Sussex and a Welsummer, all about 11/12 weeks old..

They are all for the pot technically, but the Welsummer boy is lovely, and I might decide to keep him to go in with our Welsummer girls after Christmas....

The boys are a bit freaked out, and have only ventured out of their house once or twice.... having the dogs stare at them isn't helping

[di]

Good Luck with them,do we get piccies???

[dexterdoglancashire]

Congratulations! Hope they all settle in well. How do you introduce your dogs to your birds? Im only letting Dexter into the back garden to have a look at our girls when Im there. I know hes only curious, be he seems to be very keen to say hello in person! No chance! Its the way he wags his tail and licks his lips that gets me!.............

[Eco-Chic]

...Its the way he wags his tail and licks his lips that gets me!.............

Lol, It's a real giveaway isn't it?

[OverWyreGrower]

Congratulations! Hope they all settle in well. How do you introduce your dogs to your birds? Im only letting Dexter into the back garden to have a look at our girls when Im there. I know hes only curious, be he seems to be very keen to say hello in person! No chance! Its the way he wags his tail and licks his lips that gets me!.............

The dogs don't actually get near the birds!! The birds are in a 100sqm roofed pen, and the dogs aren't allowed in...

Murphy would make like a fox and kill everything unfortunately, so it's best not to even try!

Not that it stops them laying down by the wire fence and staring at them all day

[Nicos]

When is their 'due date'

My OH read somewhere ( HFW I think) that once a bird starts to crow, the meat starts to get tough. Interesting...we've one more than ready now

[OverWyreGrower]

They are only about 11/12 weeks old and are still making little baby chicken noises....

We're hoping to take them through to approx December, and eat one for festive dinner

[MaureenHall]

If my 2 boys don't shut up a bit soon, they're going to be dinner!!!! I think I'm being a bit over-sensitive at the moment but they're driving me potty

[Hilary B]

When is their 'due date'

My OH read somewhere ( HFW I think) that once a bird starts to crow, the meat starts to get tough. Interesting...we've one more than ready now

If he's not been crowing for long, and with cold weather, it might pay to hang the bird (by the feet) for 3 days to prevent toughness and develop more flavour (it takes longer for it to get gamey, unless things get warm). Only safe to hang if you've starved him overnight before killing in the morning. If there is food in the crop, it can taint the breast meat.