Cockerels with hens?

[moola]

If you're planning to start breeding you might want to up their diet to breeders pellets over winter so that the eggs that you collect in the Spring will be of good quality to hatch. Lucky boys and luck you for being able to have so many chaps I love cockerels - they are just so stunning and full of character. I have had a very hard time despatching my boys - I've tried to keep them but when they've started getting a little bit antsy I have had to despatch - I've a 4yr old running around and can't risk it

[Hilary B]

Fertilised eggs will only be any different from unfertilised if they are warmed to hatching temps. Without that, they will be identical however old they get!

[Snadger]

Fertilised eggs will only be any different from unfertilised if they are warmed to hatching temps. Without that, they will be identical however old they get!

Thats what I wanted to hear Hilary! I have heard horror stories of blood spots and veins in eggs which I must admit would put me AND my customers off! This weekend will see three new flocks emerge!

[Nicos]

I've got 2 cockerels and 8 gals- the gals seem to choose which of the lads is their favourite- although the big boy does get round to visiting them all

Our neighbours seem to think a ratio of 1 lad to 5 gals is about right so he's not exhausted- and the gals aren't 'bothered' ( great word eh????) too much!!!
Mine are brothers - (or half or quarter brothers) too and raised together.

[Hilary B]

Thats what I wanted to hear Hilary! I have heard horror stories of blood spots and veins in eggs which I must admit would put me AND my customers off! This weekend will see three new flocks emerge!

Bloodspots are the result of a slight injury to the hen's egg-laying system. You can get them in unfertilized eggs (like soft shells they are more common in young or very old hens).
If you have a cockerel with the hens, don't sell any 'found where she hid the nest' eggs, in case they have been brooded a bit. Otherwise, you shouldn't have any truble.

[Snadger]

Pretty proud of what I've achieved today. To cut a long story short (I may add the full rendition to the 'What you did today thread') all three flocks are up and running and everything went smoothly!

[frias]

The laydees are probably still in shock! How about the little Minorca?

[Snadger]

The laydees are probably still in shock! How about the little Minorca?

One of the Minorcas is 'lovesick' and appears to be following the big LS around all the time! I still think my 'pair' of Minorca's are girls ................as if one was a cockerel he should have started crowing by now and the LS isn't bothered by him/her at all!

PS The Minorca's aren't so little, they are about the same size as the ISA Browns and probably a bit heavier!

[Snadger]

Second day of cockerels with hens and it's as iff they've always been together.
Faverolle appears to be missing his old pals on there favourite roosting perch ooutdoors though!

Egg production went up by one as well!

[frias]

PS The Minorca's aren't so little, they are about the same size as the ISA Browns and probably a bit heavier!

I should have said young not little! My Wellie boys are 16 weeks old and bigger that the ex-batts. Still not crowing yet. (thank goodness)

[Suechooks]

The girls are probably hiding in the nest boxes to escape the amorous attentions! "Might as well lay one while I'm here!"

[MaureenHall]

My Jersey Giant, "Jenny" is at 22 weeks HUGE!!! and started crowing this morning so has now been re-named Jerry He's more than happy to continue sharing the coop with lots of laydeez. Just hoping that Alice (Minorca) really is an Alice and not an Albert. There's definitely some young Basils around too, so I'm hoping they get to a decent size before WW3 breaks out

[Bramble-Poultry]

i think you should be ok Maureen, my grower pen has around 40 assorted chickens in it ranging from 15 weeks to 25 weeks old. Some are Pekins and other bantam crosses, some are Cream Leg Bar, i have some Marsh Daisy in there, araucana and a trio of Dorking too and they all get on. there must be around 8 cockerels in that run and apart from the occasional squak at each other they seem to get on.

I think its because they have grown up together they already have determined pecking order so dont fight. I wouldnt like introducing new birds to the pen mind you as it could get nasty!

[Eco-Chic]

40 assorted chickens!

It must take hours and hours cuddling all of them How on earth do you get anything done?

[Bramble-Poultry]

eco-chic - thats in the grower pen, i have breeding pens too! Old English Game, Silver Pekin, Gold Pekin, Black Pekin, Lavender Pekin, Lemon Cuckoo Pekin, Cuckoo Pekin, Black Cochins, Buff Cochin, Partridge Cochin, Silkies, Various chicks indoors, Turkeys, and some beautiful Lavender and some Millefleur BArbu D'Uccle too.

Each breeder pen contains a minimum of a cockerel and two hens, plus m hybrid layer pen also has a load of exbatts too!

Its an all day job really - but i have to go to work as well! Starts at 6am, and goes round to 11pm here!