Hatching Eggs Now

[Duvy]

Hi All,

I am currently building a chicken coop on my allotment.

I have an incubator at home and can get fertile eggs off the net, if they hatched at the end of the year, when could they go out into the coop? I know they need to be under light for roughly four weeks, but would they be ok going out in the coop then?

I am from the West Midlands.

Thanks for the help

Duvy

[Guest]

I would personally wait until spring to hatch and also if you buy online make sure you can collect in person and preferably see the parent birds.

If you leave it til spring you won't be battling the weather to raise them.

Edit: Also, what do you intend to do with cockerals? sorry to ask but most people forget that bit

[Duvy]

Hi Norfolkgrey, I did not consider what to do with the cockerels. I wouldn't want to put them down, but then I couldn't keep cockerels on the allotment

[Nicos]

Always the problem!

Best to consider this aspect first. They are REALLY hard to rehome.

Personally I'd wait til March if you do decide to incubate some.

[Duvy]

Thanks for the help, think I will wait till spring and buy some hatched chicks Until then I will complete the coop

[Nicos]

I'd say that's a good call- something to look forward to!
There are breeds which you know all the chicks you buy will be female. Not sure which though...

[Duvy]

cream legbars

[Guest]

^^^auto-sexing or sex linked. Often the names end in bar - Rhodebar, Wybar, Barnebar, Brussbar, and Welbar

[Snadger]

^^^auto-sexing or sex linked. Often the names end in bar - Rhodebar, Wybar, Barnebar, Brussbar, and Welbar

Faverolles are auto sexing as I found to my detriment when only two out of the six eggs i set hastched..............both were cockerels! Beautiful birds with a pleasant disposition,but I had to get rid

[vixylix]

Very interesting thread!

Just out of interest:

1. can you neuter a cockerel?
2. can the cockerels not be kept alongside the hens? Obviously the eggs will be fertilised, but if not sat on by the chicken will they not just be a 'normal' egg? Is this an aggression thing rather than an egg thing?

[Guest]

Very interesting thread!

Just out of interest:

1. can you neuter a cockerel?
2. can the cockerels not be kept alongside the hens? Obviously the eggs will be fertilised, but if not sat on by the chicken will they not just be a 'normal' egg? Is this an aggression thing rather than an egg thing?

1. Never known anyone to do it. You probably can for a small fortune but you would need to find a suitable vet - some don't entertain some things for various reasons.
2. It is recommended you keep one cockeral to around 10 hens otherwise the poor ole hens suffer. As long as eggs are collected on a daily basis they are all fine to eat. Every cockeral will have its own personality but dealing with an evil one is no fun.

When hatching chicken eggs you are likely to have more cockerals than hens (I had 14 cockerals to 6 hens last year). Knowing that most newcomers are not happy to dispatch, it leaves rehoming - rehoming cockerals is a nightmare.

[veggiechicken]

Very interesting thread!

Just out of interest:

1. can you neuter a cockerel?

That would be a "capon"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capon

[vixylix]

very interesting! thanks all

[Aberdeenplotter]

just a bit of clarification about caponising which apparently is now banned in the UK.

Capons (Large Christmas Chickens) from Richard Waller, Long Grove Wood Farm, 234 Chartridge Lane, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 2SG

[Scarlet]

2. can the cockerels not be kept alongside the hens? Obviously the eggs will be fertilised, but if not sat on by the chicken will they not just be a 'normal' egg? Is this an aggression thing rather than an egg thing?

A cockerel can be kept with a flock of hens. I always have one or occasionally two but no more than that - it is an aggression thing. Some cockerels will fight to the death and if they don't you can expect a blood bath if you have a small flock of girls and not enough to go around. If you get a particularly nasty one they will attack their owners. I've had a few that have drawn blood a few times, they can be vicious. Two many boys in with the girls isn't ideal either. They get battered, bruised and loose loads of feathers with constant treading. If you want more than one breeding cockerel its best to keep each boy with his own little harem in separate pens.
A fertilised egg is just 'normal' unless sat on.