Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Honeysuckle on September 25, 2010, 18:29

Title: Cockerel
Post by: Honeysuckle on September 25, 2010, 18:29

We bought a Giant Jersey cock today; we put him in with our 6 hens and one of the hens attacked him!   :ohmy: Obviously he fought back so we have taken the hen out for safety's sake.  We've had the hens for 17 months and they were at POL when we got them. 

Is this just behaviour of a dominant hen? If so, will they ever live happily ever after???

Thanks for your help!

Title: Re: Cockerel
Post by: PaulineM on September 25, 2010, 20:13

Hi
I have no experience about this but I think you should have quarantined the cockerel for a while and your girls would have had time to get used to him being around. It might be better to seperate him and let the girls see him for a week or so and then re-introduce them. Good luck anyway  :)

Title: Re: Cockerel
Post by: chloe on September 26, 2010, 11:39

Your hen is trying to dominate the cockerel, he will win oviously and then they should all get on fine. But you could try letting the hens see him first and then re-interduce him, good luck  :)

Title: Re: Cockerel
Post by: Sassy on September 27, 2010, 13:24

Ideally after a quarantine period keep them side by side so that they can see each other and after a couple of weeks if you introduce them at night they should be fine :)

Title: Re: Cockerel
Post by: Honeysuckle on September 27, 2010, 20:52

Thanks everyone.  I'm pleased to say that Constance was put back with the other hens and the cockerel today and all is well.  She obviously just needed time on her own to reflect...  :D