[300AJC]

I'm all a bit new to this so bear with me. We have six egg laying hens at home. My daughter works at an animal sanctuary at the weekends and they have some wonderful cockerels. I would be interested to know if you can get neutered cockerels. I would like one but not to fertilise the eggs as I am it interested inbreeding chicks.

If this is a very silly question then please tell me quickly and I'll shut up.

[orchardlady]

Yes I'm afraid it is a silly question but within bounds . I believe a neutered cockerel is called a Capone, how it's done I've no idea but I'm fairly sure it's illegal in this country. Unfortunately cockerels are a by product of hatching eggs it's sad  to be a boy in the chicken world.

Orchardlady.

[orchardlady]

Just another thought. You can still indeed have a cockerel but just don't incubate the eggs. They taste no different from unfertilised eggs and never fear you will NEVER find a trace of a chick in an egg as it must be incubated first. I've kept a series of cockerels with my small flock for over 17 years now and just love them the boys are so full of character and love and adore their girls always giving them the tastiest morsels rather than have them themselves.


Orchardlady

[300AJC]

Well that is a thought. We eat the eggs within a couple of days of being laid as do neighbours to whom I give boxes as we don't eat them all ourselves.

Is it that some people just feel a bit uneasy about eating fertilised eggs? You're right, they wouldn't be incubated so is there a palatable difference?

[300AJC]

So, on that basis, could someone advice what is the best way to introduce a cockerel to a group (6) of established hens? We replaced two hens recently to replace two that died. After a bit of initial squabbling, to establish order, they now get on fine after a few weeks.

Do you have to try a different approach when introducing a cockerel?

[Squibbs]

It is illegal to caponise a cockerel in this country - though last I checked it wasn't illegal to import them - though I don't think importing a chicken is probably worth whatever paperwork has to be endured to get it in.

In terms of introducing it depends on how old the cockerel is. A mature cockerel may well just take instant charge and there will be next to no fuss at all. In fact when we introduced Bob who was over a year old the girls were falling over themselves for his attention. A young less experienced cockerel however will be treated like any other newcomer and may well end up being well and truly hen-pecked, though he probably will rise to lord of the manor eventually.

[300AJC]

Thank you Squibbs and Orchardlady.

Maybe my daughter can snaffle a cockerel this weekend.

I love the way they strut their stuff!

Andrew. 

[kegs]

I hope you have no near neighbours because cockerels can and will crow at all times of the day, not just first thing in the morning! 

[joyfull]

and by morning that can very often mean 4am 

[kegs]

and by morning that can very often mean 4am 

 

they're always forgiven though..... because they're just sooo tasty! 

[300AJC]

A couple of neighbours have chickens and cockerels anyway so someone's cockerel is always waking someone up most mornings. A couple of neighbours keep chickens at our village allotments too.

[300AJC]

I've looked at a couple of threads and done a quick search, but on a serious note, should consideration be given to neighbours before getting a cockerel? Although I live in a village and rural area, my house is on a small estate of about 25 houses with neighbours either side, opposite and to the rear. A fellow villager keeps a cockerel with his hens and lives approx 100 metres away. I can certainly hear his bird in the morning although it seems to be accepted as a part of village life.

[joyfull]

Yes you do need to consider your neighbours.
Sadly we have seen on here too many times where a person has to get rid of their cockerel because a neighbour has reported the noise to the council. Cockerels can crow all day from first light which in summer can be as early as 4am (or even earlier) and if the light doesn't set them off then any noise can such as the road traffic noise or a wild bird tweeting. If somebody has a baby they do not want it waking the baby up that early.
People have tried all sorts of things to keep their boys quiet, from making sure their coops are really dark (the air vents though let in light and they will still be able to hear the noises outside) through to keeping them in a cat basket overnight in the belief that this stops them stretching their necks so they cant crow. However I have transported a cockerel in a cardboard box (he couldn't stretch his neck) and he was crowing all the way down the M42, so from my experience that method doesn't work either.
A cockerel crowing is a wonderful sound but if the bird isn't yours and it is disturbing somebodies much needed sleep then it turns from wonderful to horrendous and a noise problem.

[300AJC]

Mmmmm, I think the thing to do is to think about this, I think. I think, when I stop to think about it, more thought is needed.

I think..........

[Squibbs]

I live in a small hamlet, our first cockerel came about when we had a hatching and some boys were born and grew up - we whittled them down to one and spoke to our neighbours who were quite happy with the noise he made.

Our current chap is loud but infrequent and when in his house isn't obtrusive. There is a cockerel some 1/2 mile away and every so often they have a crowing contest.

It may be worth some discrete enquiries as to what your other neighbours think of the existing cockerel - with an additional one there will be some competitive crowing and if someone is considering a complaint that may push them over the edge.

Good luck - it is nice to have a cockerel and I would miss Bob if he went.