[Happy-Hound]

Hi, a friend has offered us a cockerel who is on death row as they have too many. We know nothing about them so I'm asking for a bit of help please. I have 3 hens who all lay well.  So, I have lots of questions. If I take him, will I be overrun with chooks, how often do the eggs get fertilised and hatched, is it a once a year thing? I have 2 hens that lay the same eggs so how will I know which eggs are fertilised and which I can eat? If a batch is fertilised does the hen need a separate living space to hatch and do the chicks need to separate until a certain age? Also a little worried as I have heard they can be vicious.  Anything else anyone can tell me about owning a cockerel would be great. Many thanks, Wendy.

[Jo57]

Before anything else....have you checked with close neighbours? Just had to rehome my boys.

[ANHBUC]

I agree with Jo57 that you should check with neighbours as crowing at 4:30 is not usually well received even in rural locations.

I would also take time to consider the pros (not many) and cons of keeping a cockerel and not be pushed in to making a hasty decision.

You can eat fertile eggs, but if selling them some people do not like the idea of it.  You do not have to leave the eggs under your hens so need not end up with chicks.  I think your hens may go broody more often with having a cockerel.     Three hens to one cockerel should be alright but he will be constantly mating with them and may have a favourite which can lead to feather loss and injury.  Cockerels can be vicious but you would not know that until you get him. 

If you decide to hatch some eggs it is best to have the broody hen in her own coop as the chicks eat chick crumb which is not good for layers.  Some chick crumb has ACS added which would mean you can not eat any eggs from hens that have been eating it.  Chicks then go on to growers pellet from 6-8 weeks old until they are ready to lay so they need to be in their own enclosure for around 20 weeks.  If you hatch more than one batch you will need another enclose as mums will fight to the death to defend their chicks.  One of my broodies is on her second batch of chicks this year and there is possibly time for another one.  It really does take condition out of a broody so you have to be careful that they stay in good health and build them up each time. 

If your cockerel and hens are not the same breed you will probably not be able to sell the chicks as mixed breeds are not popular.  You could also get lots more cockerel, people say you get 50/50 but that would be if you were lucky.  I have even had 5 out of 5 hatched cockerels, this is probably why your friend has too many!    

[GrannieAnnie]

I can only echo what ANHBUC has said and add some.  Unless you want to breed with him, DON'T take him on.  Despite what people say, I don't think hens are any happier with a cockerel around, if anything the other way round.

[splash101]

ditto as above.

I hatched some silkies earlier this year and really wanted to keep one of the cockerels but before the crowing even started we were having problems.
The would all come out in the morning and he would "usher" the ladies all off around the corner, away from the food. When one of the ladies tried to sneak away for some food he would be after them to usher them back to where he wanted.

It didnt matter where i put the food either, so he had to go and he was only 15 weeks old.

If it were a special breed cockerel that you were keeping with the same breed as him then i can understand it, but really have a good think before you take him on. Otherwise you could be left trying to rehome him which isnt easy

[Sassy]

Cockerels are good for breeding and keeping the peace amongst the hens but ......... . They can stop you looking after your hens properly as they can keep the hens away from you and you don't get chance to check them. Some folks are lucky they get really good cockerels I have had 2 really evil ones that we have had to have culled.  It wasn't that we did not treat our birds right either as we had hens that would jump onto our heads and shoulders and walk round with us! You may be told they are ok but wait for their first spring as an adult!

If you choose to breed from them remember that at least 50% may be cockerels