[joyfull]

Oh yeah!!! Get some hatching eggs!!!!     

jinty are you going to offer to home all the unwanted cockerels that these people will end up with because you keep encouraging them to hatch eggs?

[joyfull]

Thanks for the lovely comments. I've not heard of quaranting before - what does that entail? The chick is a cross between a warren and the cockerel I have pictured below.

Thanks for all the help.

you would only need to quarantine a chicken bought in from an outside source for a couple of weeks just in case it is harbouring any illnesses. It would entail keeping the bought in chicken separate from the rest of the chickens but visible. Then you would move it closer to them. By bringing in one from the outside you would introduce your chick and the new one into the older girls and any bullying would be shared and not just aimed at your young one.

[jinty1911]

Oh yeah!!! Get some hatching eggs!!!!     

jinty are you going to offer to home all the unwanted cockerels that these people will end up with because you keep encouraging them to hatch eggs?

Yes I know and am very sorry.

I MUST NOT ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO HATCH EGGS!!!!   

[joyfull]

just keep chanting to yourself - unwanted cockerels to rehome. That should do the trick 

[jinty1911]

They can just post them all to Foghorn-Leghorn     

On a serious note, I am well aware of the cockerel problem and have spent hours worrying about the wellfare of the boys, if any of my 6 eggs even hatch. Luckily, the breeder of my current girls has agreed to take them on. So will really try not to encourage anyone to hatch eggs!!!!!   

[Merseycat]

Thanks for all the advise - I shall keep you posted.

I have posted a photo of my 3 'girls' - except the white one, Snowball, turned out to be a boy. He's has now gone to keep some girls company in Kent.