ooops i've done it again.....more chickens...

MSHAWX

Don't do what I did if you want a life

I fanced a few chickens a few years ago for eggs as I was dreaming about the 'good life', retirement and all that. Husband indulged the chickens and bought a posh house for them. 6 arrived, all have names (my favourite name being Eggweena)

Then the hobby grew - I now have upwards of 300, I supply eggs to pubs/restaurants. It's hard work but I love it.

By the way I still have the original hens but now there are only 5. They don't lay regularly any more but are great characters demanding to come into the utility room when it's raining.

Beware hens are addictive

betterlife

hi we were thinking of getting chickens but last minute i changed my mind and on saturday am picking up 2 4/5mth old ducks, khaki campbells there best layers, they are suppose to lay the same as the best chickens or more! cant wait. im getting a male aswell so i expect i`ll be like mshawx but with ducks soon lol.

DON79

ok, the day is here - the chickens have arrived! Yay! but at the same time I am also having a minor worry about the neighbours!

We have three reds and one black/white striped - sorry, I am not so good with the breed names!

Whilst we were getting them into the coop, the neighbour whose garden backs onto ours was out in his garden. I am sure he couldn't fail to hear my two and a half year old excitedly talking about the chickens!

To make matters worse, there is a bit of doubt as to whether one of the red hens could actually be a cockerel. To test it, they put a cockerel and this hen in together and they did not react, so the judgement call made was that since they did not fight, this hen is not a cockerel. What does everyone else think?

Would appreciate my mind being set at rest!

Donna

MaximumImpact

To make matters worse, there is a bit of doubt as to whether one of the red hens could actually be a cockerel. To test it, they put a cockerel and this hen in together and they did not react, so the judgement call made was that since they did not fight, this hen is not a cockerel. What does everyone else think?

Oh dear......If it is a juvenile cockerel then no, they wont fight. Have you checked the chickens vent? Have a look on the internet and it will tell you how to sex a chicken.

How old are the chickens?

steady__eddie

I think that the judgement made may well be correct. The male of the species do tend to be "up for it" especially when there may be competition in the "perpetuation of the genes" sector. C0cks usually have larger combs though so it is usually possible to tell the diffeence in the same breed by appearance. If you're into animal behaviour, (not your OH), I have often found that if the c0ck finds some food whilst scratching about, he will (if he's a gentleman of course), make a noise to summon the hens who will dash over and consume same. I believe that this has been referred to as tidbitting. FWIW I have tried this with she who thinks she must be obeyed but it doesn't get me any more thought of :sad:

MaximumImpact

I think that the judgement made may well be correct. The male of the species do tend to be "up for it" especially when there may be competition in the "perpetuation of the genes" sector. C0cks usually have larger combs though so it is usually possible to tell the diffeence in the same breed by appearance. If you're into animal behaviour, (not your OH), I have often found that if the c0ck finds some food whilst scratching about, he will (if he's a gentleman of course), make a noise to summon the hens who will dash over and consume same. I believe that this has been referred to as tidbitting. FWIW I have tried this with she who thinks she must be obeyed but it doesn't get me any more thought of :sad:

S-E, You are right but this behaviour isn't from birth, it starts around ''puberty'' time...That's why I was wondering how old these chickens are...If they are POL or a few weeks old etc.....If they have put in a very young cockerel with a mature cockerel then the cockerel won't be bothered by it and will ignore it.

When a Cockerel is fully mature there is no mistaking it but it is hard to tell when they are very young also don't be fooled re the calling for food business, sometimes the hen at the top of the pecking order will do this as well.....

poppet

I wonder if any fellow chicken-keepers would give me their opinion on what breed they think our cockerel is
http://backgardensmallholding.blogspot.com/2009/03/sidney-cockeral.html

We think he might be a silver sussex ?

DON79

MaximumImpact wrote: »

Oh dear......If it is a juvenile cockerel then no, they wont fight. Have you checked the chickens vent? Have a look on the internet and it will tell you how to sex a chicken.

How old are the chickens?

Hi, the hen in question is 14 weeks old. Will have a look for the info above, thanks for that, then my OH can have the job of checking.

am worrying again now!, it won't be a problem to take the hen/cockerel back if that is the case - it's just the four hour car journey to do it is the issue! we got them from family who would have no problem taking the hen back.

Also how long before they start to crow?? Or will I find out soon enough this morning!

skipton

MSHAWX wrote: »

Don't do what I did if you want a life

I fanced a few chickens a few years ago for eggs as I was dreaming about the 'good life', retirement and all that. Husband indulged the chickens and bought a posh house for them. 6 arrived, all have names (my favourite name being Eggweena)

Then the hobby grew - I now have upwards of 300, I supply eggs to pubs/restaurants. It's hard work but I love it.

By the way I still have the original hens but now there are only 5. They don't lay regularly any more but are great characters demanding to come into the utility room when it's raining.

Beware hens are addictive

Wow how big is your garden/plot ? OH has ideas to do this but its a big responibility. I find I worry like mad with just three so can't imagine how you would cope with 30 let alone 300? Do they free range all day? What breeds do you have?
Do you hatch your own too?

I agree with you about hens being addictive though. I'd love some more.

DON79

DON79 wrote: »

Hi, the hen in question is 14 weeks old.

am worrying again now!, it won't be a problem to take the hen/cockerel back if that is the case - it's just the four hour car journey to do it is the issue! we got them from family who would have no problem taking the hen back.

Also how long before they start to crow?!

bumping, by 14 weeks old, should it be obvious you have a cockerel? And if a 14 week old cockerel met an adult cockerel, would they react at this age or would the older cockerel ignore the youngster?

Thanks very much.

Donna