How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[pencilbeckett]

Well the farmer just came and dropped the girls off, well two girls and a BOY .

 

It was all such a rush and he had all the hens in the car. I choose two hens then when i was looking in the eglu i said to the farmer. Gosh that ones a big girl. The farm hand then chuckled and went yeah i think thats a cockrel. So i looked at the other hens and chose another one that looked like a merridale sweetie, thinking i could swap it the farm hand put her in the eglu and the rest is a haze. Have i just been really stupid not being more assertive and refusing to keep the cockrel.

 

Can i keep them all together or should they be split up. Do cockerels need any special treatment. Arrrggghhh i will never lie in again ha ha ha. He is already making rucks of noise lucky i live on a farm not in a terrace eh.

 

Any cockrel advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

The farmer did say if doesn't work out he will sort something so i have not been totally irresponsible.

Edited February 17, 2009 by Guest

[Ain't Nobody Here]

So how many did you end up rescuing ? Sounds like the kind of thing I'd do, it would all happen in a rush and it would be only when the guy left, I'd be thinking "how did that happen ?.

 

I know nothing about cockerals, I'm afraid, but I know there are a few Omleteers with them so hopefully they can help you .

[pencilbeckett]

I now have my poor ex batt Geraldine who is free ranging out the front unaware of what is in store for her and today i have had two hens one a gingernut ranger the other a lovely cream coloured one which i am hoping you guys will be able to identify when i manage to get the pics on here later and then the cockrel.

 

The girls are all small so i think the four will sleep in the eglu together until the cube arrives and i will free range them in the day. However, i dont think my omlet fencing will contain the cockrel as he is a big boy.

[tom123]

Oooh sounds fun

 

I have a little pekin cockerel and he is fantastic, they are such characters and wouldn't be without one! We were also worried about noise in the mornings (as we live in a town! ) but have read LOTS of articles on keeping them quite e.g. blanket over house, keeping them up later with a light, putting them in a box that is the same height as them so they can't stretch their neck and crow. Well we tried all of them and the ONLY one that totally worked was the box, it isn't cruel at all as they can still move around and aren't cramped they just can't crow. It is a bit of hassle but its all part of the fun!

 

Good Luck and can't wait for the photos

 

Tom

 

P.S. KEEP HIM!!!

[pencilbeckett]

Thanks for that advice. Just wondered can they all live together or chould i split them up? Are the eggs ok still is it ok to eat fertilised eggs?

 

Do i sound stupid?

[stoice]

Your cockerel should be fine with your girls as he'll eventually be top of the pecking order but I think you said your three new additions are quite small? Did you mean young? In which case I'm not sure they could be able to stand up to your ex-batt who although is your lonely hen will definately make her feelings well known! Make sure you read the introductions section in '... about chickens' here good luck. look forward to some pics!

[tom123]

You can still eat the eggs and they will all be fine in one group. My friend has lots of cockerels together with around 40 hens and they are fine. i introduced floyd to rosie and jim no trouble, just put him in the house at night and all was well in the morning.

 

With yours I would keep the 2 new hens and cockerel together away from your ex-batt, maybe in the run whilst she free-ranges and slowly introduce them like that. I havbe heard some people say that you should put the cockerel in with the new hens and then when you put him and the new hens in with the old hens he will keep the peace...apparently

 

 

Good Luck whatever you decide to do

 

Tom

 

WHERE ARE THE PICS!!!

[pencilbeckett]

Well lets see if the attempt to show you the pictures works. Also the more i look at the cockrel the more i am just unsure if he is a she. The farm hand says he was but i am not sure how much he has had to do with chickens. Comments would be appreciated. He has not crowed so far today but he has been bocking loudly do boys do that. Think i will be very sad if he is a she now.

 

Also i have no idea of the breed of the Cockeral and the pale hen if anyone knows that would be great.

 

http://s655.photobucket.com/albums/uu272/pencilbeckett/

[alih]

The cream girl is definitely an amber star. She is gorgeous! can't help with the s/he debate I'm afraid but s/he is a beauty!

[abwsco]

He does seem to have a cockerel satnce. They're all lovely looking

[ruth1]

He's very attractive, do you think he is an amber link ?( Im saying he , I dont know, sorry)

[Nuggywoo]

He is definitely a cockerel, he's beautiful - the spitting image of my Bob and he will get huge!

 

They are all lovely, have fun with them and keep Bob MkII

[tom123]

Defiantly a boy, he is probs a goldline cockerel as the boys and girls are opposite colours e.g.

 

Goldline hen - Goldline cockerel -

 

Amber star hen - Amber star cockerel - .

 

 

He is very nice. Good Luck.

 

Tom

[pencilbeckett]

So glad you think it is a cockerel. As the day has gone on all the positive comments have made me quite excited about having a boy around.

[Madchook]

How many hens have you got? Are they out free ranging? I would never confine a cockerel in a run on a daily basis with the hens - my experience of owning a cockerel resulted in Coq au Vin at 6 months old Just watch he doesn't get too active for the number of hens you have , mine became a complete sex-crazed maniac

and picked on one hen, relentlessly, tore her comb half off and basically nearly killed her with his lovin' so I had to make a decision. Truth was he would have been culled 5 months earlier so had a good shot at the life of riley. At least you can give yours back if he is a pest! I did love having him though (until he started hurting my girlies), I like a cockadoodledoo

[Madchook]

God, he is the spit of my cockerel! I will have to dig out a photo

[pencilbeckett]

Well he had a terrible day today as you can see from my other post. He is so hard to handle as well goes mad if you touch him.

 

No sign of any action with the girls i think he daren't try.

 

I was going to free range himevery day and then free range the girls when i am in, not cause i care about the girls any less/more just so i can keep an eye on him around them he will be right next to the girls. I did wonder about letting him roam on the farm but i dont know how far he would go. Do cockerels tend to stay close to the females or will i just lose him, also are cockerels more or less flighty i know he is def faster he is like road runner i was running round the field today when i lost grip on him today i was way out of puff.

 

I am just about to buy a cube with the extension as well.

[Madchook]

He still looks quite immature to me, he might not be treading yet. I know you thought he was big but I think he will get bigger if he is anything like Diego was

I would free-range him alone in the day, I did that sometimes and he tended to hang around-although he would venture onto the farm next door normally, it was the girls that encouraged him to do that.

I only have experience of 2 cockerels but they weren't handlable like hens, they don't have the instinct to submit I guess. Diego was unhandled when I got him, he lived in the eglu and run alone for a week and I went up twice a day with some bread and sat there for a minute or so and by the end of the week he was eating out of my hand but no way could I touch him unless he was roosting- if I tried it was lots of running around flapping and squawking!

[pencilbeckett]

Thanks for the advice it is much appreciated. Have split him off this morning with my ex batt she seems fine with him at the moment. They are all next to each other though so they may get used to each other.