Chicken bald back

[LJ's Chooks]

We have inadvertantly ended up with a cockerel... Infact i must update my signature, cos Mocha is infact Cocker!!!

 

Im after some advice, He is beautiful and is not bothering the girls or cockadoodledooing! however is this to do with the bread, cos the boys did not make a sound when we collected the two chicks from the breeder, but they were there?

 

Is there anything different i have to do with boys, that sounds a silly question, but I'm a little nervous cos this is all unknown territory. He is beautiful and the breeder has said that we can swap him for a girl next spring or take him back and get a refund, but i think we all know what that means.

Ideally, we do not want to get rid of him, we have lots of space and good neighbours, but Id just like to know what we're getting into and hopefully get lots of advice from you all...

 

We have had issues with pecking order and most of our girls permanently have bumper bits on.... oh i dont know.... what do you all think??????

[Space Chick]

Looking at your signature at the date he arrived and his age then, he is still only about 7 months old, and Orpingtons are a slower to mature breed.

 

I have never had a cockerel personally, but as an Orp he will be a very large chap when he is fully grown and mature.

 

I'm sure someone will be along to give advice soon.

[Patricia W]

If you read this forum, you'll see there's a lot of it about. Lots of us have taken cockerels back in the last couple of weeks!

 

 

You don't say how old he is, but sure as eggs is eggs he'll start to crow. Some don't crow till they are about 30 weeks which is why you can't tell earlier. And even small bantams are LOUD.

 

Personally, I think you have two choices, keep him permanently or take him back now. By next spring you'll be too attached anyway.

 

Check what your neighbours think about a cockerel crowing at anything from 3am onwards ( some do). Also, think if you have enough hens to keep him happy. One to eight is the recommended number ( although I have had fewer, but you do need a poultry saddle for them!) He will keep order amongst the ladies though so that might help your bumpa bit problem.

 

I love having a cockerel but it is hard work so make sure you have the time and most importantly, the neighbours are tolerant.

 

Good luck!

 

Tricia

[Chick-a-doodle-doo]

I love cockerals but I know I couldn't keep one if I had (Just had a false alrarm myself).

 

Good luck if you decide to keep him

[Janty]

I accidentally ended up with two cockerels (brahmas) when I first started. They are also a large, slow to mature breed and quite laid back. They didn't make a noise when I had them but I have seen them since and trust me, your neighbours would not be pleased.

 

I have also rescued a tiny little pekin cockerel from Atlantic Superstore. He was reduced to £5 and I only had him for one night before he went to Little Hen Rescue. We kept him in a cat basket in the conservatory covered up with blankets and he still managed to wake us all up at 4 in the morning. He also woke next door up and we are in a detached house and the neighbours sleep at the front of their house.

 

I would contact the breeder and get them to take him back.

 

Good luck with him if you do decide to keep him. I know someone on here lives in a semi and has kept a cockerel. She takes him in each night.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Welcome to the Unexpected Cockerel Owners Club of Great Britain, you are in good company

 

Hope your neighbours are happy to have him around, but I know what you mean about the outcome if they go back to the breeder . If you can't keep him, I'd try & rehome him sooner rather than later, they are very firmly in our hearts once they've been in our gardens for a few days even more so after a few months......my Berry can't even make up her mind if she's a girl or a boy which is hard to deal with Our breeder has said I can keep him if I want to or take him back & she'll deal with him and I can have a refund or a replacement girl in a few months when they are big enough...........

 

Sha x

[miller30]

Hi ive just lost both my buffs they were sold to me as pullets and both turnt out to be cockerals so they went to live on a farm together yesterday i am gutted poppy started to crow at 21 weeks and you could hear it 4 doors up as if you were standing next to her and i was told it would get louder the older he got florence wasnt crowing yet but i let them go together as my neighbours didnt want me to keep them i done the lottery last night so if i won i could go back today and get them the breeder said he would take them back but he wouldnt beable to keep them where did you get him from just being nosey leanne.

[LJ's Chooks]

We got him from 'gold laced orpingtons' and they were all beautiful and sexed at a day old... but this one obviously had the wrong tag!

 

He is gorgeous... and it's to late to swap him before we get attached, we've had them since may and they are definitely part of the family, so i hope he behaves.

 

we only have neighbours on one side and fields and distant neighbours on the other side, so i'm hoping we'll be ok. Also there are other cockerells in the area cos we hear them often, but hopefully that will not just encourage him!

 

I am a bit worried that he will flatten our other girls - cos he's huge by comparison!!!