jam Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I would love to hatch some chicks next year, but the big question 'what about the cockerels?' arises. As far as we are concerned, any potential cockerels wont be a problem, i actually love the noise they make! But there are the neighbours, and despite the funny looks and the 'silent treatment' we have recieved from them (well one of them at least) we should probably be a bit considerate when it comes to predicting what time they are woken up in the morning! I was wondering if there are any breeds of chicken of which the cockerels are, um, quieter than others? if such a breed exists! And also how exactly does the whole chicken bredding system work? Do the cockerels try to fertilze the eggs all year round or is there a specific time? Jam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 The fertility rate of eggs is usually higher in spring and summer but a few breeders will confidently sell all year round and some will sell all year round with not a shred of confidence At the moment I have five cockerels in my garden, the Seramas are the quietest but are reasonably loud and certainly loud enough to reach my neighbour (who luckily has a cockerel of her own so doesnt mind a jot ) so I would say you are unlikely to find a cockerel quiet enough to satisfy your neighbour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Redwing is right- quiet cockerels don't exist. And cockerels in a built up area risk upsetting neighbours so check with them first. Also more than one cockerel is difficult as they are inclined to fight. So basically, you have to eat them or find another home for them. Look on the Omlet market place or at any breeders website and you'll find lots of cockerels free to a good home. So you need to work out how to deal with them before hatching. Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I think realistically you have to assume that there are no homes really for cockerels unless they are first class There is someone who frequents the forums called Beegal who will take cockerels but although he does his very best he is no miracle worker and one or two may be ok but I dont think it would be too responsible to hatch with this in mind You may get lucky but you really have to work on worst case senario sadly and if you hatch you have to be willing to deal with the cockerels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 There is someone who frequents the forums called Beegal who will take cockerels but although he does his very best he is no miracle worker and one or two may be ok but I dont think it would be too responsible to hatch with this in mind ... and he's great He took some of the chicks we hatrched in school which turned out to be cockerels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 Okey dokey then, i guessed that would be the answer, but it never hurts to ask Is it true that Cockerels keep order in the coop by stopping fights etc and do cockerels not crow as much if there are no other cockerels around for them to compete with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 My cockerel only keeps order with his first two wives. Mrs Phillip the first seems to be the one who decides who else can join the Phillip flock. He quite fancies the one who wants to join, but she chases the new one off. I think he may be hen pecked... And they crow for lots of reasons -mostly because they can! Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 I adore my young cockerels but I wouldn't dream of keeping them for too long (3 are for christmas dinner!). We have been putting Basil in a cockerel box in the garage and, now that the mornings are darker, are risking leaving him in the shut cube with the girls, but I wouldn't try that in the spring. Cockerels crow - LOUDLY - all day and sometimes all night. Even when it's not wildly loud then you will still hear it (if you're anything like me). It's just like when the babies were small: their crying sounded deafening to me, even when other people said it wasn't that loud. My neighbour's cockerels don't wake me up at all: my cockerels have me leaping out of bed in a flash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 We dispatched ours mainly because he started crowing - he didn't do it the following day. Also he picked a fight with our head girl and it wasn't very nice, so he had to go. Wasn't easy, but I'm glad we did it - they are much better behaved since he went (apart from 2nd in command taking over from head girl in a very St Trinians manner). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
