iandjsmum Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hi I have 6 sleepy pekins who will all be a year old in April. They are showing no signs of coming into lay. Is it an old wive's tale or will the attentions of a cockerel help to get my girls going?! Is it worth 'borrowing' a cockerel for a week or so or is this just a rumour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I don't know the correct answer to this but I strongly suspect its an old wives tale. On the other hand - have your girls ever laid? If not, its very unusual for 6 of them not to have laid yet from an April hatching, tho they are unlikely to start now until the weather is better. Have they been wormed? You mention they are sleepy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 For 6 of them I'd think its probably due to their age and the weather. I'd maybe wait a few weeks when its warmer and about the time when they should be laying, give them a bit of extra calcium with limestone flour and make sure they're just eating pellets and not too many treats Worming is always a good thing to do though too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 It may be an old wives tale, but some are based in truth. I re-homed one of my FCB Marans boys last year and was later told that the hens he'd joined had never laid so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iandjsmum Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 Thanks for all the tips. I have been worming so I think we're OK there. I was thrilled to see one of my pekins squat when I went near her today. That's never happened before so I've cleaned out the egg box in eager anticipation...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 I've got a 15 week old Wyandotte bantam who was running with a cockerel when I picked her up from the seller She is laying already Maybe there is some truth in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Phillip has shown no interest whatsoever in the girls over the winter but 5 days ago he leapt on Phillipa and lo and behold, we had the first egg of 2010 yesterday!! So did he know she was fertile or did he trigger it? As a control group I have 4 small bantams in a separate cube and one of them laid this morning! Unless it's the scent of a cockerel that does it, Phillip had nothing to do with that one. I suspect it's more to do with the length of day as mine started around Valentime's Day last year. Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 I've always thought they only mate with girls who are laying, but maybe there is a hormonal thing which gives them prior warning! My lad is only jumping on the single laying hen, but I don't know if he started before she did or vice versa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
