Chicken boarders

[Eggquisite]

Hi Omleteers,

 

Rhubster our cockerel has been a little amorous since the slightly warmer & longer days &

our poor hens have been suffering with his affections

 

For the past couple of days after opening the coop we have kept Rhubster apart from his girls! He's been sleeping in the coop & then we've been popping him into his own run every morning (6.30am) - where he can still chat & see his girls & have his own food & water obviously.

 

I'm feeling a little guilty - is it right to keep him apart? We only want to give the girls a rest but don't want to make Rhubster feel bad

 

Is it ok to keep him separate for a while? Or are we being mean

 

Liz

[Redwing]

I do the same as you for one of my cockerels but he has stopped coming out of the coop in the mornings as he knows he will be separated so although he is fine I dont think he is particularly happy bless him

 

I separate him for a different reason - keeping the girls feathers unbroken for shows so every few days he is allowed to run with a non show hen

 

In a big flock removing the cockerel is not thought to be a problem but removing them from a small flock is said to have an effect on the cockerels condition as they are such a closed group but of course it benefits the girls

 

I think you have done the best you can by separating him but keeping him within sight of his girls

 

Poultry saddles may help the girls if he is making them lose feathers

[Eggquisite]

Thanks Redwing, don't feel so bad now, he does look a bit sorry for himself from time to time but he's chatting so he can't be that upsept - unless he's swearing at me

[Redwing]

muttering under his breath I expect!

[Daphne]

I'd try poultry saddles myself - they do work brilliantly. Also, how many girls has he got - you look to have lots on your signature!

[Eggquisite]

We are thinking about saddles.. we have 9 girlies to 1 boy so he has a few ladies to chose from but he has his fav's

[Patricia W]

When Phillip was ill and had to be separated from the wives for a week, it was very traumatic for all of them. The girls spent most of the week standing by him separated by the run.

 

So I wouldn't separate them unless it was for a very specific reason. If you are worried about the girls then I'd get saddles for them. Or get him more girls. I think the ratio is one cockerel to 8 wives?

 

Tricia