Poorly chicken

[Clucky lady]

I had two beautiful cockerels that were rescues, they were dumped because the owners knew they were boys, but we didn't, they were tiny when I got them, but the first time they cook a doo a do they had to go, if I had known of these no crow collars, I would have given them a good try, no one wants the cockerels because of the noise, so surly these collars are a good idea, people will keep hatching these eggs but fifty per cent will be girls and fifty per cent will be boys, so what do they think they're going to do with the boys, poor things it's a death sentence, I had eight girls together and they would go through a pecking order thing every so often, if I'd of had a cockerel they would of not had a problem he would of kept them in line, but I had to buy the chickens bumpers, that you fit on their beaks, because they were at times getting nasty to each other, I try all the other suggestions people said but they still kept doing it, it's very upsetting and the injuries can be bad, and I see lots buy these bumpers, so please explain to me the difference between chickens having bumpers and a cockerel having a no crow collar, with the bumpers they can still eat and drink and go about their business the same and it seems the same with the no bumper collars, I for one will be giving them a go if I get a cockerel that no one wants, it's better than the other.

[sjp]

I had two beautiful cockerels that were rescues, they were dumped because the owners knew they were boys, but we didn't, they were tiny when I got them, but the first time they cook a doo a do they had to go, if I had known of these no crow collars, I would have given them a good try, no one wants the cockerels because of the noise, so surly these collars are a good idea, people will keep hatching these eggs but fifty per cent will be girls and fifty per cent will be boys, so what do they think they're going to do with the boys, poor things it's a death sentence, I had eight girls together and they would go through a pecking order thing every so often, if I'd of had a cockerel they would of not had a problem he would of kept them in line, but I had to buy the chickens bumpers, that you fit on their beaks, because they were at times getting nasty to each other, I try all the other suggestions people said but they still kept doing it, it's very upsetting and the injuries can be bad, and I see lots buy these bumpers, so please explain to me the difference between chickens having bumpers and a cockerel having a no crow collar, with the bumpers they can still eat and drink and go about their business the same and it seems the same with the no bumper collars, I for one will be giving them a go if I get a cockerel that no one wants, it's better than the other.

I wish I could get a 50-50 split boys and girls I'm lucky if I get 30% girls

cockerels make no difference to the girls pecking order none of mine have intervened in a dispute between the girls in fact they'll go and hide at the opposite end of the garden until the squabble is over

cant answer these last question as I've not used bumper bits and personally I'd not use either the bits or the collars

[The Dogmother]

I'll attempt to answer that last question... purely from personal opinion... I'm afraid that it's not short!

 

Cockerels crow - that's what they do, and you have to accept that when making your choice of keeping one or not. If you have neighbours close by, or value your own sleep, then I wouldn't suggest that you get one. Crowing is part of their natural social behaviour, and denying that - in my opinion - denies them of one of the essential freedoms; "freedom to indulge in normal behaviour patterns." In essence; if it isn't prudent to get a cock, then don't; it isn't necessary to have one.

 

Hens do indulge in natural preening of each other, this is (again) a necessary social behaviour, much as cats will groom one another. Exaggerated/aggressive pecking and feather pulling is another thing entirely, and can easily result in cannibalism and death. Fitting a bumper bit, when all other methods have failed, will prevent serious injury and probably death, either of the pecked bird/s, or the aggressor being culled.

 

Pecking and feather pulling is easily avoided, except in the case of an 'evil bird', by attention to their environment, and good husbandry. If you have an evil bird, which persists in attacking others, then either fitting a bit, or culling the bird would be the usual recourse.

 

As I said, this is just the way I see it, and I would much rather fit a bit to an aggressive bird than have one or more birds dead or suffering. As an example; my friends have a RIR hen, a splendid bird, but she is totally evil... attacking other hens, both of their cocks and even the dogs and people. She wears a bit permanently, and is able to go about her normal life without the rest of the animals living in fear of her. I have checked her over, and there doesn't seem to be any underlying condition which might cause her bad behaviour, but we'd rather not cull her if necessary. Now that she isn't able to draw blood and terrify the others, she has calmed down a bit, and may, eventually, be able to live without her bumper bit.

[miller30]

I know someone who recently tried the collars on 2 boys one died so off came the other collar if it came down to my boys wearing a collar I'm sorry but I would cull them all

[WitchHazel]

A collar isn't going to prevent the deaths of loads of cockerels.

 

Putting aside the discussion on whether it is acceptable at all, even if it was, it would mean that only a very small number of the hatched cockerels would be saved.

 

Cockerels have a reasonable life expectancy. Let's say that ths takes off, and every single cockerel hatched in year 1 finds a home and is fitted with a collar. What about all the cockerels in year 2? year 3? year 4? Like I said, at best it's going to prevent a very small number of boys being culled.

 

And don't think it means that you can suddenly keep multiple cockerels.

 

Keeping more than one cockerel (unless you havethe space to run separate flocks (inwhich case you wouldn't be bothering with a collar, would you?!) brings a whole host of problems. They *will* fight/scuffle. There *will* be injuries. They *will* get stressed. And that's just the boys!

 

The Girls *will* suffer - you'll need to run twice as many girls for 2 cockerels, and even then you can bet that one or two of the poor things will become the "favourite". Being the favourite for one cockerel isn't much fun for a hen, what sort of life is that for a hen who is subject to multiple cockerel.? You *will* end up with fertilised eggs, so you'll have to be much more careful about who you give the eggs to (and you won't be able to sell them).

 

But then of course we have to consider whether it's a humane thing to do anyway.

 

I'm sure you can stop a dog barking by taping it's muzzle together, - not tightlym leaving enough room for it to be able to lap up water. Obviously you'd have to take the tape off so it could feed. Velcro would be great for that too. Isn't that just an extenstion of the rooster idea?

 

If a cockerel doing normal cockerel things (like crowing) is unacceptable, then you just don't have a cockerel.

[sparkysmum]

Totally endorse all that WitchHazel has said. Ax