Should I get a cockerel or hatch one?

[Anonymous]

I've got 4 Pekins as you all know. I'm dying to hatch some eggs, but am still pondering (even hubby didn't say no to the idea - he even put on his facebook page that the hens are growing on him!! WOW what a turn around).
Anyway, I was wondering whether to get a cockerel ready to go, as it were, or to get some eggs and keep a cockerel from that lot? It's the noise I'm most worried about.
This morning, I went to see a lady who breeds Pekins as a hobby and her garden had 4 breeding groups in it and none of the boys were kicking up a fuss. In fact one fo the hens in the barn was making a right racket, but the boys were all silent. When they did speak, they had completely different sounds, one loud and screachy and another low and quiet, it sounded quite nice actually. The other boys in the barns round the back never made a sound.

Also, one of my girls was sitting on the eggs when I got back. I took them off her, which she seemed reletively happy to let me do, but then she seemed to be searching for them. When i put them down again, she rolled them underneath herself and settled down again. Should I encourage this with pot eggs, or is she not really broody yet?
I'm still waiting for my incubating book to come from Amazon so am still in the research stages, but having read the other posts re incubators etc, I think I'll go for the R-COM King Suro 20.
Do I get another small coop for my girl and put her i there with the pot eggs to train her up for the sitting?

So the questions are
1. Do I get an adult cockerel for my own eggs?
2. Or... get some eggs from Sue at VP and keep a cockerel for the future after having worked out which one makes the least noise?
3. Do I encourage the hen to start sitting now, whilst I organise eggs/incubators?

Thanks, all.
x

 

[snifter]

Personally I'd not keep a cockerel unless you really want to breed from them. If you live in a built up area keeping one may be a problem as they can and do make a din from the wee hours. Its amazing how much noise one cock bird can make at 4am on a summers morning. It won't make you popular with your neighbours.

If you do wish to breed, I'd always ask a few questions re breeding your own.

1) Are your birds all decent breeding quality (ie not pet standard). If they are not then I personally would not breed from them as I do believe its better to be breeding decent stock rather than supplying the world with more possibly sub standard quality birds. I make it quite clear when I sell stock if I consider them possible breeding birds or pet quality and not really ideal for breeding from.

2) If you buy in eggs, I am thinking they come from someone who breeds good quality birds, so I'd say it was preferable to buy them in. You could then also choose a few eggs from other bantam breeds and add to the flock that way. You could then keep a cockerel back for breeding next year but I'd not base your decision on which one to keep on which one makes the less noise, but which one is the best bird for breeding. Feathering, markings, colouring etc are my focus points. Personally I'd avoid keeping a cockerel if you don't really need one and only have a few girls for pets. Good quality hatching eggs can be bought if you need them.

Also please consider what you will do with your surplus cockerels if you do hatch chicks. I say this as so many many times people cannot find homes for their surplus cockerels and they have to dispatch them. It is very hard to find good homes for young cock birds most of the time. They really are not needed or wanted by most and are only usually kept for breeding or keeping a flock in line. But most people who keeps chooks as pets don't keep a cock bird for various reasons. So please think ahead about what you will do if faced with 20 chicks and 15 of them are male (it has happened :? ). I'd suggest hatching half a dozen under a broody for a first attempt.

3) If you have a broody, a few days sitting on some dummy eggs (or a couple of old ones) and she should be fine to sit on a batch for you. Move her now, a few days before giving her eggs. Moving her after you give her eggs can sometimes mean the hen stops sitting. A broody ark and run is ideal so she can get off the eggs as and when she needs/wants.

4) If you only wish to hatch a few, I'd suggest forget an incubator and let a broody or two hatch some out for you. Far easier and also means you don't have so much to do once they are hatched but can still get loads of enjoyment watching them with their Mum, out roaming and also handling them. I personally enjy letting broodies hatch far more than I do hatching them in incubators.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Snifter
All good, sound advice. I was planning to do it for myself, really, after having found a few places that take in unwanted birds, cockerels included.
I'm still pondering, though I think it will have to wait util I can find a piece of land to use, rather than the back garden.

 

[snifter]

Thanks, Snifter
All good, sound advice. I was planning to do it for myself, really, after having found a few places that take in unwanted birds, cockerels included.
I'm still pondering, though I think it will have to wait util I can find a piece of land to use, rather than the back garden.

I know I sound like a right mope about it, but this is something I've seen time and again and so I do like to try to raise awareness.

Even if you've found a place that takes in unwanted cockerels, please remember that there are many many unwanted cockerels out there and it is the harsh side of breeding chooks. I personally don't think its fair to dump all the males of the species on rescue centres if a person chooses to hatch some chicks. The centres themselves find it very hard to rehome them and are then often stuck with the cost of keeping them long term or culling them. Some places will refuse to take in only cockerels point blank. Only if a cock bird comes in with some hens do they relent and try to rehome together.

Maybe consider chicks already hatched and sexed.

Or look into a lesson or two in how to dispatch chicks/young birds.

 

[Tim]

Some pretty sound advice - I have little to add - (but!) what I will say for the benefit of everyone is to dispatch cockerels at a young age as soon as you have sexed them is far easier than waiting around, especially if it is your first time doing this. It is so tempting to keep putting it off thinking you will be able to re-home them soon and before you know it you have some pretty 'tough' birds to dispatch.

Cocks in a built up area is a tricky one. Some people have them, most don't. They will crow at all times but almost always at the crack of dawn as Snifter says and if it's in ear shot of your neighbours you might not be very popular.

 

[Anonymous]

I THINK I could despatch a bird - though not having done it, I've honestly no real idea. I've read up on the subject, and love the idea of one day (way in the future, I know) owning a small meat flock for our own use, i.e. not selling the birds comercially.
We live in hope (or really rather close to it in Derbyshire) and we all have dreams....