can cockerels make good pets?

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emmarouth17

emmarouth17

In the Brooder
May 7, 2016
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Hi I'm new to this site I have just hatched 6 chicks under a broody and I think some may be cockrales I keep all my chickens for pets so want them to be friendly can cockrals make good pets? x
 
Hi :welcome

Glad you could join us here! Congrats on your new chicks :clap Some cockerels can be friendly yes but I find leaving them to get on with their job the best option. It really can depend on their disposition. With all the will in the world if you get a bad one you get a bad one and there is not much you can do about it.

Good luck with your chicks and enjoy BYC :frow
 
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Generally speaking, cockerels are not the best pets. However, some people have "trained" their roosters to where they are very docile and may make good company and protection. There is a chance that the cockerel will be aggressive no matter what you do to combat this, but I have found that it is a relatively small chance if the cockerel is handled enough as a chick and into adulthood.
 
This is part of the reality of hatching chicks. About half will be boys, and sometimes you get an all cockerel hatch. It's something you need to be prepared for and have a plan for what to do with those boys. Most cockerels do not make good pets. It's a very, very rare boy that can be both a good flock leader and is super sweet with people. Also consider that one cockerel will need at least 10 hens to be kept 'satisfied'. Are you willing to keep enough hens to occupy all of your potential cockerels? If not, then rehome them, and don't ask too many questions. It's getting to be the time of year when cockerels are hard to unload. You'll be lucky to give them away.
 
emmarouth17 said:
Hi I'm new to this site I have just hatched 6 chicks under a broody and I think some may be cockrales I keep all my chickens for pets so want them to be friendly can cockrals make good pets? x
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I have and have had some cockerels and roosters that are and were great. Others not so much. What concerns me with small numbers you will not have enough hens for your cockerels and they could be overbred in which case none of your chickens would be happy.
Cockerels kept together (in a bachelor pad) might be happier than cockerels kept with just a few hens.
 

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