Cockerels are handsome, fairly strong, and have a large range of personalities. Some cockerels are docile, while others are aggresive. Some are friendly, while others are flighty. It's nearly impossible to tell if a male chick is going to turn out to be a nice bird or a young delinquent. With people owning an aggresive cockerel, they may start to wonder: Is there really any point in having one?. There are many pros and cons of having a cockerel, and here are a few of the main ones.
PROS
Hen's Eggs Will Be Fertile
If you have a cockerel in the flock, most of your eggs with be fertile (unless, of course, he isn't fertile himself or he misses a lady!) This means you can incubate the eggs and hatch out more darlings
They Look Very Handsome
If you go for a good breed, you'll likely end up with a very good-looking cockerel! And what's better than looking out the window and seeing a stunning cockerel with hens?
He'll Keep The Hens In Line
Most cockerels are very good at keeping everyone in place. When I introduced some hens to the flock, they argued a fair bit and I watched the cockerel stand inbetween them both. They stopped fighting completely! Clever young chap.
They Make Such Sweet Noises
It might sound daft, but when a cockerel finds any tasty treats in then ground, he'll start making really sweet sounds to encourage them over! I love watching it
CONS
They Can Be Aggresive
Unfortunately, some cockerels will have a violent personality. You get cockerels that aren't too bad (just the odd peck), but there are cockerels that will attack whenever you walk into the pen
It Can Be Hard To Handle Them
They often go a bit wild when you try to pick them up which can lead to them unintentionally hurting you with their spurs of claws. It can be rather irritating.
Sometimes They Crow In The Middle Of The Night
Yep, it's true. I've woken up on several occasions to the sound of a cockerel crowing at 3.00AM. Even if it's not the middle of the night, they do like to wake up the whole family at early hours. I guess they follow the "early bird catches the worm" saying
Hens Can Be Mounted Too Often
If you have a small number of hens they may be mounted a little too often and start losing their feathers. It's not so bad if you have a larger flock, though.
Things to think about with cockerels......
.......they need space. Cockerels are bigger than hens and therefore take up more space on the perch and in the coop.
.......you shouldn't keep an extremely aggresive cockerel. They are dangerous and could potentially injure a young child badly.
.......laws in your area may not allow you to keep a cockerel. Make sure to ask about local laws before getting a cockerel.
........think about neighbours. Some people won't be too happy if your cockerel is a very noisy one.
........hand-reared cockerels are more likely to become naughty. Sadly, they can get a little too tame and aren't as bothered with a big stick as a hen-reared one would be.
I hope this article helped you!
PROS
Hen's Eggs Will Be Fertile
If you have a cockerel in the flock, most of your eggs with be fertile (unless, of course, he isn't fertile himself or he misses a lady!) This means you can incubate the eggs and hatch out more darlings
They Look Very Handsome
If you go for a good breed, you'll likely end up with a very good-looking cockerel! And what's better than looking out the window and seeing a stunning cockerel with hens?
He'll Keep The Hens In Line
Most cockerels are very good at keeping everyone in place. When I introduced some hens to the flock, they argued a fair bit and I watched the cockerel stand inbetween them both. They stopped fighting completely! Clever young chap.
They Make Such Sweet Noises
It might sound daft, but when a cockerel finds any tasty treats in then ground, he'll start making really sweet sounds to encourage them over! I love watching it
CONS
They Can Be Aggresive
Unfortunately, some cockerels will have a violent personality. You get cockerels that aren't too bad (just the odd peck), but there are cockerels that will attack whenever you walk into the pen
It Can Be Hard To Handle Them
They often go a bit wild when you try to pick them up which can lead to them unintentionally hurting you with their spurs of claws. It can be rather irritating.
Sometimes They Crow In The Middle Of The Night
Yep, it's true. I've woken up on several occasions to the sound of a cockerel crowing at 3.00AM. Even if it's not the middle of the night, they do like to wake up the whole family at early hours. I guess they follow the "early bird catches the worm" saying
Hens Can Be Mounted Too Often
If you have a small number of hens they may be mounted a little too often and start losing their feathers. It's not so bad if you have a larger flock, though.
Things to think about with cockerels......
.......they need space. Cockerels are bigger than hens and therefore take up more space on the perch and in the coop.
.......you shouldn't keep an extremely aggresive cockerel. They are dangerous and could potentially injure a young child badly.
.......laws in your area may not allow you to keep a cockerel. Make sure to ask about local laws before getting a cockerel.
........think about neighbours. Some people won't be too happy if your cockerel is a very noisy one.
........hand-reared cockerels are more likely to become naughty. Sadly, they can get a little too tame and aren't as bothered with a big stick as a hen-reared one would be.
I hope this article helped you!
