Separating pullets from cockerels

[k7ailaan]

My first batch is 8 weeks old already .. I have around 40 of them and 10 are cockerels ..

I don't want to breed until next year .. for my pullets to be fully grown and producing larger eggs

how soon should I separate them?

someone told me to keep them together until I see the first egg .. in other words until pullets actually mature


what do you guys think ?

 

[pgpoultry]

Hi, You will only get chicks if you allow a broody to sit or put the fertile eggs into an incubator. There is not usually a need to separate hens from cockerels. Fertile eggs taste no different from infertile.

However, cockerels may well start to fight. Any signs of this happening and it is best to get rid of the males you do not want to keep (Don't ask me how, I usually spend ages trying to find someone who is willing to have them!).

The age of sexual maturity varies a lot in different breeds and hybrids tend to lay much earlier, with the large old-type pure breeds laying later

Sandie

 

[SouthernChick]

No need to seperate them, if you raise the together in the same pen they will get along better as they mature. You do not need 10 roosters so I would try to find homes now for the ones you don't want or raise them to butcher. Good Luck!

 

[k7ailaan]

Quote:
Hi Sandie,

from what I know from raising cattle and I think I've read it somewhere on here .. that mating reduces or stops the growth of both, hens and roosters.
In sheep for example, we separate them for a year or so, even though they mature at 8 months

I don't know if this is true with chicken or not ..

 

[k7ailaan]

Quote:
yea, the thing is .. how do I know the ones I want ? they are still developing .. I've thought of taking few on the side for meat, but I want to wait a little bit until I make up my mind on which to keep.

 

[pgpoultry]

Hi,
Just responding to the point about separating hens and cockerels.

I never separate my sexes and I keep Brahmas. The size they grow to is HUGE, so their mating activities don't seem to stunt their growth!

We also only separate our sheep just before the ewes are due to come into season or when the ram lambs start fighting too much. Sheep, however, are different in that they have seasonal ovulation. We keep Blue Faced Leicesters (amongst others) and, again, they are huge.

I don not have any experience with cows, but our neighbour always keeps his cows and bulls together until they are ready for market, fighting, or it is other than his prize bull that is trying to mate with his cows.

I can't think of any logical explanation as to why mating should reduce size, but I am ready to be convinced.

Kind Regards,
Sandie

 

[k7ailaan]

Quote:
me neither actually .. I guess I'll just keep them all together

 

[bufforp89]

I seperate mine when the boys start trying to breed with the females. I have found that it stresses out the girls to have 10 boys chasing after them.