My neighbor has just acquired some 18-20 wk old hens (either leghorns or sexlinks, I didn't ask) and wanted to know if I had a rooster she could have for them. I guess she wants it partly for pretty and partly in hopes of better protecting them vs hawks etc (they free-range and tend to have a very short life expectancy).
Indeed, I do have a couple 'spare' EE's and campineX's that will otherwise end up going straight to the soup pot in the next couple months. Even though Doreen does not take great care of her chickens and may just have the whole batch processed for the freezer before winter, I figure a cockerel would still probably rather have a few months running around loose and procreating all over the place than to grow halfway up in my pen and then become soup. So, I am willing to give her one of them.
I don't know what age/timing would be best? Her pullets are currently 18-20 wks old; some of my possible candidates are currently 13 wks old, others are just 8 wks old. I am thinking the one of the older ones would be better, since there's less age difference, but they seem kind of young yet and I worry the cockerel would get his clock cleaned by the girls. All the cockerels are crowing, but only one is doing it semi-well; I have not seen them trying to mount their female pen-mates but I also haven't really looked for it.
So at what age would you make the introduction, if there is a 5-7 wk difference in age between roo and hens?
And, any suggestions for easing the transition to the new flock? Doreen won't keep them all penned up (no facilities), it's going to have to be some version of 'fly be free'... but what would be likeliest to result in the hens accepting the cockerel and the cockerel not hightailing it back to my house (about 1000 ft away across a hayfield)?
Thanks for all suggestions, I have no experience with doing this,
Pat
Indeed, I do have a couple 'spare' EE's and campineX's that will otherwise end up going straight to the soup pot in the next couple months. Even though Doreen does not take great care of her chickens and may just have the whole batch processed for the freezer before winter, I figure a cockerel would still probably rather have a few months running around loose and procreating all over the place than to grow halfway up in my pen and then become soup. So, I am willing to give her one of them.
I don't know what age/timing would be best? Her pullets are currently 18-20 wks old; some of my possible candidates are currently 13 wks old, others are just 8 wks old. I am thinking the one of the older ones would be better, since there's less age difference, but they seem kind of young yet and I worry the cockerel would get his clock cleaned by the girls. All the cockerels are crowing, but only one is doing it semi-well; I have not seen them trying to mount their female pen-mates but I also haven't really looked for it.
So at what age would you make the introduction, if there is a 5-7 wk difference in age between roo and hens?
And, any suggestions for easing the transition to the new flock? Doreen won't keep them all penned up (no facilities), it's going to have to be some version of 'fly be free'... but what would be likeliest to result in the hens accepting the cockerel and the cockerel not hightailing it back to my house (about 1000 ft away across a hayfield)?
Thanks for all suggestions, I have no experience with doing this,
Pat
