# Friday chicken question - should we add a cockerel?



## Widgeon (15 January 2021)

Some of you may remember that a while back I posted about scrapping between our six hens - they'd all ganged up on one and were bullying her and pecking her feathers out. Many thanks to all the people who offered advice - with the help of a dog crate (!) and some patience we did eventually get all six settled down. Here's the thread. 

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...g-driving-me-to-despair.796271/#post-14430709

Anyway, a couple of people suggested acquiring a cockerel as a way to settle the hens. We didn't need to in the end, but a neighbour has just hatched four Buff Orpington eggs and they were all boys! They're keeping the biggest and noisiest, but the other three are homeless and destined for the Sunday lunch table - neighbour is sad at the thought of eating all three given the care and attention spent on them so far.

I've said we'd consider taking one - I had thought we'd take the smallest as our hens are all medium / large size, and BOs are enormous and I don't want any squashed hen incidents. I believe they are a few months old, she says they're not particularly talkative (except the noisy one that they're keeping as a fox alarm) and are friendly.

So tell me, is this a silly idea? Our hens are all quite flighty still and I would like them to settle down and relax - maybe a cockerel would achieve this? Or will he turn into a raging aggressive sex pest?

Please give me your opinions, particularly if you've done a similar thing. The birds all live in a fully fenced run, about the size of a small room, with attached shed (walk in) as we have foxes.

Thank you!


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## mini_b (15 January 2021)

YES!! 
a well handled cockerel is an absolute joy. 
there is no aggressive fighting between my hens, there is just bickering between the lads. I have multiple cockerels from the same hatch. 
I have hens of all sizes and my cockerels are all on the large size. 
I think they are more interested in being a sex pest when they have other boys to sort of, compete with. You can get aprons if you are worried about the feathers being rubbed out.

get the roo and start giving him plenty of cuddles and treats!! I have a particular favourite that I sit with on my knee and he just plops on there for a stroke. One I took to the vets just on the front seat of my car, without a carrier. They seem to be quite dog like compared to the girls.

you’ve got enough space for the girls to run away if they aren’t interested. 

the only thing that puts people off is the noise and the aggression but BO are docile and good natured! Go for it (pictures when you do!)

definitely the wrong person to answer as it’s always a yes when more chickens are involved!


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## FinnishLapphund (15 January 2021)

According to what I've read, living with a cockerel/rooster usually makes hens more settled, because they trust him to alert, and guard them against perceived, and real, threats (unless you're unlucky, and gets one that also have flighty tendencies, who only encourages your hens to be the same). A rooster is also good for alerting his hens about tasty things to eat.  
But I've also read that the best ratio is 8-10 hens per rooster, just to avoid that he becomes a sex pest.


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## Lindylouanne (15 January 2021)

Yes get a cockerel for your girls. My male bantam was destined to be Sunday lunch but as he is such a lovely affectionate boy I couldn’t let it happen. He only has one lady friend at the moment but he looks after her very well and they are inseparable.


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## Clodagh (15 January 2021)

Yes but althought orps are placid and have a fairly low sex drive I wouildn't put them with a smaller hen, they can really damage them.
I would always go same size or smaller.


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## Widgeon (15 January 2021)

Thank you all! @FinnishLapphund I have also heard bad things about one cockerel needing lots of chickens, but then having done a bit of a search on here there seem to be lots of people who only have a couple of hens and a cockerel, so it can't be quite the recipe for disaster that the internet would have us believe.


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## The Bouncing Bog Trotter (15 January 2021)

If you stand the early morning alarm call a cockerel is the way to go. He’ll keep the girls in order and watching them call the girls for treats is great to see. I found the boys were more ‘affectionate’, just watch out that he doesn’t favour one girl and bonk her senseless and featherless.


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## Widgeon (15 January 2021)

Clodagh said:



			Yes but althought orps are placid and have a fairly low sex drive I wouildn't put them with a smaller hen, they can really damage them.
I would always go same size or smaller.
		
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Apparently two of the boys are quite small so we're going to have one of them - our hens are all medium to large sized so I think there shouldn't be too much of a mismatch.


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## Widgeon (15 January 2021)

The Bouncing Bog Trotter said:



			...just watch out that he doesn’t favour one girl and bonk her senseless and featherless.
		
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thanks for the warning....we will keep an eye out


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## FinnishLapphund (15 January 2021)

Widgeon said:



			Thank you all! @FinnishLapphund I have also heard bad things about one cockerel needing lots of chickens, but then having done a bit of a search on here there seem to be lots of people who only have a couple of hens and a cockerel, so it can't be quite the recipe for disaster that the internet would have us believe.
		
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Presumably there is individual, and perhaps also breed, differences. I daydream about owning some household hens occasionally, someone I know used to own some hens, and I read a little here and there about keeping them. As you say, according to some things you read, you need lots of hens per rooster, I think I've read 12 or so as the highest recommendations. 

Judging by the number of hens the person I know used to have, and the ones having household hens that I've seen out on walks, driven by on my trike, I presumed that the recommendation I've read about 8-10 seemed more likely to be correct. 
But 6 aren't that far from 8, and as Lindylouanne's reply shows, it can work with only 1 hen. 

By the way, I've read that cremedemonthe on here at least used to make, and sell Cock collars = collars that makes roosters crow/sound less.


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## poiuytrewq (15 January 2021)

My little cockerel was wonderful. I’d hatched him myself and he appeared to get on fine with all 3 of our hens. He was a bantam and I never saw him getting Randy or hassling them. However one day out of the blue they killed him  
I don’t know why but several people since have said ah yes they will do that. 
something to bear in mind, I was horrified


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## Peregrine Falcon (15 January 2021)

I would love BO's. Please post a pic when you get him.


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## Clodagh (15 January 2021)

Mine are in, mainly, trios. BUT they have very large areas (normally) to roam in so the cock does his morning humpy hoorahs and then spends the majority of the day looking after the hens, and showing off to the boys next door.


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## FinnishLapphund (15 January 2021)

poiuytrewq said:



			My little cockerel was wonderful. I’d hatched him myself and he appeared to get on fine with all 3 of our hens. He was a bantam and I never saw him getting Randy or hassling them. However one day out of the blue they killed him 
I don’t know why but several people since have said ah yes they will do that.
something to bear in mind, I was horrified
		
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I'm sorry to hear about your cockerel.


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## poiuytrewq (15 January 2021)

FinnishLapphund said:



			I'm sorry to hear about your cockerel.
		
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Thanks, I was actually quite sad. He was bit of a dude


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## FinnishLapphund (15 January 2021)

On the theme it doesn't always go as planned, and about Coturnix quails, not hens, I've read a post on a thread (not on HHO) where someone owns 4 Coturnix quail hens, and 3 Coturnix quail cocks. 
They introduced cock 1 to the 4 quail hens - he became a sex pest, and had to be removed.  

They tried introducing cock 2 instead - the quail hens beat him up, he was found hiding in a hut, and had to be removed.

They introduced cock 3 - the quail hens beat him up, he was found hiding in a hut, and had to be removed. 

They tried introducing cock 1 again - this time the quail hens beat him up, he was found hiding in a hut, and had to be removed. 

In a last attempt they introduced all 3 cocks to the 4 quail hens - all 3 cocks where found hiding in the same hut, and had to be removed.


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## mini_b (15 January 2021)

[


poiuytrewq said:



			My little cockerel was wonderful. I’d hatched him myself and he appeared to get on fine with all 3 of our hens. He was a bantam and I never saw him getting Randy or hassling them. However one day out of the blue they killed him 
I don’t know why but several people since have said ah yes they will do that.
something to bear in mind, I was horrified
		
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That is so sad. I’ve never heard of the hens turning. There is something so lovely about a sweet cockerel I am so sorry xxx


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## mini_b (15 January 2021)

I’m going to go against the grain here and it might not work for everyone. I’ve had multiple cockerels and hens of varying ratios either completely free ranging or in a large enclosure.
I have had at most 8 cocks in a flock of about 20.
I currently have 5 lads / 12 girls.

one has 3 girls of his own but they are a very small type and very much ignored.

the rest are all similar size/breed. The girls hold their own, one of the cocks is an underdog and completely at the bottom of the flock, the remaining 3 fight between themselves but definitely know their place.

that being said I wouldn’t ever introduce new cockerels etc these have all grown up together.

realistically in a small back yard flock I think one boy to 3/4 girls is fine.

edit. I will add I go for large traditional English breeds which tend to be more docile and less aggressive.


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## Nudibranch (17 January 2021)

They do get noisier when they're separated from the other boys! 
I have 3 at the moment, dad and 2 sons. I was keeping the third to make up a trio for the sales in Spring but looks like I might be holding on to him longer than I'd planned. They're all getting along well despite chicken lockdown, but probably because they've grown up together. Only one does most of the crowing and they've worked out their ranks so the less dominant 2 just stay quiet. But if I split them up they'd all start crowing.

Please don't try one of those collar things. They sound like a great idea but one of my birds was found dead wearing one in his new home. They'd been really careful to fit it according to instructions. I saw him and it looked like he'd gone to sleep and never woken up, so I can only assume it was asphyxiation.

And you can get hen saddles if one of them ends up the favourite! They work well, one of mine has to wear one in Spring and Summer.


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## Widgeon (18 January 2021)

poiuytrewq said:



			My little cockerel was wonderful. I’d hatched him myself and he appeared to get on fine with all 3 of our hens. He was a bantam and I never saw him getting Randy or hassling them. However one day out of the blue they killed him 
I don’t know why but several people since have said ah yes they will do that.
something to bear in mind, I was horrified
		
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That is dreadful - I didn't know what to say when I first read this, I was so horrified! However having now collected Mr Cockerel (Buffy - I was feeling imaginative) I would be tremendously impressed if our hens could kill him. He's enormous. However he does seem very docile and he puts up much less of a struggle then the hens when I pick him up. He's in a quarantine pen next door to them pecking his way through apples and chuckling quietly.


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## Clodagh (18 January 2021)

How old is he? And photos!


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## Widgeon (19 January 2021)

Clodagh said:



			How old is he? And photos!
		
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He is about four months I think, and we'll be putting him in with the girls tonight - so hopefully, I'll be able to get some pictures tomorrow. It's vile weather here today so it's still very very dark, and he will be sulking at the back of the quarantine rabbit run - not conducive to a photoshoot! He is magnificent, I'm really really hoping that he stays as cheerful and cooperative as he is now.


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## Clodagh (19 January 2021)

If he is not sexually mature (crowing and doing the wing thing) make sure your girls don’t terrorise him. They can be horrible things!


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## Widgeon (19 January 2021)

Clodagh said:



			If he is not sexually mature (crowing and doing the wing thing) make sure your girls don’t terrorise him. They can be horrible things!
		
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I don't think he is quite, so we'll be keeping a close eye on them. I'm hoping his size will put them off trying anything (when he fluffs up those feathers he is huge) but they can be real bullies when they take against someone.


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## Widgeon (25 January 2021)

Hello everyone, Mr Cockerel has had a week to settle in and after spending a couple of days running away from the hens in terror, he seems very happy. They were all eating sweetcorn from my hand yesterday. Here he is...if this doesn't work I may have to ask again how to add photos.

https://scontent-lhr8-2.xx.fbcdn.ne...=49dc4ca91cb450e86bb94db043298176&oe=60333281

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=2c3438ab76eec41cb4c4db62b88e2bec&oe=60351FBF

Agh, blooming forum....I still can't remember how to post photos :-(


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## Littlewills (25 January 2021)

Widgeon said:



			Hello everyone, Mr Cockerel has had a week to settle in and after spending a couple of days running away from the hens in terror, he seems very happy. They were all eating sweetcorn from my hand yesterday. Here he is...if this doesn't work I may have to ask again how to add photos.

https://scontent-lhr8-2.xx.fbcdn.ne...=49dc4ca91cb450e86bb94db043298176&oe=60333281

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=2c3438ab76eec41cb4c4db62b88e2bec&oe=60351FBF

Agh, blooming forum....I still can't remember how to post photos :-(
		
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you can see them if you click the link  They all loo healthy and happy!


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## FinnishLapphund (25 January 2021)

He looks very handsome. Fun to hear about him running away from the hens in the beginning 

I'm on my mobile phone, but I just clicked your photo link, copied the image address above the photo, and then above the reply box I clicked the symbol looking like a mini postcard (to the left of the smiley face), pasted the image address, clicked Insert, and the first image appeared in the reply box.
Then did the same with the second photo link.

Also tried writing the [ ] type of brackets + img in-between the brackets by hand, pasted the second image address again, and wrote /img surrounded by same [ ] brackets in the end.
Doing that only makes it look like a link address with something extra added in the front, and back of it, in your reply box, so you need to click the Preview button to see if it really will turn it into a photo when you actually post your reply:







If it doesn't show up as a photo when you Preview your post, there is something not working, and you need to fiddle around. From over 3 years of posting meme images in a weekly Monday memes thread, fiddling around = try copying, and pasting the address again, Preview,
try copying it either after changing some settings, or from another place/page, Preview,
try another insert something symbol above the reply box, Preview,
change something in how you typed the img + brackets by hand, Preview...
If nothing works, give up, and realise you've just pointlessly wasted another X amount of time of your life. If you do figure out how you made it work the last time, try to not let it go too much time before you do it again.

Oh, and it might be worth try using another browser. On my mobile phone if I use the Puffin browser to view HHO, trying to post photos is frustrating, and often completely futile. Whereas as long as I view HHO using the Chrome browser, posting photos works more often than not.


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## Peregrine Falcon (25 January 2021)

He's lovely and so are your hens. 😀


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## mini_b (25 January 2021)

Aww he’s fab! I’ve put perches up outside but they dont use them 😂


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## Widgeon (26 January 2021)

FinnishLapphund said:



			...If nothing works, give up, and realise you've just pointlessly wasted another X amount of time of your life. If you do figure out how you made it work the last time, try to not let it go too much time before you do it again.
		
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Thanks so much for this! I have managed to make it work before, but only if the photos are already on Facebook. I need to have another go I think.



Peregrine Falcon said:



			He's lovely and so are your hens. 😀
		
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Thank you! I am quite proud of them....they are nice hens and excellent layers. And we put a LOT of effort into building their chicken palace. 



mini barnes said:



			Aww he’s fab! I’ve put perches up outside but they dont use them 😂
		
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I wonder why that is - ours have been quite keen on them from the start. I wonder whether it's to do with the type of birds they are, or something to do with the layout of their run. I might have a bit of a google when I have time, I'm always interested to see what's driving particular behaviours. I'd assumed all chickens liked perches.


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## mini_b (26 January 2021)

I have 2 that will perch all of the time. They climb onto the porch of the chicken house.

I have one that likes to climb onto stacked bales.

the rest...not so much!


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## Widgeon (29 January 2021)

Mr Cockerel is learning to crow! He's got the "Cock-a-doo" bit nailed but is still working on the second half, which currently sounds like he's being strangled or has laryngitis. Every morning when we let him out he jumps up to the highest outside perch and performs his "cock-a-doo" several times.


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## ihatework (29 January 2021)

Widgeon said:



			Mr Cockerel is learning to crow! He's got the "Cock-a-doo" bit nailed but is still working on the second half, which currently sounds like he's being strangled or has laryngitis. Every morning when we let him out he jumps up to the highest outside perch and performs his "cock-a-doo" several times.
		
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They are so funny when they learn to crow! Mine had me in stitches


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## Widgeon (29 January 2021)

ihatework said:



			They are so funny when they learn to crow! Mine had me in stitches
		
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Oh dear that's hysterical - ours is rather more manly sounding and doesn't have the amazing little high pitched squawk at the end that yours did


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## mini_b (29 January 2021)

Widgeon said:



			Oh dear that's hysterical - ours is rather more manly sounding and doesn't have the amazing little high pitched squawk at the end that yours did 

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they are so funny when they are rubbish, bless them.


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