The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Daisys Mum on July 17, 2013, 06:53:10 pm

Title: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: Daisys Mum on July 17, 2013, 06:53:10 pm
I hatched 7 light Sussex  and as luck would have it 4 are boys , they are now 10 weeks old, when should they be ready for the freezer? As title suggests they are trying to crow, they are also getting a bit pushy and I think they could be quite aggressive if allowed.
Title: Re: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: chrismahon on July 17, 2013, 08:58:44 pm
20 weeks to 26 weeks maximum. Remove the trouble makers early as they will inhibit the growth of the rest.
Title: Re: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: ferretkeeper on July 17, 2013, 10:40:44 pm
If it's possible you might try separating them and feeding them up, just so they're ready more quickly than if left to forage or on normal layers pellets?

They do get pretty boisterous, usually with each other but sometimes they feel they have to defend the hens. I have no qualms in booting them up the backside (gently) if they get too cheeky with me - after a while the cockerels and I  come to an understanding, and indeed they have with each other! I have noticed the scrapping is terrible early in the year but by now they've all settled down again.

Also read somewhere on here the other day, to stop the crowing (if noise is a problem) don't give them enough head room to stretch right up and crow and keep the daylight out of the house until you let them out.

HTH
Title: Re: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: shygirl on July 17, 2013, 11:24:13 pm
separate and feed them on. ours never crowed until early autumn. ours never had much meat either as they were free range so we killed october time.
Title: Re: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: chrismahon on July 18, 2013, 02:44:42 am
Just adding to Ferretkeepers point about crowing. Keeping them dark only works if they still have adequate ventilation and there are no other cockerels within their earshot. Ours crow siting down, so the headroom restriction would never work.
Title: Re: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: Daisys Mum on July 18, 2013, 07:34:33 am
They are free ranging around the yard and horse field and being kept in a stable at night so that they can be fed on grower, can't restrict there head room or keep them dark either but I notice that my neighbour over the road has gone to their house in France so they won't bother him and the people next door to me never complain. Just a question of picking them up and checking them for weight occasionally then, hope they aren't tough.
Title: Re: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: shygirl on July 18, 2013, 08:47:12 am
they wont be tough if you hang them properly.
Title: Re: The boys are starting to crow
Post by: Roxy on July 18, 2013, 10:52:18 am
None of mine crow as early as 10 weeks, thank goodness.  I will be glad when the man collects them, as they are driving me (and the neighbours probably) mad with the noise and squabbling. I have tried all ways to shut them up in the sheds, but they crow standing up, sitting down, and probably upside down too if I held them that way!!  I have blacked out the windows, but no use, once dawn comes they are off with a loud chorus that echos down the valley!!