[goosepimple]

Its such a pity for boys and they are always so beautiful which makes it worse, seems such a waste.  Our old hens, coming up for 7 years are still laying almost every day except when the weather was bad.  They have all been ill (sometimes very ill) over the years but we have kept them and they are laying brilliantly this spring.  Couldn't despatch them just because they are laying less or feeling a bit off.  Don't be so tempted to keep reproducing you lot out there!!  Be nice to the old girls!!

[in the hills]

Oh, you lot are making me feel much better    Good to know its not just me that doesnt do the deed as they get on a bit.

[Fleecewife]

Our girls will live out their life here as gratitude for all the lovely eggs they have given us 
Cockerels are not permitted on the allotments, I will need to dispatch any hatched unless somebody is willing to take them ( unlikely outcome) which is why I cannot hatch eggs until I can do this confidently   
Thinking maybe sex linked chicks will be the best option until then 

Sex linked breeds do seem a good idea, otherwise by the time you can tell who's who they are just about at the nuisance stage - a small window for culling them.   It's also an excuse to have a pet snake, so the wrong coloured chicks aren't wasted 

[Mammyshaz]

   I've brought many different animals home for one reason or another. Most going back to owners eventually but a SNAKE  it would definitely be the final straw for OH. I'd end up living in the henhouse 

[Mel Rice]

You could always keep a ferret/pole cat or two they like chicks!!!

[Fowlman]

Most cockerels dont start crowing until 6 months old-ish, most are big enough for the table around 20 weeks old.

[kegs]

Most cockerels dont start crowing until 6 months old-ish, most are big enough for the table around 20 weeks old.

I don't think that's accurate?  I've had cockerels crowing at 10 weeks and 15 weeks .... loudly.... during the day.  They were however very tasty! 

[Bramblecot]

Our old girls stay here free-ranging until nature takes it's course.  After all the eggs they produce, they deserve their days in the sun

[Fleecewife]

Most cockerels dont start crowing until 6 months old-ish, most are big enough for the table around 20 weeks old.

Ours are Scots Greys and definitely start crowing lo-o-ong before they are big enough to eat 

[Fowlman]

I did say most    i have had a few early crowers myself.

[in the hills]

I think that the age at which they start crowing depends upon the breed. Some seem to mature much faster than others. Our peekins were crowing at 6-7 weels! Friesians at around 12 weeks and RIRs not until 5-6 months old. Larger breeds take longer to grow and mature? 

[Fowlman]

That is a good point In the hills, bantams or lighter breeds will crow earlier. My Taiwans and malays take ages before crowing.

[chrismahon]

I would have kept one Fleecewife. Cockerels have a habbit of dying when you don't want them to. We lost one to a sudden heart attack, one to a fox and are now down to the one who was the 'spare'. He had his own girls but now has a lot more -lucky boy! So we need to breed some more quickly (Blue Laced Wyandotte LF).

[Fleecewife]

We did keep one Chris - the original cock.  He is many years old so probably no longer fertile and eventually he will fall off his perch, but we have had enough of breeding for a while.  If we decide to start again we would need to get a new cockerel anyway.
It might not be the complete clear-out we are hoping as I suspect there are a couple of hens which have crept off into the undergrowth to sit on clutches fertilised while the cockerels were still around, so some of those might hatch.