[hughesy]

Circumstances have made me think about the value of a cockerel tonight. Roger, our Rhode Island Red is now no more than a pile of discarded feathers on the grass having been taken by a predator. On the face of it a cockerel is pretty worthless if you wanted to sell one. How many do you see advertised free to a good home? However poor Roger was a working bird. He produced incredibly fertile eggs from his group of hens which we found a ready market for. Without him the hens become pretty worthless, unfertilised eggs being worth only a fraction of  the price of good quality eggs for hatching. It puts the value of a good cockerel into perspective for sure.
Luckily we have a couple of potential replacements waiting in the wings so less of a disaster than it might have been.

[Mammyshaz]

  it certainly seems to be the time of year for the poultry pinchers.

So sorry your boy has gone. He sounds worth his weight in fertility. Hope his offspring can do you as proud.

[Rosadollymixture]

Hi, it's such a shame about Roger the cockerel.  The foxes are getting far too bold.  We have one that patrols at all times of the day.  We usually let out dogs out for a good walk around when we see it in the hope that their scent will deter it, however, at the moment one of them is in season, so I wonder if this is likely to attract a dog fox. 

Good luck to Roger's offspring.

[hughesy]

Thanks for the sympathy. Not entirely convinced it was a fox. Maybe a local dog. Couldn't find any tracks the rain has washed away any evidence now. All our chickens are used to dogs so wouldn't be spooked by one until it was too late.

[Fowlman]

I wouldnt discount a buzzard either.

[hughesy]

That's quite possible Fowlman. We had a chicken taken by one a while ago and there is quite a good population of them in the area. I think it was a four legged predator this time though as the remains were found under a fairly large tree close to a gap in the hedge that we use to pass from one field to the next. A classic ambush spot really. I watch buzzards fairly often and they nearly always take their prey out in the open areas where the victim is too far from cover to do anything about it. Can't rule anything out though.

[chrismahon]

Our cocks are our most valuable chickens. They protect the hens and consequently have a short life expectancy. 6 months ago we had 4 Blue Laced Wyandottes. We sold one because the breeder's own had gone infertile, one had a heart attack, one was taken by a fox and the last one has damaged his leg and has been inside for two weeks already -suspect 4 weeks before he will go back out. Cash value is low, as they don't lay eggs, but they are obviously essential for breeding. Finding good ones is very difficult -hens are easy. Young cockerels are easy to get but the plumage is dubious until after the first moult, as is the character.