Cock~a~Doodle~Boo!

[di]

Eight weeks old today & the final "clue" was given to us a couple of days ago!

Even on hatch day his comb seemed large,I tried to convince myself it was maybe the breed & he could still be a lil she.The comb's been growing & reddening daily,so we've sort of known for sometime....but now.....eight week old girls don't tend to crow....do they?!

[ginger ninger]

Has that sealed his fate? Or are you going to try and keep him??

[di]

I really don't know!
There's no way we can really keep him,even if we chanced our luck with getting away with it at the lottie,I think he's going to be an unpredictable chappie!
Not sure that I'd be able to enjoy him much on my dinner plate.

Anyone wanting a cross breed & unpredictable Cock That already crows at eight weeks...let me know!

[MaureenHall]

oooooooopsadaisy How very naughty of him especially when he should have been a she after you "rescued" him

[Suechooks]

All I can say Di is ..........Boo-hoo .......................................sorry!

[organic]

Not sure that I'd be able to enjoy him much on my dinner plate.

I can't think why not. Surely good quality, practically free meat is one of the big bonuses of having the odd confused hen who turns out to be a cock.

Just do the deed and tuck in!

The best plate of chicken I ever had came from a similar situation. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Running around doing chickeny things one day, roast with potatoes, veg and gravy the next. YUM!

[di]

I can't think why not. Surely good quality, practically free meat is one of the big bonuses of having the odd confused hen who turns out to be a cock.

Just do the deed and tuck in!

The best plate of chicken I ever had came from a similar situation. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Running around doing chickeny things one day, roast with potatoes, veg and gravy the next. YUM!

I guess I went wrong becoming his Mummy!!!

[RichmondHens]

Di - If you can hang on to him till he's big and stroppy then you won't have a problem eating him!! Sorry he didn't turn out to be a girlie though.

[organic]

Ah yes, that could do it alright!

I come from a bunch of farmers, spent a bit of time on a farm as a kid and so I've got a pretty pragmatic view of animals, particularly livestock. They should be looked after, cared for, kept safe and sound and never ill-treated... but they are there for a reason. I'm all for the organic free range ethos and hate to think of chickens that don't get to do proper chickeny things, but when I look at a chook I see eggs, breasts, legs and wings with some good eating in them and a carcass that will make a brilliant stock.

I just couldn't do the whole parental thing with them... partly because I'm sure it'd make that view of them a lot harder to hold!

That said - I do understand that some people prefer to be "mummy" and see their chooks as pets that make eggs, preferring to buy their chicken meat in than raise it themselves. Not something I subscribe to but that's fine.
I suppose it just seems a bit of a shame to miss out on some really nice fresh chicken... but then, it's a shame we eat any animals at all when you think about it. It's all a bit brutal. I won't be turning veggie any time soon, but still.

[di]

Oh don't worry Organic,we won't be missing out!We've got three boys ready for becoming diiner...just as soon as Andi can be at the lottie at the same time as the chap who's going to show him how.Also pretty sure there will be plenty more boys next year!
Being human,however,I succombed to the helpless lil fella & got just a little attatched.....never mind eh?

Richmond....you're probably very right!I really don't think he's going to be a particularly friendly chap,so maybe my mind will change!(Andi felt a little pang of attatchment to the NG before it turned on him!...guess which one's first for the plate!

[organic]

Yea, the attachment thing will happen. Been there and done that before. In my case it was the runt of a litter of rabbits. Rescued from outside the hole (after once putting it back down) and was heartbroken when it died a couple of weeks later... I'd still shoot and eat the things though!

Good luck whatever you go for.

[Bramble-Poultry]

Poor Boo after all that effort - well hopefully he will be fine, try him at the lottie and see if he becomes calm and quiet! If not you may have to rehome him - Cambridge is as far as we come your way!

[di]

Not sure there's much chance of him turning calm & quiet?Crowing at eight weeks & already attacking Andi when he changes their water!...he's yet to be nasty to me....but I am his Mummy afterall!!!(hang on...nobody told Daisy & Ash d'em rules!!!)
We'll see...sad as it will make me feel,if we can't rehome him there's a lady at the lottie who's said she'll buy any of our boys for meat,I would prefer that to just "wasting" his life!

Good to see you back BP!x

[frias]

OMG 8 weeks and crowing. How big is he? Mine are 12 weeks old and I'm hoping will keep quiet a while longer yet. I'm attached, tried not to but it's not easy when they live in your back garden and are so beautiful. So far they haven't attemped to attack us only fight amongst themselves. They are terrified of the laydeez, especially their mother who has really turned against them and doesn't let them near the food. She was a brilliant mum until they were 8 weeks old. I now have umpteen food containers to make sure they can get some. I've got adverts at the vets and the where I buy the food from in hope of rehoming. Even if they end up being culled we couldn't eat them. Did try to persuade myself I could but now feel sick at the thought.

[Eco-Chic]

Have any of you considered swopping cockerels that you can't bear to cull and eat yourselves with neighbours who have the same problem?