Couple of things

[shadegrow]

First issue is Bert a gold laced Orpington cockerel He was supposed to be Bertha (as in big Bertha) but he ain't. I have got an assurance from the chap I got him off that he will be replaced for a p.o.l. However I don't know if Bert is destined to have a long & happy life or if he will go in the pot. I have advertised him for less than I paid for him just to ensure someone pays more for him than the price of a oven ready. I know this site has genuine chicken lovers on it so if someone can assure me he will have a full life preferably with some Orpington ladies they can have him free.
Second issue is if Bert is replaced I can't throw a single young bird into our existing flock. So I need to build a new small coop to nurse them in ( I will buy an extra one for company). Obviously I dont want to be laying tons out on materials for a lash up job. I can get sawn treated 3x1 planks on E-Bay far cheaper than any timber. Question is; is sawn timber ok for a coop? Is pressure treated timber safe for chooks?

Picture of Bert attached hopefully.

[VirginVegGrower]

I hope Bert gets a good home It might help to know where you are located roughly (don't post address) so that interested peeps near to you respond.

[petal]

You can always treat the wood with some creocote. buying 2 new birds is s good idea as 1 would suffer upon integration. its an idea to put one of the originals in with this pair too before putting all of them together.
Its a shame about the cockerel (very pretty!)but we already have 4 buff orpington and 2 salmon faverolle boys to find homes for,so can't help. Ours either find a breeding home or go in a pot and yes we are chicken lovers but its much better to eat something that has had a good life than buy supermarket rubbish .
you will have to advertise him free to a good home and if you want to be 100% certain will need to visit the home he is going to. There are people out there who use them for cock fights and wierd rituals. My personal choice would be to return him to the breeder and accept a replacement hen. the breeder at least will know how to dispatch and if he/she considers the bird good enough will breed from it. (substandard cockerels should not be bred from)there may be someone out there that can help - if you are on facebook - join cockerel trader - but again I have seen pictures of where people keep their birds that are accepting these free boys and its not pretty.

[RichmondHens]

.............. I have seen pictures of where people keep their birds that are accepting these free boys and its not pretty.

There is someone on another forum that we both use Petal, you know the one I mean, who seems to accept unlimited numbers of unwanted cockerels, I'm sure you've seen the ad and know who I'm talking about. Can't imagine what he does with them. I'm sure a few get rehomed but what about the rest? I hope they are not all squished into tiny little coops fretful and stressed out from being too close to other cockerels.

Meant to say Shadegrow, I too would return your boy to the breeder. As Petal says, this is probably the best place for him, you will get a replacement girl and the boy may not necessarily get eaten.

[petal]

by coincidence, a lovely couple visited me today who mentioned that they had gone to drop off some cochin cockerels with this man beginning with a B and were horrified by his facilities. bloodsoaked sawdust on his patio. they have renamed him the curry rescue.

[RichmondHens]

While I have no objection to unwanted cockerels being eaten (we eat all ours) I do object to people advertising to "rehome" cockerels when they have no intention of doing so, and just prefer to supply the local curry house. It is misleading for all those innocent newbie keepers/hatchers who genuinely believe their darling cockerels are going to a good home. In fact it makes me very angry indeed. People should be upfront about what is going to happen to those birds so the owners can make an informed decision whether to place birds there or not. I take on friends' unwanted cocks from time to time with the total understanding between both parties that they are for my freezer and so we all know where we stand.

[VirginVegGrower]

OMG

[frias]

The only time I had a go at hatching I ended up with 3 beautiful Wellsummer cockerels. I advertised them free to good home but was contacted by a rescue centre who told me to be wary of giving them away as they are often used as bait in cock fighting. This was too horrible to think about so much kinder to cull and be eaten. (Just not by me.)