The cockerel in the hen house

The cockerel among his ladies

All farmed birds live together whether they’re male or female. This is especially so for chicks which all seem the same when born. They only start to look different when they reach sexual maturity. Cockerels have their own look, with a bright red comb, wattles and shimmering coloured feathers. At the same time, they also start crowing and become aggressive. Once a cockerel finds a perch, he utters his relentless morning call and becomes the chief of the hen house. The cockerel obviously plays a key role if you want hens to have chicks. Having a cockerel around also provides some authority and a sense of protection in the hen house. However, if you find his crowing gets on your nerves, you can do without him. Having hens doesn’t necessarily mean you need cockerels too!

The vet's advice

“Here are a few recommendations to follow if you want to keep a cockerel. First of all, find out about the different breeds. As with lots of animals, the breed determines the character. As a precautionary measure, it is best to adopt a cockerel of the same breed as your hens. But how many hens do you need for a cockerel? According to breeds, you need an average of 6-10 females for 1 male. You need a minimum number of hens otherwise the cockerel chases them and tires them out. To avoid this, make sure your hen house is big enough so that your hens have their own space. If, at this stage, you are still set on getting a cockerel, don’t ignore the following advice. It is strongly recommended not to put several cockerels in the same hen house. It might be puffed-up pride, but there may be fights if you have several cockerels. To keep your gentlemen in good health and your ladies calm and relaxed, just take one cockerel and monitor how it fits in with its fellow residents.”

poulailler dans un enclos

Cockerel feeding habits: a real gentleman

Once adult, cockerels’ appetites diminish to such a point that their behaviour changes somewhat. When they were younger, they stopped the hens from reaching the feeders, but now they turn into gentlemen and ensure that the hens have enough to eat. They also do this for those hens that are dominated by the others. By behaving in this way, the cockerel shows the others that he is the chief of the hen house and protector of the females. Nevertheless, you should make sure that your hen house has enough feeders so that all hens have enough to eat.
What can you actually give cockerels to eat? First of all, just like hens, cockerels also have specific needs during certain periods. For instance, when they moult or in winter when the temperature drops. Cockerels eat what they want during the day. The only thing you need to watch when feeding, is that each bird has enough to eat and grows normally.

The vet's advice

“Compared to hens, cockerels needs are less-demanding. Because they are less active during the day, their dietary needs are smaller. A hen, on the other hand, must have a diet that enables it to lay once a day. Cockerels only expend energy when they chase hens to mate, which does not require any specific care.”