Hi everyone, we have been keeping 3 hens and a cockeral in our back garden for a few months. Our cockeral is doing the usual crowing and hasn't seemed to be a problem with the neighbours until now. One of our hens who often have "free-range" in the garden decided to hop over the fence and try next door's grass! I've just had our neighbour round, and she's not at all happy. We caught the hen and returned her to her pen, but I'm very worried that this could just be the start and that anything "chicken related" may now annoy her. I will be keeping the hens in their run now, and not letting them wander around the garden. The run is abaout 8feet by 3, so not huge for 4 chickens. I think its cruel keeping them in when they've been used to foraging freely - but what can I do?? Therefore, I feel that finding a new home for our lovely cockeral would be a good idea. He's a Light Sussex - although clearly not a thoroughbred, his neck feathers are brown edged rather than black. To most people he's probably only good for the pot, but having brought him up from a tiny yellow chick that appeared on our front garden back in July - I just cant do it myself. So, a long shot I know, could any of you lovely chicken people find him a home? We live in Royston in Hertfordshire, and I can bring him to you (within reason!)
Keeping everything crossed
Alison.

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You could try putting an advert in local paper for the cockerel. I have 4 hens that are roaming in my back garden till the grass starts to grow and one of my hens flew over our wall into my neighbours garden, to stop her doing it again i cut the primary feathers to one wing, she hasn't done it again

Thank you, I will clip their feathers before they are let out again. I suspect now she's tried it once she will do it again!

I have considered an advert, but have heard horror stories of gypsies getting hold of pet cockerels and using them to train their fighting birds. Not a good end for a tame and friendly pet. (He's perched on the back of a chair in my house at the moment (with newspaper strategically placed.....)

Aww good on you for trying to find him a home :-)

Someone I knew kept chickens, they actually had them from eggs! Once the male started crowing... she killed it.

I hope someone can take him on, good luck.

Thanks for that I'm doing my best, although I'm sure there will be many who think I'm nuts. I'm not naive and I know that Cockerels are usually killed unless kept for breeding. Shame no one has managed to breed a silent cockerel yet - as I'm sure more would be kept as pets. Fancy plumage and a character to match!!

Just a quick post to say Tikka now has a new home. He is living with a lovely lady in Sussex on her smallholding and has lots of new girlfriends for company. I took him to her at the weekend - a 180 mile round trip - but it was worth it!

Aww that's fantastic!

Hello The Barnetts, I was just wondering how you found a new home for your cockerel? How did you find out about or get in contact with the lady in Sussex?
We live in Sussex and have a cockerel which we rescued. However, the neighbours are not happy and he is attacking people so he needs a new home.
We want him to go to a good home and would hate the thought of him being put down- we couldn't do it!

dont gets your hopes up on finding him a home when he as attcked people not fair to pass him on to some one else where he may cause more damage

he sounds like he is ready for the pot some times it has to be done

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