The Poultry Keeper

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

Here's hoping you clever souls will be able to answer a question.

A friend of mine has 6 bantams (not sure what sort) 2 Black Rock hens and a Plymouth Rock Cockerel. She glanced out of her window this morning to see Colin cockerel merrily 'at it' with one of the banties!!!!!!

Is this allowed??!! Shocked

Is she likely to produce a fertilised egg and if so, what might emerge? Confused

My mind is currently boggling! Speak to the hand

Dixie Chicks · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 311 Location: South West Cumbria

Guess it's not that different to my jack russell not being daunted by a german shepherd bitch - just the other way round if you get my drift! I suppose if the cockeral "hits the spot" there's not reason the eggs wouldn't be fertile. My OEG cockeral keeps trying with one of my larger girls but always falls off before completing the exercise!!!

jaydee67 · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject:

It can happen the other way around too. We gave away a bantam cockeral last year - and he has become a father, the mothers being standard birds.

mojo · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject:

actually some breeders up cross or down cross their birds for all sorts of reasons .if it fits dont complain.........and sometimes the eggs are fertile and produce the most pretty chooks so raise them and good luck..mojo

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

Thanks chaps - I'll report back and wait with baited breath to see what emerges!!!!!! Shocked

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Pictures will obviously be required, nursie, of the chicks that is!

Knobby · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 8:39 am Post subject:

yeah......we want Pics !!!

AngieC · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 71 Location: Dorset

No reason why not, if he gets the logistics right! My previous bantam cockerel was smart & twigged that if he held on halfway down their back, he could stay on the big birds for long enough. And there's a very splendid big "Hamkindo" (½Hamburgh, ¼Pekin, ¼Wyandotte) cockerel crowing his feathery socks off 200 yards down the road to prove that...