The Poultry Keeper

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1645 Location: Carmarthenshire

Out of the 11 week old youngsters 6 are cockerels, we are going to despatch them and put them in the freezer (wether I will ever be able to eat them is another matter!) when big enough as no-one wants them and I can't keep them all! We agreed they would go when they started crowing, which I thought would be around 16 weeks, so imagine my surprise when one crowed (rustily Very Happy

) this morning - at 11 weeks!!!!!! I do have a 14 week old Brahma bantam cockerel (he was a she up to 2 weeks ago Shocked

) that started crowing last week and i thought that was early! Is this particularly early or normal?

CP · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:56 am Post subject:

Not unknown Chris, unfortunately they usually have their own agendas & will always do things you least expect! Laughing

They probably won't get into full voice for several weeks so you may be able to get a bit more weight on them before dispatching. Wink

crazypianolady · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 766 Location: Nottinghamshire

Pekinout had one start crowing at just under five weeks old not long back..............at least yours waited until they were in double figures! Laughing

lillie02 · Joined: 18 May 2008 Posts: 52 Location: Wales

I had a sablepoot cokeral that started crowing at 9-10 weeks. It was quite a funny noise and it frightened all my girls they wondered what the noise was. So I gave a pair of them away. I kept another cockeral and he still hasn't crowed he is now 12 weeks.

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Correze

Had some mixed-breed coqs that started crowing whilst in single-figures (weeks, that is) - whereas a purebred CLB coq is showing no interest in crowing at 17 weeks!!