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Farming Friends Forum » Hens

1. benshort
   Member

   Hi,

   I'm hoping to keep some chickens in the near future and have a few questions.

   I want to keep a Pekin cockerel and 3 hens as pets and for eggs. I also want to keep a Light Sussex cockerel and 2 hens for eggs and to produce offspring for meat.

   Can the two breeds be kept together or will they fight?

   If kept together would the two breeds interbreed?

   If I used an incubator to incubate the Light Sussex eggs could the resulting young be put back in with the parents once they are big enough to live outside or would they need their own run and house?

   Ben

   Posted 2 years ago #

2. m40mo
   Administrator

   hello Ben have to say the only thing I know is 2 cockerels will fight terrible maybe to the death but other members can answer the other questions for you

   mo x

   Posted 2 years ago #

3. Mama
   Member

   Hi Ben, If you want true breeds then you can't mix them as they will all get up to naughtys .Two cockerels as Mo says are not a good idea ,they will indeed fight and can cause serious harm to one another and the hens . I adore light sussex and do think they are a superb all round breed for meat and eggs and also excellent broodys. Yes you could put resulting off spring back with the flock after a while of letting them see each other in a seperated pen . Pecking order would then have to start again but should settle down quickly. Sorry for the long reply . Mama

   Goose Girl

   Posted 2 years ago #

4. benshort
   Member

   Thanks for the replies.

   Will the 'dad' light sussex cockerel attack his sons or try to mate with his daughters?

   Posted 2 years ago #

5. Mama
   Member

   Both Ben , when the time comes . I had about 100 Light sussex at one point and did have to keep them apart as did not want interbreeding . You could get a non related cockerel and swap them around with the new young females, which is what I did . If not You would be ok with the first mix but not good on the second as it could bring out deformities and other such things .Mama .

   Goose Girl

   Posted 2 years ago #

6. Henhet
   Member

   Hi Ben,we have similar pens at home. We have the pekins with a cockerel, who are lovely pets and have great natures. They are always going broody, so if you want any eggs hatching they are good mums. The cockerel thinks he is bigger than he is and will try and take on the big cockerels through the mesh of the pen, so don't let them anywhere near each other because, as has been said, they will fight till the death.
   The Sussex are then in another pen (we let the pens out alternately to roam the garden), and then if you are breeding meat birds I would suggest another house and run for the growing stock up to meat weight, then you know those are to eat and don't get too attached to them. Your original Sussex breeding pen can then be pets too as they have lovely natures, we are especially attached to our cockerel, Derek(!), who really cares for his girls and is really friendly.
   Also whatever your plans take the fox into consideration. They are hungry at the moment and are taking risks out in the open in the day. Make sure you don't give them an easy meal, good luck, they are great fun!

   Posted 2 years ago #

7. benshort
   Member

   Ok so I'm up to three pens now :D

   Henhet, what age do you keep your meat birds until? Is it best to kill them just before adolescence?

   I've also read that crossing a long legged indian game cockerel with the sussex hens will produce meat birds that can fatten up in 4 months. Has anyone tried this?

   Posted 2 years ago #

8. pinkpoultry
   Member

   I saw that on River Cottage! The Indian Game rooster was awsome! If/when I get some land I would love one of those, he was so huge, his legs were amazing! But River Cottage produce some beautiful meat birds, they are very very large! Mmm

   Posted 1 year ago #

9. Henhet
   Member

   With the pure Sussex usually about 5 to 6 months old. We have recently bought some hybrid day old chicks that are like the commercial stock. They are ready in 12 weeks and have the most amazingly thick legs. They are certainly putting weight on quickly and we have got them in with some other chicks, who are the same age and about a third of the weight. They enjoy charging round the garden and leaping up in the air, but have to lay down quite often to rest as they are heavy. This could be an option for you, then you could stick to your two pens and would be cost effective as they are less then a pound each.

   Posted 1 year ago #

10. benshort
    Member

    Thanks Henhet that's definitely something for me to consider.

    Maybe to keep costs down on start up and get the sussex trio in after the first batch of hybrids.

    Posted 1 year ago #

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