Thanks to everyone who gave me advice. I tried several approaches and nothing really seemed to work. The thing that had the most effect was an umberella. This was suggested by a neighbour who read it in a Thelwell book. He said when the cockeral attacks, quickly open and close the umberella at him. ...

I have to say i didn't think much of the article Assuming that people who had cockerels who were agressive kicked them around just to win a fight or to prove a point and that we should just get shot to someones stewpot was just as sad!!! I agree with you Madmum but the rest of the article about not...

Thanks Manda, I read the full article and it does make sense. Our cockerel is very large making him appear more frigtening than perhaps he is. I can feed him form my hands and the next minute he will turn on me. My son has "adopted" him making it difficult to find another home for him. I w...

Hi Madmum, I have been using the broom as a deterrant and the non-kicking method of moving him further away but he is such a big bird I would rather he did not attack in the first place. If we have visitors he could do them some real famage. I thought he'd be quite tame having bee handled by us on a...

Hi Totally Scrambled,

Thanks for that idea. I will give it a go and let you know his reaction.

We have a handsome young cockerel (silver duckwing welsummer) who has been with us since he was an egg. He free ranges in the garden with his ladies. Lately he has started to atttack us which is not going down too well as you might imagine. Is there anything we can do to stop him besides penning him...

Here's a photo of the first chick to hatch. Hopefully more (and better!) photos to follow.

Can we have some pics? it's my job to ask and it is the law of the lane

I hope so! Watch this space!!

You could place a very shallow water tray near them but preferably under supervision - 'til they are stronger. Thanks Steve, yes I've done that. The three little ones are certainly active. I've put some chick crumbs in with "mum" too and they've been eating. I think we may have a fourth c...

She will know if its worth it or not. She will brood the chicks for 24- 48 hours anyway, before taking them for a walk. I would give it a couple of days still. Thanks Steve, I'll leave her for a while longer. I'm just worried that while she is sitting on the rest of the eggs the three that have hat...

I have let my broody Welsummer sit on 13 fertile eggs. Yesterday the first chick hatched and so far we have three little ones. How long will it take for all the eggs that are going to hatch to hatch? This is the first time I have let my girls hatch any eggs so any advice would be welcome. This is so...

I've just been putting mine on the compost but I've been saving the really pretty ones for some unknown reason. Do any fishermen still make their own flies?

Hi all,

As my girls are moulting and there are feathers everywhere I was wondering...

does anyone do anything with feathers that their girls have shed?

I've got one that keeps going broody. Last time she was broody for 5 weeks. I just made sure she was eating and drinking daily and she seemed to be fine. Afterwards she took another two weeks before she came back into lay.

I give my hens any uneaten cat food and they love it. They will eat any flavour but I try not to feed them chicken! The hedgehogs get that. If I leave the back door open the hens are in straight away to eat out of the cat's bowl.