When To Breed?

Date sort Score sort
Well, yes. If she is laying eggs, and you have a male, they are likely fertilized and can be incubated. Pullet eggs tend to be small though, so many like to wait until pullets begin to lay larger eggs. It gives the chicks more room to grow.
 
Are you asking if a pullet will go broody in spring? Depends on each bird. Some breeds are just broody a lot like Silkie or Cochin. Spring is the likely time for hens to start that behavior but then you never know if one will go broody or not. A pullet becomes a hen after one year of life.

If there is a fertile cockerel or cock bird and the pullet is laying eggs then every egg she lays can be incubated and hatch chicks. It's not recommended to hatch the first small eggs as it will provide small chicks. It's said they can catch up in growth but why use inferior stock? Wait for the eggs to get to full size then incubate all you want. It usually only takes a month of laying for eggs to stable out at good size.
 
What I said was many people feel they can catch up in growth. That using "pullet" eggs has no detriment. I'm not of that camp and think full potential of bird is diminished though it's still going to have the genetics to pass on that bird wont have full potential. Using small pullet eggs wont make for a flock of small chickens. If you like smaller birds get that breed. Leghorn are smaller. Jaerhon is a great small bird larger than bantam. Icelandic another but I like Jaerhon.
 
Thank you! I'm sorry for all the questions.
I am going to wait until their eggs are bigger!
thumbsup.gif
jumpy.gif
 
Seriously though, look into Jaerhons. Very cool bird. Very hardy, males get to 5 lbs hens under 4 lbs and lay a medium egg. That's a HUGE egg for size of bird. Amazing foragers and light on pocket even in winter feeding. The Flame color which is mostly what I've seen in US can be purchased from Sand Hill Preservation. They are not standardized yet meaning still a land race with sports of variation in color. Auto sexing by color at hatch. Just a neat bird that's not bantam and not even the size of Leghorn.
 

Similar threads

T
    • Like
Persistent curly toe or something else?
Replies
2
Views
727
Teesh12
T
Chimichangas
Missing back toe on baby chick
Replies
4
Views
132
Chicken_tiger_catt
Chicken_tiger_catt
S
    • Wow
Chicks of different ages in brooder?
Replies
2
Views
674
SusiesPeeps
S
H
    • Love
Week old olive egger chick tiny and not gaining weight?
2
Replies
15
Views
1K
BDutch
BDutch
TheChickenChaser
Vacation and chicks
Replies
9
Views
411
TheChickenChaser
TheChickenChaser

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom