Should I seperate the rooster and hens?

Date sort Score sort
bbecca

bbecca

Songster
6 Years
May 24, 2016
105
13
121
Oregon
I have 5 week old chickens. One buff Orpington had turned into a rooster. He has not seemed over aggressive yet, I know it's still early. I really like him and don't want to get rid of him if I don't have to. But my main concern is I don't want fertile eggs when they start laying. Can I seperate him by himself? I was thinking of just letting him free range by himself ... or just put him along with one other BO hen into a different coup? Or is that too much for one hen to handle? Any other suggestions other than killing it would be greatly appreciated.
 
There's no reason to separate him unless you want to feed him separately.
What is the problem with fertile eggs? You would never know they were fertile unless you incubate them for 3 weeks.
Keeping the eggs in the 90s F for a couple days will start them to develop but if you don't keep them hot, nothing will happen.
How many pullets do you have?
 
I have 6 pullets plus the Roo. I know people say it's ok to eat the fertile eggs and no difference but I personally am grossed out by the idea and can't get past it. Sorry!
1f601.png
 
@chickens really I am a first time chicken owner and I'm just trying to figure out my options and was looking for an answer to the questions I posted instead of being called crazy.
 
You can separate him and give him a bachelor pad if you really want to keep him, but they are flock animals and he will be lonely. No I would not coop him with only 1 hen, he may over mate her causing stress, lots of visible feather damage and possibly injuries. If you really don't want fertile eggs, your best option is really to find him a new home. But as it was pointed out there is no difference in the eggs and it would take at least a few days of a hen sitting on eggs before there would be noticeable growth in a fertile egg. I mean really other then seeing then mate you wouldn't even know a fertile from an unfertile. But either way I don't have and can't have a rooster. And if and when i cam have a rooster i will not get a rooster unless I know I will be willing and able to butcher extra chickens, incase we have or let a hen hatch eggs. Because to many roosters are not good for the flock.
 
@sawilliams thank you very much. i didn't realize this about the fertile eggs, until you and @ChickenCanoe mentioned it. Makes me rethink things, maybe I'll keep him as long as he doesn't get mean.
 
if you have a safe area then i would free range him i had a game that was like a yard ornament HAPPY. by the way i am so worried that a friend recieving a dozen eggs from me will get a developing egg... GROSS! I actually have cracked two in a year but i too dont want that .you are not crazy imho .and you are a good chicken momma to care about the !Goodluck and godspeed.
 
Last edited:
If you pick then up same day it won't be an issue. But if you leave for a weekend or have a girl trying to hide a nest anywhere other then the nesting boxes. You can look up candling eggs to know how to check. Otherwise if they are older then a day are 2 and your worried either of you have a broody give them to her to hatch or simple throw them out. I think eggs have to stay over 90 degrees for a few days before they start to develop. So as long as the girls aren't sitting on then the eggs shouldn't start to develop. I think an egg can set for almost a week with out a hen sitting on it and still produce a chick the day as an egg laid the same day the hen decided to sit. It's a safety for the flock so the mom doesn't abandoned near hatch chicks due to too much variety in hatch days. So even an egg that has been in the coop a few days as long as no one is trying to sit on eggs shouldn't show any development
 

Similar threads

mottocytie
Will my hen miss the rooster?
Replies
2
Views
628
Wyorp Rock
Wyorp Rock
M
Rooster not aggressive to me but sometimes mean to hens
Replies
7
Views
1K
16 and me
16 and me
SeashellRanch
    • Like
Can you "train" 2 silkie roosters to get along?
2
Replies
13
Views
985
Yardmom
Yardmom
Muser
Early signs of agression in Roos/Cockerels
Replies
7
Views
1K
Happy Chooks
Happy Chooks
LuciferRoo
Is my rooster worthless?
2
Replies
16
Views
1K
Huntmaster
Huntmaster

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom