Bantam EE breeding project (asking for a friend)

[Weeg]

Okay, sounds good.

I'll be attempting to go the AI route in next years breedings. My Malays are a bit hefty to breed a regular large hen.

I'm interested to try it. I think it will be really fascinating. A fun experiment.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Another factor to consider. The EE hens have been in a run with a young Jubilee Orpington rooster. Not really sure how old, but old enough to mate laying hens. She hasn't seen him mate, but of course that doesn't me he hasn't been.
Assuming the the EE's have been mated by him, will his genes affect the hatch? I'm guessing I'll have some eggs that were fertilized by him, and some eggs fertilized by the bantams. Should we separate her and wait until the hens are no longer carrying his semen? I believe I've read its 30 days, is that correct?

The hens for the project will have to be separated for about 3 weeks before being bred to the right cock.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Another factor to consider. The EE hens have been in a run with a young Jubilee Orpington rooster. Not really sure how old, but old enough to mate laying hens. She hasn't seen him mate, but of course that doesn't me he hasn't been.
Assuming the the EE's have been mated by him, will his genes affect the hatch? I'm guessing I'll have some eggs that were fertilized by him, and some eggs fertilized by the bantams. Should we separate her and wait until the hens are no longer carrying his semen? I believe I've read its 30 days, is that correct?

Yes. Eggs laid a day apart can easily have different dads. You'll be getting mixes and project chicks if you let him continue

 

[MysteryChicken]

I'm interested to try it. I think it will be really fascinating. A fun experiment.

Same here.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I might have to too. One of my males I think is a broiler and he might be too heavy for some of my NNs (4-5 lbs vs 10+lbs)

 

[Weeg]

The hens for the project will have to be separated for about 3 weeks before being bred to the right cock.

Got it, I assumed this was going to be necessary. I'm heading down their on Monday, so I'll see if we can get a pen setup to separate them.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Got it, I assumed this was going to be necessary. I'm heading down their on Monday, so I'll see if we can get a pen setup to separate them.

A small prefab coop works well for a breeding pen if they have one.

If you don't that's fine too.

What type of pens do they have?

 

[Weeg]

A small prefab coop works well for a breeding pen if they have one.

If you don't that's fine too.

What type of pens do they have?

I don't believe she has a prefab, I can see how those can work really well though.
She has two "coop pens" That are predator proof. They're smaller pens with coops inside for the birds to use. She locks them in these pens at night. One she has all of her extra roosters in which works well since they're siblings, and the other the hens are in with the Jubilee Orp rooster.
Then she has a large run that is divided in half by posts and chicken wire to separate the roosters and hens. The breeding pen will likely have to be in the predator proof area, so I'll see if we can find a spot to fence off for her. I can get some pictures on Monday.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I don't believe she has a prefab, I can see how those can work really well though.
She has two "coop pens" That are predator proof. They're smaller pens with coops inside for the birds to use. She locks them in these pens at night. One she has all of her extra roosters in which works well since they're siblings, and the other the hens are in with the Jubilee Orp rooster.
Then she has a large run that is divided in half by posts and chicken wire to separate the roosters and hens. The breeding pen will likely have to be in the predator proof area, so I'll see if we can find a spot to fence off for her. I can get some pictures on Monday.

Those should work too.

 

[ChickenLeg]

I just came across this thread. She definitely wants to use a bantam rooster for the cross not bantam hens. Bantam hens over full sized rooster will give you zero bantam offspring. A bantam rooster over a full sized hen will give you relatively small/bantam hens and regular sized males.

You then cross the bantam rooster to his daughters and youll have a bantam line from then on

If you use a regular rooster with bantam hens itll take way longer and be a headache