Adding New Breed Pairs

[CK Chickadilly]

Just thinking ahead to spring.....

I have:

3 bantie hens & 1 rooster
9 Silkie pullets & 5 cockerals
1 unknown full sized pullet & her brother (which I think I need to sell or give away)

I would like to add a pair of Milli Fleurs & a pair of Brahmas in the spring.

Now, how do I safely do that to keep my pairs together?

My Banties are very tolerable of all, even though they let everyone know that they are the "bosses". I don't really worry about the Silkies. Hazel the unknow breed pullet can be bossy but she is no threat.

I would plan on keeping the pairs in cages for a while to make sure they are healthy. Make sure they know they are a pair (I hope)...Brahmas in 1 cage, MIlli Fleurs in another cage. Then let them out after a while. Fingers crossed.

All my breeds seem to go about their merry way in their own groups. Is this going to work? Or how do I make it work?
Thanks!

 

[MissPrissy]

First of all please read the biosecurity threads for bringing in new birds.

If you plan to keep them as breeding pairs they will need their own pens separate from all the other breeding pairs. Every pair in their own pen.

Roosters and hens don't mate up in pairs and leave other hens alone. A rooster will mate any hen he can get to. You will have eggs that could be fertile from any of your roosters the hen is exposed to.

 

[lauralou]

I totally agree with Miss Prissy. If you want to breed for purebred eggs, you'll need to keep your breeds in separate pens.

Also, I must say - Whoowee! You have a lot of roosters! Unless you have a couple of awesome pairs already picked out, you might want to add a few more hens of the new breeds you want to add. One hen to one roo- Ouch my missing back feathers!

You could even just add "extra" hens to the pen, as long as you could definitely tell the eggs apart, say for example easter eggers whose eggs were green would never be mistaken for a brown egged breed's purebred eggs.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Yes, I plan on having the pairs in seperate pens but then in the day time, after they are let out, I was hoping they could free range, but that may be a bad idea? I notice that all my bird groups do their own thing but they are all out free ranging. The Banties keep everyone under control

I do plan on cutting back on the little roos. I just need a bit more time to see who needs to go. I know of one for sure right no but the other 4 are all nice so far (Silkies) Henry the big guy needs to go too.

Thanks for the info!

 

[MissPrissy]

If you turn them out together to free range you can be sure you will have no pure eggs. The rooster from another pair will mate another hen. They are not monogomous. Chickens don't mate in pairs. They spread their genes any way they can.

The only way to free range them is to let them out at different times of the day on a rotation.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Are you planning on hatching, or just want pairs of everything??

If not plannning to hatch get your chickens and let them free range together, but if you decide to Hatch and want pure eggs, then you will have to seperate in pairs/trios, or at least remove the roos of the unwanted breeds, You could leave the hens free with just the rooster of whichever type you want to have pure, then just hatch eggs from that breed of hen.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

I do want pure, no crosses.
I could make all separate runs for them I guess...a lot of work but it can be done.
Guess I'll have lock up the Silkies so the bantie does't get them.
When do pullets/hens start breeding? How old I mean.
Thanks for all the great info! That is why I love this forum. Best thing that I have ever found!

 

[debilorrah]

Thanks, Miss Prissy for that link to the article. Very informative, and I feel better knowing we did things the right way.

 

[MissPrissy]

Cockerals will try to mate the pullets long before they are ready for eggs laying. Keep in mind any pullet that has been bred by one of the other roosters will need 3 - 4 weeks before you can be sure the eggs won't be fertile by the wrong cockeral. In the long run it is best to keep the separated from the start and not have any conflicting breeding going on.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Thanks for that link. I agree with the quaratine. I have done that with my new ones coming in. I reallt appreciate this forum. It is so awesome! You guys are GREAT!

I know now what to do about the new breeds coming in. New coops & runs! Yippee!