Breeding Chickens and Ducks Question

Diamond Peno

Songster
Mar 27, 2015
147
123
156
Sinnamahoning PA
So far I have been letting my 3 roosters cover my hens an taking so many and hatching the incubator. Same with the ducks. SOME I let them hatch out as well which either way same rate.
SO I know the are breeding an fertile BUT I want to know how to select breed them. I know I take the male place with what female BUT for how long like a day or a week? and then collect the eggs every day till I get a batch?
Also My Silki bantam chicks and other bantams are about 2 to 4 months old I know some are roos but don not think they are old enough to mate as in be fertile as some are crowing. I have one Adult hen silki bantam I have always wanted to breed with my Easter Egger as he is larger BUT not super larger as the other 2 rosters that are mature. (they would go as pets/egg layers) at least till my Male silki reaches sexual maturity for sure. (some bantams have tried to mount the hens but not well)
SO do I place the males with the females for a few days/a week and collect the eggs in both chickens and ducks so I get a batch/few or just a day or 2? as I have heard a few different things on how to selective breed them and I wanted to know for sure.
 
Some basic info to help you plan.

It takes an egg about 25 hours to go through the hen's internal egg making factory. That egg can only be fertilized during the first few minutes of that journey. That means if a successful mating takes place on a Friday, Friday's egg is not fertile. Saturday's egg might be fertile, depending in timing, but do not count on it. Sunday's egg should be fertile.

This is after a successful mating. A rooster does not mate with every hen in the flock every day, but he does not have to. The last part or the mating act is that after the rooster hops off the hen stand up, fluffs her feathers,, and shakes. This shake gets the sperm into a special container bear where the egg starts its journey.

The sperm can stay viable in that container for quite a while. We usually count on about two weeks after a mating but it can be much longer than that,, sometimes more than three weeks. So if you want to be sure the new rooster is the father, you need to wait at least three weeks after the hen was last exposed to the wrong rooster. Even then it is unlikely but possible the wrong rooster could be the father. To be absolutely sure, wait four weeks.
 
I had one adult silkie hen and I did not keep her by any roosters, I did not have any bantam roos but I have a smallish Easter egger roo and I would put him and the hen together then watch and make sure they connected 2 or 3 times and then I would take her out and wait for her to lay, she would lay and then I put her back in and did it again. I did this until I had 5 eggs and then I set them in a incubator and got this-
31932468_963908343785283_2312777568920535040_n.jpg
 
With just one silkie hen it will be hard to collect a lot of eggs because they usually only lay 3 or 4 eggs a week.

I know I can collect them like my big ones and keep them at 60 degrees ( i think that i what it was) an then put them all together as I have before. ( would have to relook that up as in temp to keep them all at before I put them in the incubator) I just had 11 hatch out one passed pipping in one day 2 of them being ducks and 4 more hatching as I type. So i know I can collect an put all together. SO if it takes a while to get a clutch I am ok with that.
 
Some basic info to help you plan.

It takes an egg about 25 hours to go through the hen's internal egg making factory. That egg can only be fertilized during the first few minutes of that journey. That means if a successful mating takes place on a Friday, Friday's egg is not fertile. Saturday's egg might be fertile, depending in timing, but do not count on it. Sunday's egg should be fertile.

This is after a successful mating. A rooster does not mate with every hen in the flock every day, but he does not have to. The last part or the mating act is that after the rooster hops off the hen stand up, fluffs her feathers,, and shakes. This shake gets the sperm into a special container bear where the egg starts its journey.

The sperm can stay viable in that container for quite a while. We usually count on about two weeks after a mating but it can be much longer than that,, sometimes more than three weeks. So if you want to be sure the new rooster is the father, you need to wait at least three weeks after the hen was last exposed to the wrong rooster. Even then it is unlikely but possible the wrong rooster could be the father. To be absolutely sure, wait four weeks.

I know it can take a while for sperm to get out of a hen that is why I am asking. I have only seen the Egger and Silki breed though as he ushually dont let other roos around her and she wont let other roos around her that are large. (not sure about the bantams there all babies yet about 4/5 months old) even though the one is same size as her nothing from them yet to her as in mounting. the sea brights have tried with each other lol. BUT not the silkis yet. Also all the other roos are to lazy to jump in the bantam coop with her and if they try to The Egger usually goes after them IF the hen don't give them what for 1st lol. Thanks for all that extra info. I think I am safe if I place them together sometime soon but wait at least a week to take her eggs after they mate since them are the only 2 I see doing it. I also have a camera I can rewind and watch to to make sure no others have tagged her before I collect. If they have then I will place her in her own cage wait to breed then wait the given time you suggested (just sit her out side on the ground in a cage that a roo cant get to her. Till its time to put her with my egger. Although the one egg I did collect from her after seeing them mate hatched today. I collected 3 the other 2 died early on this one made it.
 
An egg can be fertilised from up to two weeks after the cockeral has mated with the hen, so to make sure that the chicks will be from the right cockeral you need to keep the pairings together for atleast that long, I would also recommend another two weeks to make sure that theses eggs have the best chance of being fertile. I keep my parings for a month and then collect a batch at the end of the last week for the best chance of fertility from the right cockeral. Help this helps.
 
I had one adult silkie hen and I did not keep her by any roosters, I did not have any bantam roos but I have a smallish Easter egger roo and I would put him and the hen together then watch and make sure they connected 2 or 3 times and then I would take her out and wait for her to lay, she would lay and then I put her back in and did it again. I did this until I had 5 eggs and then I set them in a incubator and got this-
31932468_963908343785283_2312777568920535040_n.jpg

OMG they are to cute.
I did collect 3 eggs from her when I seen him and her mate as that is his girl. he usually wont let other roos around as in the 2 other larger ones. I have one other larger one but not old enought nor are my silki roos even though they are same size as her now lol. BUT she wont let the big ones around her either to much they try but she gives them what for. I usually have to cage her bc my EE wont STOP mounting her lol. BUT the 3 eggs I did collect JUST to see 2 died early one in developing but one made it and hatched today. from wing sexing looks to be hen... usually I am 98% right. they say you can't do it on silki or bantam breeds BUT I have and with them am usually 90% right but there are times when to old I can't tell.
(ducks I have to vent sex) But wait till they are a week or 2 old) I have tried with wings and size and so far have been at least 70 some % right with just that as it seems the female ducks wings are shorter length and smaller then a males and they talk a lot more and tend to be smaller BUT that is NOT always the case. but for me ducks are easier to vent sex then a chicken. lol. BUT this is what I got toay from them. I did not relize it was my silki egg at 1st as hubby brought it up and it was screaming it got stuck so I had to help it... after she dried I was like UM this is really small and so was the egg.... wait she has harry feet and 5 toes on one foot????? UM I have one ONE kinda furry legged chicken that can breed and that is my silki hen.... and they have 5 toes. (I have brantam bantams I think that are called that... but they are just babies lol) SO I looked at the egg and it said Poof Egg as we call her Poof lol. also put a picture in of mom an dad (his name is Coca Cola) we call him Cola.
 

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ALSO would like to know the right place to get vaccinations for any chickens and or ducks and what vaccinations should I give them? I want to keep some but will be selling/adopting out some as well an want them to all have what ever they need before they leave me.
IF I get chicks from my mom/pop feed store they already have shots and all or if I order them I check the get vacs box for them... BUT not sure what all I WOULD need to do that and how to properly do that to a baby chick or duckling. I have given shots to things as small as mice just need to know what and how for them. Please and thanks. can never be to careful.
 

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