Breeding Hens with No Rooster

[j3707]

Just speculating here...say someone wanted to have a small heritage/rare breed flock of around 12 hens. Besides supporting the breeder and his flock via the purchase...is there a feasible way to contribute to the improvement/genetic diversity to the breed with a dozen hens and NO ROOSTER?

I know, I know, hens that can lay fertile eggs on their own are a rare breed indeed

Has anyone done this, or tried?

 

[donrae]

You could show your hens and be a presence/educator for the breed. But improving the breed means having babies, and looks like that's not gonna happen at your place.

 

[Kwyjibo]

I'm raising my first batch of chickens. I chose heritage breeds for many reasons, including conservation (javas, buckeyes, & dominiques). I would like to build a small flock of one of these breeds. However, I don't have a rooster. Soooooo, I was thinking about procuring a rooster from a good source. Maybe get a batch of chicks (or eggs) - straight run. Keep a roo and sell the rest. The roo grows up, does his job, & then off to freezer camp he goes. Definitely one of those good news/bad news situations for the roo. At least he'll go on top of his game. Anyway, that's a year or two down the line. My girls are only 33 days old.

 

[danischi24]

You can do AI with your hens.

 

[j3707]

Quote:
There's a thought. Maybe even keep him in an in-garage cage or something most of the time to reduce neighborhood noise issues? I'm not quite out in the country...

 

[Kaceyx73]

Some of you need to spend a little time around healthy flocks with one or more roosters. As chickens go, they are the life of the party. I keep hearing about these idiotic regulations forbidding roosters in so many areas. Wait till you hear the egg song. Most hens can be just as loud if not louder, and with several hens it can last all day.

Don't know if thats the reason you don't have roosters, or have heard too many stories about evil man eating birds... You need to watch for a few days just how much those boys do for a flock. find someone with a well established flock that will let you have a picnic near their chickens. Males in poultry, as with all virtually all species, including humans, are necessary to the social structure ingrained in them. Who else is there to break up fights between hens? lol In case anyone thinks that is a joke, its not. Only game type birds fight regular, roosters anywho. Hens will get into squabbles regularly, and its the rooster that steps in between them.

Ken

 

[j3707]

No, I'd like to have roosters, but it's the noise factor. I had a few banty cockerels up until yesterday. I really liked having them around.

My Leghorn hens can get a pretty good cackle going, but it didn't seem as loud or constant as the bantams.

Just trying to be a good neighbor. If the Leghorns get too full of themselves, they'll be next on the list I suppose.

Rooster noise vs. Hen noise actually sounds like a good thread topic. I'd like to hear other's experiences.

 

[Kaceyx73]

I just acquired a couple of Cochin roos, a buff and a blue. Still a bit young, but full of testosterone. I mention this, cuz if you aren't as worried about the actual breeding, these 2 boys do like to crow, but are so deep and muffled that I can barely hear them under the carport, less than 100ft away. They are standards, so if you just want roos as flock leaders, these are pretty tame, and nowhere near as loud as my RIR or my Copper Blue Marans. Even the little polish, though higher pitched, isnt very loud. I am new to Cochins, so make sure you ask around about them first. Mine might be a couple of duds. lol

 

[j3707]

Interesting --- thanks.

 

[Buckguy20]

If you can't have roosters where you are, you can borrow one or and artificially inseminate the hens.