Breeding question: Do you use a 2nd coop for breeding pen?

[chicklets81]

Hello,
So, I have a mixed flock of 18 total hens, and a handful of roo's that I got from hatching out my own chicks. Right now, I have 1 fully mature roo, and 6 juvenile roos (ages ranging from 8 wks-14 weeks) that I will have to get down to 2.

There is basically 2 or 3 of same breed hen for each rooster. If I want to isolate the hens to rooster to get purebred, should I be using a 2nd coop?

I think I heard that you keep the rooster and hen together for a week or two, so this means they sleep in their? And if they are laying eggs while they are "together", then you'd need a nesting box?

Still trying to learn about breeding so I can someday try it!

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Well, first things first, you usually don't want the sons covering the mothers simply because you could emphasize some unwanted traits. Take a look at the combs. Chicks tend to inherit the hen's comb. For instance, if one of your cockerel's comb looks exactly like a hen's, chances are, they're related.
Second, pen switching is tricky. You can't really let them free range at all until after three days, or they will go to the wrong pen. Even after three days, you can only open one pen at a time, just as a precaution. Don't "open up the floodgates" of all the chickens until about a week has gone by.
Third, yes, you can put three hens in with a rooster, but I strongly suggest 'hen saddles,' which will protect the hen's back and feathers. I don't think you need to wait a week. Two days should be more than enough. A hen can hold the sperm for up to a week. However, if you have another male covering her, chances are that the chicks will be fathered by the new roo.

 

[song of joy]

I use separate, smaller coops and runs for my breeding trios. To be absolutely sure of breed purity, I keep the hens away from males of other breeds for 30 days prior to collecting their eggs.

I set up the breeding pen (with bedding, food, water, roost bars, nest box), add a rooster and 2 or 3 hens of the same breed, and begin collecting hatching eggs 30 days after the breeding pen is set up. If the rooster is too hard on the hens in the breeding pen, you can put him on a rotation of 1 day with the hens and 2 days in his own pen, leaving the hens in the breeding pen the whole time.

 

[getaclue]

song of joy is correct. Don't put breeding stock in with the main flock, while you are collecting eggs for hatching. Set up breeding pens, and runs. Yes, you put daddies over daughters, and sons over mothers, but avoid putting siblings, brother/sister, sister/brother over each other.

 

[getaclue]

IF they have been all together, and are of breeding age, set up your breeding pens, select the stock you want to use, and put them in the breeding pens. Don't try hatching any of the eggs for 21 days. Hens can retain sperm up to 21 days, so you won't be sure the resulting chick would be from the desired rooster for 21 days. The hen may not accept the provided rooster at first, so giving it time helps ensure the eggs will be fertile.

 

[Mrs. K]

or, if you don't want or have all those pens, your can just match the rooster. You can't hatch every breed every time, but it will work. It works best if you can recognize the eggs from which hen. Or you can separate her from the flock until she lays each day, and then you are sure. However, just have one rooster that matches a couple of hens, and that year, hatch out those eggs - purebred birds. The other birds in your flock, will have fertilized eggs too, but just eat those eggs. Next year, cull this rooster, pick another rooster of one of the other breeds, and run him with the flock, only hatching those eggs. Or you can build lots of pens.