Breeding question? Is this the right forum? planning to breed Dominiques in the spring.

[pia11]

Hello, I purchased a lovely Dominique hen last summer, and adore her. I have a very small flock, and up
until recently* had only hens. I now have a very mild mannered rooster but my Dominique spurns his advances vehemently.
This is absolutely fine with me, because he is a white-crested black polish, and I am not crazy about perpetuating that silliness.
A friend has a Dominique rooster, and has agreed to loan him to me in the spring.
Question:
How do I go about this process with free-range chickens? Do I build a temporary pen/coop for the betrothed couple?
Is this going to be so stressful for the hen that she might not go broody?? (she already seems to want to sit on eggs right now,
and it has been in the single digits here for weeks!)
If I don't sequester the two doms - I have one buff that seems to be the Marilyn Monroe of the chicken world, and roosters seem to
only have eyes for her - she might sway the attention of the Dom rooster so poor Isabelle can't shine.
Am I over thinking all this? Is it simpler when one actually just lets them do their thing?

I guess the other aspect is bringing in a 'foreign' rooster - even though mine is super chill. Seems sketchy - I really don't
want to stress anyone out.
Another aspect is mating - my previous roosters seemed to have selected specific mates (and the hens really don't show preference, except for Isabelle refusing Kevin the crested).
Thoughts? Thanks


(*rooster story in another post)

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Chances are bringing in the rooster will do more harm then good. Integrating birds into a flock can take weeks (and all of the squabbling that goes along with that is extremely unpleasant). Not too mention the possibility of the two different flock swapping various diseases (yes, it is possible even if everyone appears healthy. Carriers carry illnesses, but don't exhibit any symptoms). Besides, if this girl is refusing your own roos advances, she'll probably do the same to this new roo as well.
If this is the way it must be, I think I would go the AI route (artificial insemination). Bring the rooster over to your house, collect his semen well away from your flock (might be better if one of you collects and the other deposits, I dunno).
Why not just get your own Dom roo? Or, if your friend breeds them, get some eggs and give them to your girl to hatch? Just throwing some more ideas out there.
Anyway, the just of what I'm saying is if you can skirt around any diseases, I still think its going to cause alot of stress for all birds involved. This new rooster would have to come to your house and establish himself in the pecking order, then do it all over again when he goes home. Good luck....
Nikki

 

[pia11]

Thanks, Nikki - That all makes a lot of sense. I am not super excited about the AI route, but I hear you about disease intro and social upheaval/stress for everyone. My friend, unfortunately does not breed Doms - just accidentally got one with a chick order. I am not interested in getting another roo - never intended to have one again, but this guy wandered into our lives, and he's super gentle and sweet - so he can stay. My last rooster experience was fairly harrowing - very aggressive buff roosters, we kept the most docile, but he cranked up his testosterone after the others left for a new home... not fun. Anyway - it sounds like the breeding efforts are probably not in the cards, but what do you thing about sequestering the Dom hen with the visiting rooster - granted, we're still taking the disease risk... and socially
it might be super stressful for Isabelle to be isolated from her flock even if only until breeding occurs...

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

That could work I suppose, but if I were going that route I'd quarantine her away from the flock for 30 days just to be sure. I'd still be worried she wouldn't let him mate (since she doesn't let your already established rooster mount her as it is). At least if you went the AI route, you'd now for sure the job was done...

Nikki

 

[pia11]

OK, Nikki - I just read up on AI - which I could not get my mind around, and am still a little grossed out by - but it does seem like the easiest solution to reduce
disease exposure/social upheaval in each flock. So the only reference I found about AI frequency is to do it every three days - but for how long?
Any idea (or post referral) how long to continue, I suppose understanding egg formation would be helpful - so off I go to read some more.
I would imagine she will be laying an egg a day in the spring (she is laying an egg every other day right now, and it's been about 2 - 7 degrees F lately. So, she will be going broody for the first time in the spring (I am assuming she will if I give her the eggs, since she seems like she would like to now - I am assuming she has some kind of
immaculate conception scheme in mind, since she is determined to preserve her virginity). So ...
so many questions. Maybe I should read up on all of this and stop trying to milk these forums for info!
We used an incubator for our ducks last spring, and it was such a nerve wracking process! We were so obsessed.
I can feel it beginning to happen with the hope for wee Dom chicks! But it's so fun!!!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Youtube! There's some videos on there showing how to AI. I don't do it, but quite a few others here talk about doing it with their birds, and they say they do it every 3 days as well.
Info is what this forum is all about, so ask away
Good luck!
Nikki