Breeding?

[Blessedwithhens]

I’m interested in breeding my hens, they are 3 yo this month and I would love to keep their family going. I don’t have a roo so I would need to borrow one- is that a thing? Do 3 yo hens go broody after never having chicks b4? Is it “bad” for their health at all to start breeding them now? Do I need to have the borrowed rooster quarantined for a couple of weeks to prevent spread of any of his possible diseases? So many questions- all info helps!!!

 

[MysteryChicken]

I’m interested in breeding my hens, they are 3 yo this month and I would love to keep their family going. I don’t have a roo so I would need to borrow one- is that a thing? Do 3 yo hens go broody after never having chicks b4? Is it “bad” for their health at all to start breeding them now? Do I need to have the borrowed rooster quarantined for a couple of weeks to prevent spread of any of his possible diseases? So many questions- all info helps!!!

Quarantining any new bird is necessary.

 

[janiedoe]

I'm not sure it is a thing but I would hesitate to do that. I know I wouldn't let my rooster covort with someone else's hens. It would just be stressful quarenteening him upon reentry and then reintroducing him to my flock. You'd probably have better luck just buying a rooster of your own.
If your girls have lived without a rooster their whole lives they may not be thrilled to meet one now. And no, they won't go broody just because they breed or because you want them to, you'd need an incubator.

 

[Mrs. K]

If they have not gone broody by now, I would not expect them too. I think you would do much better to raise chicks up in there with them.

Mrs K

 

[Blessedwithhens]

What do you do with them during quarantine? Keep an eye on them for disease?

 

[Smileybans]

There’s an article on here about quarantine. It’s called “the essential quarantine.” I would link it but can’t in the app. But you can search for it on the forum.

I quarantined my Craigslist girls for almost five months. But that’s because of the big snow storm we got in November. The recommended minimum time is 30 days. When they’re in quarantine you check them over daily for any diseases or bugs. Stress can bring out health problems in birds and a move to a new area is stress enough for anything to show up. I saw problems in my hens within the first two weeks. It wasn’t anything major and was easily fixed so we kept them.

 

[abpatchy]

Besides quarantine you also have to give them time to adjust to the rooster and accept him. They might argue with him about who is boss. They might not want to mate with him at first. Or just the opposite. The pecking order might be interrupted once he joins them. Same when he leaves.
As already mentioned.. if they have not gone broody before, they will not go broody just because there is a rooster.

 

[aart]

What do you do with them during quarantine? Keep an eye on them for disease?

BYC Medical Quarantine Article
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