Can I borrow a roo for a conjugal visit??

[opihiman911]

I have a half dozen RIR/producion red hens that I raise for eggs. I don't have any roo's because I don't like the problems they can bring.

As a learning experience, my DW and kids would like to raise a batch of chicks naturally from hatch. Is it possible to borrow a rooster and let him visit my coop for a couple weeks?

I know several people who raise game cocks for show and fighting (yes I know the horror, I don't condone it, but its popular here in Hawaii) could I borrow one of them for mating with one my girls? Or would the cross of game cock/RIR degrade the egg laying ablility of the offspring? On the other hand we do have alot of wild mixed breed rooster running around, would they be better "father" material. Could I catch one of them and put him with my girls?

On the other side can I've seen that you can buy fertile eggs on eggbid and ebay. Can I get a dozen or so of them and make one of my hen go broody and sit, hatch and raise chicks that aren't her own? Will a RIR raise austrolops, barred rocks, and buff orps? I can't imagine they are prejudice, I just don't know. How do I make a hen go broody? Or would I be better of using an incubator if I go this route?

Thanks for your help.

Aloha,
Cory

 

[Varisha]

Yes if one of your girls goes broody you can remove her unfertil eggs and replace them with others. I have seen it mentioned on here before. But like anything envolving animals if the hen decides part way through to stop you may need to get an incubator.

 

[speckledhen]

I personally would not set up a conjugal visit from any strange birds. You may bring disease to your flock by doing so and maybe get your hen injured in the process. Buying eggs to hatch would be the better way to go, IMO. And, they don't know that the chick that pops out of the egg is not theirs, but you have no way of knowing if one of your hens will ever go broody.

 

[silkiechicken]

Chances are too, if you have production breeds, they wont sit worth scratch. Haven't had a production red ever sit... there are always exceptions though.

 

[mdbucks]

Quote:
You cant make a chicken do anything, if they go broody, its on thier terms.

dont know about shipping times to Hawaii, would eggs still be good after shipping? any chance that someone closer has fertile eggs?

 

[earthnut]

speckledhen has a good point about disease, particularly from wild chickens. Perhaps if you keep the rooster separate, and have one or 2 hens visit him? then keep them quarantined in case they picked up anything. Good luck!