How do you think this plan will work out.

[Masonz75]

So I will be starting with chickens soon. I already have a barn with a coop and this is the plan so far. I am going to raise Rhode Island reds and barred rock female chicks until they get to go into the coop. And those are going to be my laying chickens. And then in another area I'm going to have buff orpington rooster and some buff hens. Those will be the chickens that will make chicks. And then as I go I will add buff hens to the laying hen section. Do you guys think there will be any issues. For example do you think the RIR and BRs are going to get along of they grow up together?

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Sounds fine to me, the BRs and the RIRs will get along fine. Are you breeding the Orps separately because you want to keep them pure bred?

 

[Masonz75]

Well I just want a rooster to have around for fun and let him have some hens with him... So I'll sell some of there chicks but I'll also take some and add them to the laying hens section. So yeah.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

To make it easy on yourself you could just mix everyone together. You could benefit from hybrid vigor if you hatch out some BO x RIRs or BO x BRs. Plus your BO offspring will still be pure.

 

[Masonz75]

Thanks I appreciate it!

 

[donrae]

To make it easy on yourself you could just mix everyone together. You could benefit from hybrid vigor if you hatch out some BO x RIRs or BO x BRs. Plus your BO offspring will still be pure.

I agree with this. It makes things so much easier to simply have one coop. It will be pretty easy to tell the pure Orpington chicks from the mixed breeds, especially once they feather out. Plus, your buff Orp roo over your barred Rock hens will give you sex link chicks, so you'll know gender right away. That's a nice bonus if you want to sell some pullets down the line.

 

[Masonz75]

Do you think it will be ok if I have one roo and 14 hens though? And I might add more hens in the future.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

For maximum fertility in eggs and to avoid over breeding I like a 1 roo to 10-12 hen ratio, so your numbers should work pretty well.

 

[Masonz75]

Well I was going to have them seperate because I want more egg layers. I just wanted to have the rooster just because. I was going to give him a couple of hen friends and then they can make more chicks.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Having them all together will not affect egg laying. If you separate them into two groups, you may have overbred Orp hens, unless you keep around 10 with him.