How does a bachelor pad "work"?

[Shannon's Chix]

I need help! I have 1 silkie female with 2 showgirl males right now, 4 d'uccles in the brooder (1 boy 3 girls) I will be putting in with them soon. I'm thinking I need a bachelor pad because I don't want to get rid of the showgirls. I want to breed the d'uccles eventually so I'm wondering if I should keep the male d'uccle in with all the girls and put the showgirls in a bachelor pad? Then do I let them free range together (I let them out of the coop/run for a couple hours every evening)?

Any advice would be appreciated on bachelor pad set-ups and pics would be great too! Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't do the bachelor pad thing, but if you let them free range together, you run the risk of mixed chicks. You need to keep the showgirl roosters totally away from the others for at least three weeks before you start collecting the eggs for hatching. Until you are ready to start collecting the eggs, it won't matter if they are together. A hen can stay fertile for about three weeks after mating. (Usually 10 to 14 days but it can be longer).

 

[ella]

A bachelor pad only really works if the boys can't see the girls. If they have access to them even for a little while they will scuffle for the rights to mate with them. Boys are so silly!

 

[Shannon's Chix]

Thanks for the replies! I guess I'm just thinking 3 boys and 4 girls aren't going to work out...even if I get a few more silkie girls (I could only get 3 more in my coop), then 7 girls and 3 boys would still be too much, wouldn't it?

 

[Nyrial]

I have a "bachelor pad" so to speak. As of right now, the guys can see the girls, but that can be changed with a simple sheet of plywood or something if it started to cause trouble.

In the "playboi mansion", I house 5 roos, they seem content, although I'm sure they would be happier with bunnies

So far there have been no issues, however, the boys were all raised together. I don't know if that has something to do with it or not.