How long to get "purebred" chicks?

[aggieterpkatie]

This spring I'd like to hatch some chicks, but all of my chickens are together. If I want to make sure my barred rock hen gets fertilized by ONLY the BR roo, how long do I need to keep them isolated from the others until she's only going to lay eggs w/ BR sperm?

Does that make sense?

 

[speckledhen]

She will be fertile for at least two weeks or more possibly by another rooster, so to be absolutely sure, I'd wait three or four weeks.

 

[EweSheep]

4 to 6 weeks

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses. That long? I'd have to put them in a large dog crate. I dont' think they'll be happy cooped up for that long.

Maybe I should just order chicks.

 

[happyhensny]

I currently have all my birds together - with our 2 silkie roo's. Funny them trying their thing on the big girls, they usually just walk away.

In the spring we will separate about a month prior to beeding. Have fun!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Quote:
How do you separate yours?

 

[speckledhen]

Had the experience of seeing just how long most eggs are fertile after my main flock rooster died over a year ago. The eggs were fertile for about two and a half weeks, but none over three.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Quote:
Ok, thanks! I think they could live with 3 weeks of exile.

 

[evonne]

if they will have to go into a dog crate while you wait for the 3 weeks, what did you plan to do to keep them separated after that???

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Quote:

Geesh, good point. I have several different breeds I'd like to breed (BR, Americanas, frizzle cochin X, OEG). I could build a run attached to the coop and separate all the hens I want to breed. Then I could just use the dog crate as a mating pen. Put each pair in there for a day or two. As long as the roo breeds the hen once, she should be good for two weeks, right? Then I could put all the girls back into the run and just let them lay. That way each pair would only be in the crate for a day or two.

Do you think that would work?