How old before they mate?

[mommawolf]

We have sweet Buff Orpingtons and Light Braham's. One of the buffs is a rooster and all the the rest are hens. So, they hatched last July so a year old now. And will he try to mate with the light Braham's? Thanks all.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Any rooster will try to mate with any hen. Depending on the breed, this usually starts by around 5 months of age.

 

[mommawolf]

Any rooster will try to mate with any hen. Depending on the breed, this usually starts by around 5 months of age.

So should I just leave all the eggs, typically 4 or5 a day in the nesting boxes? If they hatch, will the others attack the chicks? How would I know who the mama is? Or should I take them and put dates on them and put in my incubator?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Your first question asked about mating not incubation.
Are any of your hens broody? If not, you'll have to use your incubator.
Sometimes leaving eggs in the nest MAY encourage broodiness but isn't guaranteed. In GA, leaving the eggs in the nest for a couple days or more without a hen incubating may not be a good idea. They could start to develop if it is over 85 and cease when the temp drops.
If you do have a broody, you'll need to date the eggs so you can remove volunteers. You don't want a protracted hatch. The hen will abandon any that haven't hatched after a couple days of the first hatch.
You should be able to tell which are pure buff orp chicks and which are crosses but there is no way to tell which came from a specific hen unless you catch the hen in the act of laying, put the egg in the incubator and at lockdown put it in a pedigree bag and legband the chick when it hatches.

 

[mommawolf]

Your first question asked about mating not incubation.
Are any of your hens broody? If not, you'll have to use your incubator.
Sometimes leaving eggs in the nest MAY encourage broodiness but isn't guaranteed. In GA, leaving the eggs in the nest for a couple days or more without a hen incubating may not be a good idea. They could start to develop if it is over 85 and cease when the temp drops.
If you do have a broody, you'll need to date the eggs so you can remove volunteers. You don't want a protracted hatch. The hen will abandon any that haven't hatched after a couple days of the first hatch.
You should be able to tell which are pure buff orp chicks and which are crosses but there is no way to tell which came from a specific hen unless you catch the hen in the act of laying, put the egg in the incubator and at lockdown put it in a pedigree bag and legband the chick when it hatches.

Soooo very helpful ! The girls come and go after they lay the eggs so it's hard to tell if they would brood or not so much. So I guess I will snag the eggs and date them before putting in the incubator. Wish me luck .

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good luck.
You'll know a broody if you have one. She'll stay in the nest 23 1/2 hours a day and get cranky if you mess with her. I wait till they are committed for 2 or 3 days before I trust them.

 

[kwhites634]

Good luck.
You'll know a broody if you have one. She'll stay in the nest 23 1/2 hours a day and get cranky if you mess with her. I wait till they are committed for 2 or 3 days before I trust them.

So this is where you're hiding?
Hurry back; you're missed.

 

[mommawolf]

So this is where you're hiding?
Hurry back; you're missed.

Well that answers that then. No motherly instincts, LOL. Thank you for cluing me in.