How to breed just one breed of chicken in a diverse flock

[afre96]

I am wanting to breed barred hollands because they are endangered an have only one rooster in my flock. I am only wanting to breed the BH but I also am getting many other types of brown and white egg layers so I cant tell the difference between the egg colors. I plan on having 20-25 chickens with about 3 BH hens and 1 BH rooster. So I need to know how to only breed the BH
Thank You

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

You could have trap nest boxes and mark the eggs but that seems labor intensive, or keep the breed separate from the others. Mine all run together and I can tell who lays which egg by the color but they will brood all the eggs irregardless of who laid it. But I have just some idea who hatched from which egg...its just a guess really

 

[sourland]

In order to assure fertility (25 hens is a lot for one rooster to handle) and source of eggs I would recommend seperating the barred Hollands while collecting eggs for hatching.

 

[Fred's Hens]

A breeding pen is helpful. It is only used for the breeding season, say of 2 months. Then, life can go back to normal. Then, if you wish, it can become a small tractor for raising a few meat birds.

 

[Nsampsel]

I would have to suggest the breeding pen as well. I have plans to build 3-4 breeding pens for mine once they all start laying. With an extremely diverse flock & only 1-2 birds of most breeds, other than my layer hybrids, I will only be specifically breeding those birds that I have known pairs/trios of. The rest will mix however they happen to mix.

 

[moetrout]

I am in this same situation. Right now I am breeding only my Americanas because I can tell their eggs from all the others. I am working foward breeding FBCMs. For this I will build a breeding pen/coup for a breeding trio.

 

[JulieNKC]

Barred hollands are supposed to lay white eggs but I believe they are usually slightly tinted, so you may be able to tell the difference. I have a small flock and can tell everyone's eggs apart so I don't have that problem, but if you can't I'd pen them. You could pen them for 2-3 weeks before you start collecting eggs, collect the eggs you want, then let them back in with the flock if you don't want them separate all the time.

 

[Nsampsel]

I am in this same situation. Right now I am breeding only my Americanas because I can tell their eggs from all the others. I am working foward breeding FBCMs. For this I will build a breeding pen/coup for a breeding trio.

Unless you only have a roo of the desired breed you are going to get mixes this way. A roo does not necessarily stick with his own breed when doing his chicken dance

In order to get purebred chicks you have to make sure only the roo of that breed is breeding your hens.

 

[afre96]

In order to assure fertility (25 hens is a lot for one rooster to handle) and source of eggs I would recommend seperating the barred Hollands while collecting eggs for hatching.

Could I keep two roosters with 20-25 hens