how to breed with a mixed flock? seperate coops? free range together?

[tgrlily]

Quote:
Considering that the breeds you have lay either a brown or a blue/green egg, you might want to consider Dorking rather than Cornish. I would still get rid of the EE roo, but you won't have to keep your girls separate to know who's laying. Dorkings lay a white to ivory colored egg, are slightly smaller than Cornish as cocks & hens but very close in size butchering age. Dorkings have white skin, Cornish yellow. Both are considered excellent birds for meat, Dorkings for both meat & eggs. I personally think that Dorkings are prettier.

 

[jgervais]

Thanks for all the info! I guess ill start with raising some chicks from the hatchery to eat - if there's a few nice ones in the bunch Ill keep them to breed the next year.

I just can't find a lot of heritage breed hatcheries near-by and would have to pay for McMurray to deliver every year which gets pricey in the scheme of things. I'm definitely not trying to do this for money, because I know there isn't a lot of profit (if any at all) when raising the slower growing birds, I just like the thought of having a heritage table bird and I know friends and family will purchase any extras.

 

[jgervais]

Quote:
Considering that the breeds you have lay either a brown or a blue/green egg, you might want to consider Dorking rather than Cornish. I would still get rid of the EE roo, but you won't have to keep your girls separate to know who's laying. Dorkings lay a white to ivory colored egg, are slightly smaller than Cornish as cocks & hens but very close in size butchering age. Dorkings have white skin, Cornish yellow. Both are considered excellent birds for meat, Dorkings for both meat & eggs. I personally think that Dorkings are prettier.

this is great information! And makes a lot of sense. I would rather keep everyone together in the coop - I don't have a problem getting rid of the EE if need be - I think my mom needs a rooster, so he will get a good home

I'm not set on the Dark Cornish, Ive just read good things, so Ill look into Dorkings, since that would suite my needs much more. thanks again.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Quote:
Hi, I see you are in Michigan. You could ask on the Michigan chat thread if anyone has what you are looking for. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6718724#p6718724

Also there is the Michigan chickenstock on Saturday, check the link in my siggy for info. I have Delawares from Sandhill lines that are laying. I do have some extra cockerals from kathyinmo if you are interested. She has some nice stock.

 

[jgervais]

ahhh cool - Im still kinda new to BackYard Chickens and didnt realize there was a Michigan thread! Nice!

Whats chickenstock?

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Chickenstock is a meet and greet with other folks from BYC. We have a potluck lunch and sell/swap chickens, etc. It has been an annual event for the past 3 years or so. You will have a great time and I promise no one will roll their eyes when you start talking about chickens.

More info is on the link in my siggy.

 

[jgervais]

Great! thanks! I posted a note on the Michigan board. We'll see what happens

 

[tgrlily]

Quote:
Considering that the breeds you have lay either a brown or a blue/green egg, you might want to consider Dorking rather than Cornish. I would still get rid of the EE roo, but you won't have to keep your girls separate to know who's laying. Dorkings lay a white to ivory colored egg, are slightly smaller than Cornish as cocks & hens but very close in size butchering age. Dorkings have white skin, Cornish yellow. Both are considered excellent birds for meat, Dorkings for both meat & eggs. I personally think that Dorkings are prettier.

this is great information! And makes a lot of sense. I would rather keep everyone together in the coop - I don't have a problem getting rid of the EE if need be - I think my mom needs a rooster, so he will get a good home

I'm not set on the Dark Cornish, Ive just read good things, so Ill look into Dorkings, since that would suite my needs much more. thanks again.

Thank you! I try to help when I can.

I have a friend in Michigan with Dorkings... TOLchick here on BYC.

She's the director for our district of the Dorking Breeders Club.

 

[jgervais]

Im pretty quick on google, and it really does look like the ideal bird. And also a good one to help support a rare breed. I see why you like them so much!
Looks pretty tough to get chicks though! Ill try to get ahold of TOLchick and see if she has any thoughts on who in Michigan has a few they are willing to part with. Thanks again

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
I agree. Just get a cornish rooster and a couple hens and put them in with your flock. When you want cornish eggs you can separate the cornish and hatch out only cornish eggs.

Remember though that you might have to get your rooster young otherwise there might be fighting. There's always a chance that you'll have to separate the cornish entirely if it doesn't work out. You could also just by cornish chicks when you want them, so that you won't have to breed. So this leaves you with three options:
1) try to introduce a cornish rooster and hen into the flock, and separate them when you need cornish eggs(remember that too many roosters with a few hens can hurt your hens)
2) have a different flock with only cornish( you would be able to let them all free range together hopefully, but you would need to separate the cornish flock when you want only cornish eggs)
3) buy and raise cornish chicks every time you want to raise and eat them
Either of these might work, but here are your options. Good luck!

if u free range the rooster well lern to stay way from each other

Not really. Some roos will fight no matter what with other roos. Some will happily work together and live side by side. Some roos will just each take their own flock, which may not be what you want.

In our currently mixed flock - done because the added roos aren't the nicest always to very young chicks - the black JG and the SLW are fine just wandering the outside, having a few random lower ranked hens as theirs, but they are more used to their hens and aren't overly interested. The splash JG LOVES the BR hens, and totally ignores his daughters. The head roo for that flock has his favored hens, about 20 of them, and doesn't care what the other roos do to the other 53 hens so long as they don't go near his 20.

When they are in the coop at night, the 4 boys are all side by side on the roost.

The proper banty Cochin roos like the other one, but will whip on ANY other roo that comes near their hens.

When the roos are in their pens for hatching eggs, the very docile acting big boys are all king of the hill and not aggressive or mean, but no one will dare mess with THEIR hens.

When everyone is free-ranging, if someone messes with another roos favored hen, there will be a roo fight. We have a few feathered butt kicking sessions at the start of the free-range season, and everyone remembers their place. Sad part, it's the banty Cochins who always win.