I’ve got a few questions...

[HuffleClaw]

Hello all!
As most of you know, I’m a HUGE chicken enthusiast!! I love and care for each and every single one of my birds to the best of my ability (which is really good). I hope to become a chicken breeder and I wanted to get YOUR opinions on a few things...
I’m trying to start as early as possible!

Which breed should I focus on (I like all of them but I want a MAIN focus)
~GLWyandottes
~Black Australorps
~EEs
~ Silkies

What is a good way to start off with breeding?

If I choose a breed (like silkies for example) do I need to pick a color variation or do all the colors I have?

Thank you!!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I vote for EE!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Thank you for voting! I’ve currently only got barred EEs (blue barred and regular barred) but I hope to add more colors later on!!

I vote for EE!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I would think about what breeds you think you can sell. You may love GLW but if no one around want to buy them...

Also do you plan to incubator hatch or broody? Silkies are supposed to be great broody mommas so if you don’t breed them maybe keep more for hatching and raising.

A plan for roosters? For me unwanted boys is a major downside to breeding. (I’m a big softie and can’t cull.)

For color variations you can keep as many as you’d like but if you’d like to breed specific colors you can have breeding pens. If you have black Silkies and white Silkies when you want to hatch Black silkie eggs separate a rooster and a few females for a little while.

I’m not a breeder (the culling issue) but I know you have to keep them separated for a little while. A hen can fertilize several eggs from one breeding. So to be sure you are getting the rooster genes you want with a hen I think most people separate for breeding, don’t incubate eggs layed for a few days or a week, then collect eggs for incubating.

 

[HuffleClaw]

I would think about what breeds you think you can sell. You may love GLW but if no one around want to buy them...

Also do you plan to incubator hatch or broody? Silkies are supposed to be great broody mommas so if you don’t breed them maybe keep more for hatching and raising.

A plan for roosters? For me unwanted boys is a major downside to breeding. (I’m a big softie and can’t cull.)

For color variations you can keep as many as you’d like but if you’d like to breed specific colors you can have breeding pens. If you have black Silkies and white Silkies when you want to hatch Black silkie eggs separate a rooster and a few females for a little while.

I’m not a breeder (the culling issue) but I know you have to keep them separated for a little while. A hen can fertilize several eggs from one breeding. So to be sure you are getting the rooster genes you want with a hen I think most people separate for breeding, don’t incubate eggs layed for a few days or a week, then collect eggs for incubating.

Wow! Thank you so much. I do have a plan for extra roosters (my aunt’s neighbor)

Silkies are REALLY popular around here so I may want to start off with those and see what happens. I will let them brood & I will incubate if need be. Also, thanks for the tips on the breeding thing!!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Ooh I forgot about @BlackHackle he usually is good with these type things!

 

[BlackHackle]

~Black Australorps

Probably the best breed to focus on would be the Australorp. The lacing in Wyandottes is hard to maintain. EE's aren't a true breed, just a crossbred that lays blue eggs. Silkies don't lay very often. But Australorps are productive, heavy, and are easy to maintenance

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I would personally go with Black or BBS Australorps (Black, Blue, Splash). The Blue and Splash aren't as common but people still love them!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Hmm everyone has suck great opinions!! I wonder if focusing on silkies and australorps would be too bad?

 

[HuffleClaw]

So I have decided to go with *drum roll please* WHITE silkies and black Australorps!

Why?
~Silkies- beautiful and are very popular where I live. They go broody and make good mothers. They’re sweet and docile and are just an all around great bantam breed. Although they may not lay well, I think I can manage.

~Black Australorps- beautiful large birds that free range fairly well. They seem to be able to thrive in my area. Very hardy and docile. Lay very good So breeding shouldn’t be too difficult.

I may (or may not) start breeding them until next year as I want my pullets to be hens and cockerels t be roosters.