Managing my Roos

[Mommakity]

It’s a long story... but I have several pure bred Long Island reds...black silkies, black laced Cochins, and production reds! Each group of girls has a Roo to go with! I want to try to keep all my girls together, but I don’t want to raise many chicks! I do want to breed the Cochins and Silkies, but what do I do with my Roos until I want to have fertilized eggs? Can the Roos stay together?
Or can I leave them with the girls, then separate the Cochins? They are soooo beautiful!
I don’t think I mind eating fertilized eggs.... not sure about that!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You'll never know the eggs are fertilized iif you gather them daily and refrigerate them, although even that, I'm told, is not necessary unless you wash them. And you should be able to keep the boys in a bachelor pad with no problems. Good luck!

 

[renk777]

We have had roos in the past...some in with the flock and others in a bachelor group and never had issues. As for the fertilized eggs, they don't grow unless temperature is constant and continuous so you'll never know the difference if you collect each day...unless you look for the bullseye that alerts you to the egg being fertilized. We don't refrigerate our eggs...nor do we wash them. They only go in the fridge if we have extras and need somewhere to put the oldest. Or, if we're aging some to hard boil as the freshest eggs are buggers to peel. I'd just keep a bachelor pen or some/all roos in with flock and when you're ready to breed, move desired roo in with intended hens in a separate pen a month before you're ready to collect. I would think that would give roo plenty of time to woo the girls and fertilize all of them