mating, managing small flock

[lauraj2]

I'm new at this posting ???'s, hope I am doing it right!! My ? is this... I have 9 chickens, my original 5 hens that are a year and a half old. I had a big mean rooster but he had to go, but before he did my freind and I incubated some eggs. We are sure that 3 of the chicks are his babies, we bought some as well. I got 4 chicks to add to my flock, as they grew I could tell that 2 were bantam hens and 2 were from my eggs, 1 hen and 1 rooster. So now I have 8 hens and 1 rooster who is very nice so far and looks just like his papa. I am trying to get 3 more hens so I will have enuff hens for him. I am curious if this is okay... can he mate with the banties? Will he hurt them? Can he mate with his mother and his half sister? Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Crazy4cochins]

I am semi new to chickens but I have had mine almost 2years, well it will be 2 in March.
Started with 26
Now I have around 40 ish because I bought some and a hen hatched some and I gave some eggs to a teacher who incubated some sooo I ended up with some roos that mate their sisters and they mate the moms(I know it's pretty groos to me to)
But what i have read on here says it's not that bad as long as the new ones aren't de formed and if I were you I would intorduce new blood lines in everyonce in a while( I mean as like in fertile eggs from someones else.
I have my standards that do mate the bantam s and they are just fine. I had to get more hens because I had wayyy too many roo's before.
Hope I helped.

 

[lauraj2]

Yes, that helped. Thanks. I have had other replies that have helped as well. Just gonna keep an eye on things and hopefully I can get 3 more pullets to add to my flock, that will be 11 hens for him. Right now he is focusing on just 2 of my older hens, the other 3 are moulting and he seems to not be interested in them and plus they are cranky with him, they still look at him as one of the babies I guess! Thanks!