Gonda
Songster
- Nov 14, 2009
- 191
- 18
- 174
How do things work in the poultry world with interbreeding? I have a rooster (actually, it turns out I have 3 roosters) and 11 hens. I've had two hens on eggs, and now have 4 chicks (don't know who the father is - thought we had that sorted out, but in the last month, we've discovered we have 3, not one, rooster). The 2nd batch of eggs are due to hatch next week. What happens when the chicks are older, and their father is in the picture? Is that OK for a generation or so? At what point is that not OK to have dads and offspring together?
My aunt wants to start with chickens, when she can get my uncle to agree. She would like one of my roosters. I've told her she shouldn't mix adult chickens from different sources, as they can get diseases from each other, if there is a latent disease in one or the other flock. If she takes one of my roosters, should she have some of my hens as well? She only wants 3 or 4 hens. (Yes, the hens might be a little tired of all the attention from the rooster... ) Should she take some of my hens, or can I give her some of my chicks down the road, when they're old enough to be alone with a rooster? And is it a problem that the rooster might be their dad? I don't think the one rooster (black jersey) is the dad, as he has only started showing rooster like behaviour in the last weeks and it was only a month ago that I noticed the plumage on the tail, which made me realize he was not a she. So he may not have bred the first batch of chicks. Possibly the 2nd batch that is coming up might have some of his offspring.
My aunt wants to start with chickens, when she can get my uncle to agree. She would like one of my roosters. I've told her she shouldn't mix adult chickens from different sources, as they can get diseases from each other, if there is a latent disease in one or the other flock. If she takes one of my roosters, should she have some of my hens as well? She only wants 3 or 4 hens. (Yes, the hens might be a little tired of all the attention from the rooster... ) Should she take some of my hens, or can I give her some of my chicks down the road, when they're old enough to be alone with a rooster? And is it a problem that the rooster might be their dad? I don't think the one rooster (black jersey) is the dad, as he has only started showing rooster like behaviour in the last weeks and it was only a month ago that I noticed the plumage on the tail, which made me realize he was not a she. So he may not have bred the first batch of chicks. Possibly the 2nd batch that is coming up might have some of his offspring.
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