We're getting a rooster tomorrow. I'm happy with just hens, but husband wants to leave off buying chicks. He wants to grow his own instead. So, is it possible to set up a chicken love shack? We have another EE that will be his mate. What should we do and not do? I researched hens, only hens, and now we have a Craigslist rooster.
Please Do a search on quarantining new animals, the rooster will need to be quarantined away from your flock for at least 4 weeks, otherwise you risk losing your whole flock.
How does husband plan on incubating the fertilized eggs you'll get once the roo leaves quarantine & joins your flock? Will he have an incubator or are you hoping the hens will go broody? Not all hens will brood, and not on command. That's an important part of the equation for anyone hoping to make their own chickens. I'd just put the roo in with all the hens instead of setting aside just one to "be his mate". He'll wear her out with all his attentions, and still be frustrated that he cannot associate with all the other lovely women outside his pen.
Which is why I asked because I never wanted the rooster. We have a mixed flock, and by setting up a few of the same breed, we were hoping to avoid mutt chickens. I'll pass this info on to hubby. I was all for just getting pullets. It's worth buying them not to hear a rooster. At least we'll have 30-45 days to figure out what's next. It's his project now, although he reminds me daily that they're MY chickens.
Welcome to BYC!!! Tell your DH: 1. You will need to quarantine the Roo for at least a month, to make sure that he is not bringing any disease into your flock. 2. The recommend ratio is one Roo to 10-15 hens. Anything less may result in harm to the hens. Cindy
Best thing would be to put him in with *all* (or most) of your hens, once quarantine is over (and realize that quarantine is not a total guarantee that he's not bringing a serious disease into your flock). That way his "attentions" will be spread around and not be overly onerous to one or just a few hens. They can get bare-backed and cut up pretty fast sometimes. This need not result in any mutts -- just only incubate the eggs that are from the hens you want (and with it being EEs, that should be dead easy ) Honestly in your circumstance I don't see any reason to even consider the other alternatives. If you want chicks then it would be smart to make/buy an incubator because you cannot necessarily count on a hen going broody (and staying so). Good luck with your decision, Pat
Quote:If they are your chickens and you don't want a Rooster then don't get one. As you say you have 30-45 days to figure it out. Personally I don't want to hatch eggs. If you want a hen to hatch them then you will probably want a breed that tends to be broody unless you have one already or are planning on incubating them. In your signature line it said you have a dozen assorted hens. One Roo will take care of all of your hens.
Thanks. I'm glad husband is showing interest in the chickens at all, so I don't want to squash his enthusiasm. We'll see how the quarantine period goes. It does give us 4-6 weeks to figure something out. We may move the whole coop operation elsewhere. Again, forgive the novice question, but so long as we remove and refridgerate the eggs daily we won't have any half developed chicks surprises?
Quote:Yup! As long as no eggs get 'lost' I don't think anyone could tell a fertilized (but refrigerated right away) egg from a nonfertile one unless they'd learned exactly what to look for. Pat
