Newbie dives into genetic pool - questions!!

horsecrazy

Songster
11 Years
Sep 26, 2008
137
1
119
central CA
hi everyone,
I am going to raise chickens for FFA this year. I know I am jumping the gun and I'm not ordering from Murray Mcmurray til feburary, but I still have some breeding questions.

So if I have a multibreed coop, how do I know who's egg is who's? And if I keep more than one roo, who's the daddy? How do you keep that straight? and how do I know if the eggs are fertilized (without cracking it open)? Should I just artificially inseminate instead so I can keep it under control? I don't want to breed mutts!

p.s. I have had chickens all my life, but this is my first time breeding/raising them myself.
 
If you keep a mixed pen with more than one rooster then it will be very difficult to tell who is the daddy, especially if both roosters are mating the same hen. You can either incubate an egg to find out if it is fertile or crack it open and examine the bulls eye. Some advice: Do not buy your stock from a commercial hatchery if you can help it. You will be very disappointed in the quality once you start to put them to the Standard of Perfection. I would first choose a breed that I loved by doing as much research as I could and by talking to as many breeders of the chosen breed as I could. I would next make arrangements to purchase adult stock from the breeder to begin working with. You will have a much better time breeding and showing if you start with great stock. A good way to make contacts is to join the club of the breed you choose and attend as many shows as possible. If you are going to keep more than one breed then each breed will need its own coop, so keep that in mind.

Good Luck

Edited for a typo.
 
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I just saw your list on the other post. If you want Buff Orpingtons contact Jody and Charlie (Hinkjc) they also have pure Araucanas. For Cuckoo Marans Try Gina (ginasmarans). For Silkies their are lots of places but I would recommend my friend Julie (bammachicken). For Cochins try Cochins International and brown Leghorns should be easy to locate. Like I said you will need a coop for each group so consider you list carefully.
 
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Go with a bantam breed. They require less room and feed. This should help you hold down the cost. If you do decide to work with more than one breed find two varieties that are compatible.

self blue (lavender) and black
blue and black
khaki and black
quail and blue quail
lemon blue and black breasted red
white and black



etc etc.

I do not know if all of the varieties I have mentioned are a standard color so you may not want them but I believe the genetics would work with the varieties.

Tim
 
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Hi!
Here's an idea for keeping a multi-breed coop. Choose 3 different colored layers --- a brown egger, a white egger and a blue egger.
(Just as an example) I could keep Barred Rock, Ameraucana, and Silver Campine hens in one pen .

If I wanted to hatch Rock chicks, I'd move the Rock roo in the pen and in 3 weeks start setting all the brown eggs to get pure Rock chicks.
Move out the Rock roo and bring in the Campine roo and in 3 more weeks start setting the white eggs for pure Campine chicks.
Same with the Am's.

I don't know if that's exactly what you are asking, but a solution to getting pure chicks from a multi-breed flock of hens.

smile.png

Lisa
 
Wow artificially inseminate chickens. Have you do that before? You have to remember that a little sperm stays a good long time in the hen. To keep from crossing keep them apart or in different pens. You can build one big pen with different runs and dividers in the coop. I think there are several examples on this site with people showing off their coops. Or just stick with one breed.
 

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