no rooster, want fertile eggs.

[zgrower]

I have a small flock of RIR's. All hens. At this time I cant have a rooster. (my old lady says if she hears crowing were having chicken for supper) However, at some point I would like to let one or two of my finest hens breed so as to pass on their desirable traits to my next batch of egg makers. I know that I need, or more accuratly my hens need, the services of a rooster to make that possible. My question is this, can I find someone with a RIR rooster, take my hens over and just leave them with the roo for a day or two. I've read that hens can lay fertilized eggs for up to 20 days after copulation. is that true? if so wow. Or when I drop this strange outsider chicken in with this sperm donor will he just attack her? probably depends lots on the rooster and his attitude. any help welcome.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

You never want to just take your chickens and add another to the mix...Disease happens this way..... Adding a roo or taking the hens to someone else would mean you need to quarantine for 30 days before they should be allowed together and then another 30 days when they are separated and brought back into your flock or the other persons flock...just a good sign of flock management...Rooster and hens mating is just like any other farm animal...he can and could be rough....

It's way easier to find a nice RIR rooster...quarantine him for 30 days then place him with the flock, then find a home for him....my thoughts....

 

[WestKnollAmy]

And be aware that when you are hatching those pretty eggs out, odds are you will get more roos than pullets since that is what you want.
Good luck!