question about hatcheries

[odphi18]

hello, I was wondering when you order from a hatchery, like mcmurray or ideal, what are the chances that the chicks you get are brother and sister. I was just wondering because i have one rooster and 4 hens and want to start hatching their eggs but dont want to breed brother sister. Just a thought that popped into my head.

Thanks for your time and knowledge. Mike

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Breeding brother to sister in chickens is not as disastrous as in other species. In fact, it is usually used in order to better a line of birds.

As for the chances of your birds being related...it's a possibility but it really depends on the number of breeder birds the breeder has, which eggs are laid by which hens, which eggs the breeder of the birds sells to the hatchery to be incubated and hatched...which breeders are under contract...

Unless you get a DNA test, you will never know.

 

[goldielocks]

The hatchery where i got most of my chickens have 4 different farms where they keep their chickens, so the chances of them being bro and siste rare slim i would say.

 

[odphi18]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful....