questions about breeding ( long post sorry)

[ninny]

i think this post should go here but anyway. we are going to get into breeding and right now are trying to figure out the right number of birds to get. we dont have any yet as we are just moving back out to the country after living in town for a year(will never do it again). i use to breed silkies in high school and am really looking forward to getting back into breeding more breeds and having a smaller hatchery. selling most at farmer swaps and to ffa and 4-hers and over the internet. so any advice is always needed.

anyway heres my questions:

1. is 4 hens and 1 roo of each breed enough, i will have both bantams and standards.

2. how much room for them they may only get to go outside a little bit each day or every other day. we only have three acres so space is at a premium as we have other critters too.

3. would it be possible to just have two giant pens one for the hens and one for the roos and use breeding pens? then put roos back and keep hens out till they lay so everything can be recorded. this would be so much easier plus they could be outside a lot more.

4. use ex. silkies to brood eggs or get a incubator. if so what kind.

5. get older birds from someone or chicks that i can rear and make sure r up to date on all shots?

6. how old will the birds be when i need to get new breeding stock? does it depend on breed? can roos go till they die?

Thanks! i know ill come up with more questions later. Im hopefully in the next few years going to go back to school and get a farm management degree. so that will help on the business end. if it would be easier put the number your answering in front of your answer. plus you don't have to answer all of them.

 

[Buckguy20]

Quote:
You didn't say how many breeds you were going to have but in my expereince I would have more than four hens. I have bred one on one and one to as many as 12. I would say with the breeds you are most interested in to use more hens. It comes down to how many and when they lay the eggs. I had trios of Silver Campines and Andalusians this year and it was hard having eggs available when I had a broody hen or space in the incubator. As a result I ended up with much fewer of these breeds.
I had more buff Orpingtons, Gold Campines and Welsummers and was able to raise many more chicks.

As for question three, it depends. I have a set up similiar to what you are planning except I have only one large house and run and several breeding pens. My breeding pens are 8x10 and fully enclosed. I do have a bachelor pen (8 x10) for the roos set up away from everything else.
Depending on the breeds, the roosters do not always get along even in bachelor groups and I have to put them in solitary confinement or find a pen to where I can put them with a few hens.
I have raised several breeds at a time (as many as 12) and I have found that it can become a nightmare. Its hard enough with just three or four.
My plans for the future will no more than three breeding programs a season. (Two might be better)
Monty

 

[ninny]

sorry guess i should have mentioned that. mostly silkies and polish for right now. the silkies should be fine in a bachelors pen the polish im not sure about. then mottled houdan, sultan, crevecoeur but those will have to wait till i get my degree and can stay home and just run the hatchery. their is a few others i like but will only get into if i can hire someone to help out. i have a large barn that can be divided into pens plus another barn to raise the chicks in. if i can get away with only two pens and maybe some smaller ones i can make outside runs.