Rooster question

[tommysgirl]

I have 6 hens. My uncle lives behind us and has chickens too. He has hens but because he has purchased straight run chicks, he also has roosters. He doesn't free range, I do. He has a barred rock rooster with his barred rock hens and a RIR rooster with an assortment of Red comet, RIR and Orpington hens. He also had this other rooster who he let out one day in November to come up the road to socialize with my free ranging girls. This roo, Ray, was so gallant, so protective (chasing off the peacocks, bringing the girls treats and laying them at their feet etc) that we let him stay. If any of the girls go broody I will be thrilled to let them hatch out a clutch by him.

So the problem is this...I had been anticipating starting a very small rare breed breeding program before this roo started to come a calling. Now that he has been established as the rooster of our little flock I can't displace him so when we get our rare breed straight run and we have the pretty much inevitable cockerel that we keep, what do we do to keep everyone happy? I am thinking that we can move Ray and a few hens back down to my uncle's place. The property in total is 4 acres. We are in front and my uncle is in back. Is there a way to free range two small flocks and keep the peace? We have a fenced pasture which is about 20 X 20. We could easily modify it and keep it for one of the boys and let the other free range. But I don't necessarily want Ray to have access to the rare breed hens.

Ray also has his bachelor pad which can easily be outfitted for him and a couple of pullets. My first choice would be to let everyone out to forage during the days and return happily to their respective quarters that night. Am I dreaming? Ray and his girls have had the run of both parcels is it unrealistic to think that they may be able to share with a new flock?? I want to figure out what we should do well in advance so any advice you can give would be great.

Thanks!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Some people alternate free ranging, so one day one flock ranges, and the next day the other flock ranges. Just to keep purity for breeding.

 

[gryeyes]

Ray and your girls would most likely deal amicably with another flock on the properties. However, no free ranging of the rare breed girls unless Ray is locked up at the same time. That is, can't get to any of the rare breed hens.

 

[tommysgirl]

Well that sounds simple enough. Thanks so much for the feedback.

 

[Mrs. K]

The thing of it is, unless you want to hatch out ALL of the rare breed chicken's eggs, you really only have to separate them for about 4 weeks before you want to collect eggs to hatch. So most of the year, it would not be that big of deal.

It really does not matter about cross bred eggs that you eat, they taste the same

.

 

[tommysgirl]

Mrs K I was thinking that too. Plus, even if the odd mixed breed egg is in the clutch, I'd still be able to tell them apart. The rare breeds I am considering areknown for broodiness so I am excited that buying day olds and brooding them myself may become a thing of the past.