Rotating Roosters? Is this needed?

[Bullitt]

I was curious about something. If a chicken flock produces offspring, then the rooster will be mating with its own offspring in a short time.

I was thinking this could be avoided by replacing the rooster a couple months after a hatch. This would prevent inbreeding.

Any thoughts about this? Do I even need to worry about this?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Inbreeding a flock of chicken takes generations after generations after more generations.
Replace the roo every 2 years and in breeding won't even begin close to happen (depending on how many eggs your hatching, of course!) New genes (ie different flock) I'd say every 5 years.
Are you breeding for show quality or breeding for sustainability ? If for show quality, you'll be keeping records on everything and so inbreeding will be avoided easily. If for sustainability then I'd get a new roo every couple years. Change up the breed, too. Makes it fun.

 

[Bullitt]

Thank you for the information. I'm not breeding for show.

Yes, I think just rotating the rooster every two years makes sense. Rotating out some older hens each year and replacing them with pullets would also keep the flock more healthy and productive I think.

Does anyone just exchange roosters with a friend?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Yes, we do. Just remember, that repetitive switching will end up with inbreeding as well.
Of course switching out the hens will help, but not needed as often

 

[DallasCriftins]

It is a bit of a quandary

You sort of hope that if you go 200 miles up the road you will get new blood but for all you know his eggs came from the same person yours did and with ebay sales that increasingly possible .............
I am sure it must happen! so it is probably just as easy to select locally based on what appeals

I keep Soay sheep as lawn mowers
There are not many in the world and they all originated from a small island in north west Scotland where the flock was isolated for thousands of years
so years and years of mass inbreeding yet no obvious ill effects
I had 3 super lambs this spring

I also have just hatched several lavender Araucanas allegedly from the Wernlas strain but just how directly related to that strain they are I really will never know

 

[Bullitt]

Thanks for sharing the pictures of your chickens and sheep.

Inbreeding is probably not something I really need to worry about. It is just something that crossed my mind when I thought about a rooster breeding with his own offspring.