Separating chickens to get purebred eggs?

[Schroeder]

So is it okay to separate them with the rooster and hens together during the 4 week waiting period or should you wait to add the roo after the 4 weeks?

 

[jaybirds3]

Thanks for all the replies, and for the welcome!

I guess I'd better get around to separating them now! I plan to put each pair in a separate cage, and we will just continue to remove and eat the eggs for another four weeks.

~Jean

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Luke13:34 :

I'm gonna agree, too, just so I'll look smart and cool!

 

[columbiacritter]

Quote:
I'd put your breeding trio together for the 4 wks so they get comfortable together and you can be sure your roo is doing his job and your eggs will be fertile after the 4 wk wait. You should always have at least a trio onstead of just a pair to help prevent your hen from getting injured by over mating.

 

[jaybirds3]

Unfortunately, I only have a pair of each--pyncheons, buttercups and buckeyes. I am looking for more hens, but no luck so far! These all seem to be quite rare here in eastern IL!

~Jean

 

[f8thnjc]

I was reading online that 10 days is the usual time frame. Can someone post a link to a reputable site which says longer. We were planning on doing some breeding of our own, and I want to do it right. Thanks

 

[Arielle]

I'm sorry I don't know how to easily find old posts. THere was such a discussion here on BYC but the interesting thing was that when changing roos, the new roos semen seemed to kill the old roos semen, so in just a few days the new roo would be the daddy. THis is much shorter thatn the 3-4 weeks wait. Maybe you can do a search using the bar above to the right. GL

 

[homesteadapps]

Quote:
If you have ever cleaned a hen that was still laying there can easily be at least 7 visible eggs, at various stages and sizes, in the cavity. Ten days is not enough, the minimum time, recommended by breeders we've encountered, is 21 days.


Nice photo here, but it doesn't show the pea size and smaller eggs forming.

http://factoidz.com/how-chicken-eggs-are-formed/


Eggs can be fertile for months.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/FAQ.html#Q33

 

[goldminer1976]

Thanks for posting this question.