Separating Other Rooster from the Flock to Get the Correct Fertilized Eggs?

[JABenzie]

So I have a mix. I have a French Copper Maran Rooster and a White Crested Black Polish Bantam Rooster. I also have 2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 French Copper Maran, 1 Easter Egger and 3 cross breeds as hens. Before I got the French Copper Marans (I got a FCM Rooster at first because he was incorrectly sexted, so now I am stuck with 2 roosters) and Easter Egger, I bred the White Crested Black Polish Bantam and the Rhode Island Reds......I got 3 chicks, a interesting mix. All were smaller and had mini mohawks which I really liked. They were cute but not like tempting "I'm going to pluck out all those long feathers out of your head" cute. (I will never again have a Polish in a backyard mix. For the first year, the hens found his head feathers too tempting. Now they have fortunately chilled out and leave his head alone, for the most part.) The colors were interesting too. I got black/white (which I expected) but I also got a all white one with very little black which I did not expect. These hens produce a light brown egg. (Polish)White + (Rhode Island Red)Medium Brown = Light Brown. They are my BEST layers too but their eggs are small due to the Bantam part. Which brings me to my question. For how long would I have to remove the Polish Rooster from the coop to ensure I have the French Copper Maran's Rooster's fertilized egg? Would I get a Olive Green egg from that hen? DarkBrown+MostlyBlue/Green=???? I would like as little time as possible because with 2 roosters, they forget they love eachother very quickly. I also wonder if I will get a fertilized egg. He has never had that many women all to himself before. I wonder if he has specific hens that he is only allowed to mate with. I noticed he is kept in check from doing certain things. Ironically, the Maran is huge compared to the Polish but the Polish is the dominate rooster. I always thought bigger would be worse. When they are small and compact, they fly off the ground so much easier and kick like a ninja. Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The males will have to be separated for at least 3, likely 4, weeks. Females can hold male DNA for weeks.

The eggs should be fertile from the favored male, however like with all animals, there is a slight chance that he is infertile.

With egg color, are you asking if the hens bred with him will lay different colors or if his daughters will lay that color?

 

[aart]

The males will have to be separated for at least 3, likely 4, weeks.

Ditto Dat.

 

[JABenzie]

The males will have to be separated for at least 3, likely 4, weeks. Females can hold male DNA for weeks.

The eggs should be fertile from the favored male, however like with all animals, there is a slight chance that he is infertile.

With egg color, are you asking if the hens bred with him will lay different colors or if his daughters will lay that color?

If the daughters will lay that color. Really hoping for a green color.

 

[NatJ]

For how long would I have to remove the Polish Rooster from the coop to ensure I have the French Copper Maran's Rooster's fertilized egg?

That depends on how sure you want to be.

If you are willing to have a few wrong-father chicks, you could separate the Polish for a week and then start collecting eggs for hatching. The Marans will *probably* be the father of most the chicks you get (no guarantees on how many from which father, but if you can tell Polish-cross chicks by their crests you will at least be able to sort them out and know who is who.)

If you want to be pretty sure, then separate for 3 weeks or more before you start collecting eggs to hatch.

I would like as little time as possible because with 2 roosters, they forget they love eachother very quickly. I also wonder if I will get a fertilized egg. He has never had that many women all to himself before. I wonder if he has specific hens that he is only allowed to mate with.

If you have only a few hens that you really want to hatch eggs from, it might be easier to move THEM out of the main pen, and leave both roosters in. After three weeks, start putting the Marans in with those hens for a few hours every day or two. A week after that, start collecting eggs for hatching. Once you have enough eggs, the hens can go back into the main pen.

That should give you eggs with the correct parents, without separating the roosters long enough to cause trouble. If the separate pen is right next to the main pen, the hens can probably be re-added without too much trouble when it's over, because they will have stayed acquainted through the fence.

Ironically, the Maran is huge compared to the Polish but the Polish is the dominate rooster. I always thought bigger would be worse. When they are small and compact, they fly off the ground so much easier and kick like a ninja. Does anyone have experience with this?

It's fairly common. Temperament and behavior of the rooster is a lot more important than how big he is, when they are determining who is dominant.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If the hens lay blue, then breeding with a brown layer male should make green eggs