Ok...new to this. I hatched my first chicks two weeks ago. They are blue and splash marans I received from a BYC member through the auction. Hatched 7 babies...cute and healthy...don't know if boys are girls yet. Then...I have 9 wheaten/blue Ameraucana in my bator now due to hatch around 4/7... So here is my question...I am thinking about keeping 6-9 hens and one rooster for two types of breeds. If I have a rooster in these that I have hatched should I keep that one for our rooster...or should I purchase some fertile eggs from a different line and keep a rooster from a different line. TIA, Ellen
It just depends on what traits you are wanting to breed for. If your rooster from this hatch has the qualities that you want it is okay to breed closely related chickens. Of course, after one or two generations I would get a new rooster to put in some new genetics. Here is a good post on this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5250170
