Stud service for my ladies

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I am very interested in hatching out some of my "own" chicks this spring, but I don't, and can't have a rooster.

I have a friend in the burbs with several roos who is willing to work with me on this.

What would be the best approach. Should I take my girls out there, and put them in a pen with the desired roo for a couple of days, or would artificial insemination be the better option? I know moving a hen can stop her laying for a couple of weeks. What if it's just a day trip, and then she's back home to what she knows? Will she still be disrupted?

Lastly, how long after mating/insemination will it be until eggs are fertile, and for how long will she lay fertile eggs?

I really wish I had a roo!

Thanks
Bailey

 

[catwalk]

EVERYONE is going to preach to you about biosecurity and keeping new birds separate for disease purposes. My opinion, for what it's worth: if you trust that this person keeps a healthy flock, and you have closely inspected the birds and their environment, go ahead and bring your favorite roo over for a visit! Hauling the girls around will stress them out a bit, and the roosters might be too aggressive on their own turf. Put them in an unfamiliar environment, and they will be on better behavior. I'd recommend putting him in a cage within the girls' pen for a day so the can introduce themselves. You only need to keep them together until you see them mate, and the eggs should be fertile in the next egg or so. Most people say that the eggs remain fertile for up to three weeks after the encounter.

Whatever you decide to do, please post about your experience. I'm curious to see how things go!

 

[Joz]

If you otherwise comply with all city ordinances, I would bring the rooster in to service your ladies.

Talk to your neighbors first and tell them that the rooster would only be on your property for a week or two. Keep the coop dark, or keep the rooster in a darker area so he won't be inspired to go off too early in the morning. At the first hint of complaint, offer to remove him. Since you're just borrowing him anyway, it wouldn't be a shock or an un-planned-for circumstance to have to move him immediately.

Or, do your best to sneak the roo in for a couple weeks, and if anyone complains or animal control comes knocking, take him back home.

"Gee, I sure thought that was a hen, but it just started crowing! I'll take care of it right away!"

You have the luxury of being able to fix this problem instantly, if it becomes a problem. However, if you're unclear on the ordinances, or if there's something about your setup that is questionable, don't do anything to attract attention. Don't forget that coops are often bound by zoning ordinances regarding size, height, proximity to property lines and other structures, and runoff/drainage.



Disclaimer: This advice comes to you from someone who doesn't yet have chickens.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I would try to bring him to your ladies, Moving one sounds easier to me than moving many....

I would have to say be sure you have checked him out throughly first.
Sorry but with all the biosecurity issues, problems I have read about I would want to watch him closely for bit before exposing to my flock or maybe have him vet checked?

How many are you looking to hatch? if you only want to hatch a few, you could seperate them from your flock, into a seperate area, then bring him in to contact with just those hens?
that way you might not be risking your whole flock?

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Thanks for the good advice.

All chickens are illegal in Philadelphia, so I really have to not tip off too many people about my chickens. The immediate neighbors have to know, but rooster crowing could be a problem.

Thanks for the biosecurity advice too. Thankfully I completely trust the roo's owner, and most of my birds have come from her. She takes any of my problem girls, and treats me with chicks on occasion.

Maybe I need to get over having my "own" chicks and just get some nice eggs from someone else. I'm not breeding for any certain traits, and I'm really just looking to make some more olive eggers, since she has dark Marans roos.

Until then, I'll keep dreaming of spring, and make my plan of attack!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
That would by *far* be the most practical thing, especially if you are needing to be stealthy.

Good luck and have fun whatever you decide,

Pat

 

[EweSheep]

If you really need chicks, AI would be the way to go. UTube has some to view how to AI birds.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Quote:
I had considered this as well. Perhaps transporting the roosters to my house for an afternoon, and doing the job for him is the best way to go.

Anyone know how long rooster semen will live outside the rooster? Could it travel for an hour or so?

 

[cottagegarden]

Bailey-you know you are among friends when..Could you see this discussion at dinner at a non-chicken person's house? Too funny!
I think its always good to experiment-but you know you are always welcome to mine if "adoption" is ok .
I am sure someone has tried long distance AI so we can figure it out. I hope this isnt too graphic.

Merck says:Collecting semen from a chicken or turkey is done by stimulating the copulatory organ to protrude by massaging the abdomen and the back over the testes. This is followed quickly by pushing the tail forward with one hand and, at the same time, using the thumb and forefinger of the same hand to “milk” semen from the ducts of this organ. Semen flow response is quicker and easier to stimulate in chickens than in turkeys. The semen may be collected with an aspirator or in a small tube or any cup-like container.
Chicken and turkey semen begin to lose fertilizing ability when stored >1 hr. Liquid cold (4°C) storage of turkey and chicken semen can be used to transport semen and maintain spermatozoal viability for ~6-12 hr. When using liquid cold storage for >1 hr, turkey semen must be diluted with a semen extender at least 1:1 and then agitated slowly (150 rpm) to facilitate oxygenation; chicken semen should be diluted and then cooled—agitation is not necessary. Several commercial semen extenders are available and are routinely used, particularly for turkeys. Extenders enable more precise control over inseminating dose and facilitate filling of tubes. Results may be comparable to those using undiluted semen when product directions are followed. Dilution should result in an insemination dose containing ~300 million viable spermatozoa.
For insemination, pressure is applied to the left side of the abdomen around the vent. This causes the cloaca to evert and the oviduct to protrude so that a syringe or plastic straw can be inserted ~1 in. (2.5 cm) into the oviduct and the appropriate amount of semen delivered. As the semen is expelled by the inseminator, pressure around the vent is released, which assists the hen in retaining sperm in the vagina or the oviduct. Due to the high sperm concentration of turkey semen, 0.025 mL (~2 billion spermatozoa) of undiluted pooled semen, inseminated at regular intervals of 10-14 days, yields optimal fertility. In chickens, due to the lower spermatozoon concentration and shorter duration of fertility, 0.05 mL of undiluted pooled semen, at intervals of 7 days, is required. The hen’s squatting behavior indicates receptivity and the time for the first insemination. For maximal fertility, inseminations may be started before the initial oviposition. Fertility tends to decrease later in the season; therefore, it may be justified to inseminate more frequently or use more cells per insemination dose.
Chicken and turkey semen may be frozen, but reduced fertility limits usage to special breeding projects. Under experimental conditions, fertility levels of 90% have been obtained in hens inseminated at 3-day intervals with 400-500 million frozen-thawed chicken spermatozoa.

 

[19hhbelgian]

HI!! I was going to suggest getting hatching eggs from your friend... Does she have olive eggers? Or, could she breed her roo to one of her hens for you (don't know if that would mess her up too much though). I think it would be much safer to go one of those routes, rather than taking any chances with bringing in a roo, considering your neighborhood circumstances... Good Luck!