Suggestions?

busybeelee

In the Brooder
9 Years
Jul 17, 2010
39
0
32
Vancouver WA
I had planned to have four hens for laying only. I was not interested in breeding chickens. I purchased four chicks, various breeds. The farm store where I got the chicks will take back cockerels and do their best to find them good homes (no guarantees).

It turns out my Ameracuana is an EE Cockerel. I am now very attached to that bird and can't imagine just bringing him back and hoping for the best for him.

My coop is only large enough for four birds and I wanted four (I want as many eggs as I can get). If I re-home him I will be down to three pullets. What would be the best way to introduce another bird later? Can you only introduce one at a time?

If I keep him, should I get another coop and a couple of EE hens for him and try to breed them?

I just don't know what to do. Any suggestions?
 
You can squeeze another bird in that coop. 4 sq feet is a suggestion. I would keep all of the birds you have at the present time and get another one.
 
What does the EE mean?
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My dominant rooster is an EE. He was an "accidental" roo, too. I absolutely love him. He's a very good rooster, as well as strikingly handsome.
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Given my experience, and you saying you really like him, I'd say keep him.

I would NEVER add just one bird at a time by choice. It's always better to add two or more at a time.

You can't really predict which of your hens/pullets will go broody.... if you want to wait to see if that happens, then you can add to your flock by natural means. My EE rooster has since fathered five chicks with two different hens... well, more than two hens, but two went broody and hatched eggs he fertilized. One was an egg from my only EE hen, and the others were various other gals in the flock. The two gals who went broody were a Buff Orpington (she hatched the EE's egg) and a Welsummer. At least two of the the latter's chicks came from Delaware eggs. So.....

Or you could buy chicks in the spring and brood them yourself to add them to your flock.

Or you could buy started pullets... but you do need to quarantine adult birds and then integrate 'em.

Whichever of those paths sound best to you!
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But yes, keep your EE roo.
 
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These are my first chickens so, forgive any silly questions I may have. Six EE are mixed breeds anyway, does it matter what types of hens he is with or do I need to separate the flock? I thought of separating some of the hens to ensure none of the eggs are fertilized.

What types of hens would you breed with an EE? I have a GLW, Mottled Houdan and a BR. I think I am looking for a reason to raise more chicks in the spring! I have to convince my husband we need a bigger coop
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Just do a search here on BYC for "mutt chickens". Some of the neatest(and strangest) chickens are barnyard crosses, in other words crosses just like your roo and mixture of hens. There is only one set rule when mixing breed in backyard flocks.....do what pleases you!

Larry
 

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