What to do with a rooster when you don’t want fertile eggs all the time

[Meganandersen13]

So I am getting 4 silkies soon (I’m a first time chicken mom) and I have questions about fertile and infertile eggs.

I am a vegetarian so I can’t eat fertile eggs. The issue is that I do want babies just not all the time. What do I do with the male. These are the options I have come up with.

- male has a separate area away from females unless it’s baby making time.

- borrow a friend’s male when I want babies.

-just nix the plans on chicks and be sad lol

- can I keep a diaper on him….I’m grasping for any idea

What are your thoughts? Any creative ideas not listed? I appreciate any help. Thank you

 

[Chookwagn]

Whats not vegetarian about a fertile egg?

 

[Meganandersen13]

I don’t eat meat and a fertile egg potentially is meat.

 

[Chookwagn]

I don’t eat meat and a fertile egg potentially is meat.

its only "potentially" meat but it isnt meat......


How often are you wanting to hatch chicks then?

 

[Meganandersen13]

its only "potentially" meat but it isnt meat......


How often are you wanting to hatch chicks then?

I’m not really sure yet. My daughter is starting 4H and wants to do the chicks for that. I have a friend that will incubate for her until she buys her own. I would imagine she’ll do a few short periods a year. I’m sorry I don’t have the answer to that question yet.

 

[Pipica]

So I am getting 4 silkies soon (I’m a first time chicken mom) and I have questions about fertile and infertile eggs.

I am a vegetarian so I can’t eat fertile eggs. The issue is that I do want babies just not all the time. What do I do with the male. These are the options I have come up with.

- male has a separate area away from females unless it’s baby making time.

- borrow a friend’s male when I want babies.

-just nix the plans on chicks and be sad lol

- can I keep a diaper on him….I’m grasping for any idea

What are your thoughts? Any creative ideas not listed? I appreciate any help. Thank you

 

[Chookwagn]

I’m not really sure yet. My daughter is starting 4H and wants to do the chicks for that. I have a friend that will incubate for her until she buys her own. I would imagine she’ll do a few short periods a year. I’m sorry I don’t have the answer to that question yet.

Ok so you realize that 1 mating from a rooster can fertilize eggs for up to 3+ weeks

 

[Meganandersen13]

I do

 

[Chicken poppy]

I don’t eat meat and a fertile egg potentially is meat.

Well, a fertile egg is only meat if it gets incubated? I’m a vegan, and though i don’t eat eggs, i would still eat fertile eggs if i did. It isn’t meat, and technically a normal egg is potentially meat since it holds the possibility to be fertile which is the possibility to be meat. It isn’t cruel or inhumane, it won’t in the slightest taste different either.

I’m not trying to change your view on anything by all means, but just take this into consideration.

A fertile egg is simply the mark of a rooster, there is psychically 0 difference other then a bullseye on the egg. It isn’t a chick, it doesn’t feel pain, it doesn’t have veins, nothing.

If you still consider it to be meat then i don’t think a rooster is a good option for you, i’m sorry.

 

[nuthatched]

It's only fertile, it's not alive until after 24 hours of incubation. A hen can stay fertile up to a month after mating so I'm not sure how you'd do it. You can have a separate coop for breeding with a roo and a few hens