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

[Meganandersen13]

OP's convictions are harmless yet important to OP.

OP- as you said, you can go without a rooster. Silkies go broody constantly so, when you want to hatch some eggs, just get 5 or 6 fertile eggs from your friend and put them in a nest. The first one that goes broody gets moved to your momma pen with the eggs and gets to hatch out the babies.

That’s a great idea! Thank you! That’s even better than the incubator since my daughter will be active in the whole process.

Thank you for understanding the conviction part

 

[Chicken poppy]

I try but fail a lot …..thank you though

We all fail. The qualities are in people who push on anyway and get back up. Something a lot of people don’t have.

 

[Coops Dad]

Egg protein has all the same amino acids as animal protein. I don't think that vegans should allow themselves to eat eggs.

Vegans don't eat eggs. Some vegetarians, as lacto-ovo vegetarians, do.

ETA I mulled on this for a while and want to declare myself to be a vegetarian who eats mostly .eat, eggs and cheese. No one else's thoughts or feelings on the matter will impact how I define myself.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Egg protein has all the same amino acids as animal protein. I don't think that vegans should allow themselves to eat eggs.

Vegans don't. Vegetarians do

 

[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.

 

[Chookwagn]

If you eat "Free Range" eggs from anywhere I can almost guarantee they are fertile....

I suggest if you want chickens then dont have a rooster at all.

 

[Meganandersen13]

No rooster = No worries. If and when your daughter wants to hatch for 4H, buy fertile eggs for the incubator. Then you still have to figure out what to do with the males. They're hard to rehome and most takers are looking for dinner, not pets.

Still, your daughter's plan for 4H is a good one. It's an excellent program for youngsters - and you'll likely enjoy it, too. Has she considered rabbits? Similar set-ups, similar time commitment, and no need to keep a male for the occasional mating. Many 4Hers offer that service. If she picks an ornamental breed, like one of the dwarfs or something else not generally raised for meat, there's less likelihood of her kits being sent off to freezer camp by their new owners.

Oh - and another bonus ... store-bought eggs are MUCH cheaper than grow-your-own, even at the ridiculous prices we've been seeing, lately. By the time I figured in the cost of feed and bedding, some of my eggs cost over a dollar apiece, this winter!

I wish she could do rabbits!!!!!! She’s allergic and that’s one of the animals I raised in FFA! Rabbits are my absolute favorite; English lops, hollands, and mini Rex.

We eat eggs but not a ton and with my daughter wanting to do silkies for 4H I figured it was a win win.

Thank you

 

[Pipica]

Thank you all so much for the information I was looking for. We will forgo the rooster. It’s not the first time in life I wasn’t able to do what I wanted

Ata girl , way to take life in strides !!!!

 

[Pipica]

I try but fail a lot …..thank you though

As long as you keep getting up

 

[Chicken poppy]

Egg protein has all the same amino acids as animal protein. I don't think that vegans should allow themselves to eat eggs.

Well OP has stated they are a vegetarian so this wouldn’t be a problem.