who's the better mama, me or the chicken?

[auntpeep]

I finally got some chickens after about 10 years of wanting. I let my friend get some chickens and they stay in my coop. I have 3 speckeled sussex, one I believe 1 is a roo. They are 10-12 weks old. 2 RIR, 2 jersy giants and 2 cherry eggers they all around 9-11 weeks old, 4 EE's about 14-16 weeks old and finally 1 EE roo about 12-14 weeks old. Again, some of these are my friends. She wants to raise hers and eat them. This is not a problem as a few of mine are named "dinner" as well. I happen to love my one and only EE and want more. Hense the roo. Also I want more sussex because there sapposta be great multi purpose birds. Really hoping the one turns out to be a roo!!! So here's my question.

1. Should I just let the girls sit on their eggs and raise their own chicks? It sure would save me alot of trouble. OR..........
2. Is it best if I take the eggs and do the work myself?
3. Can mama's and babies stay in the coop with all the others( it seems to me if they grow up together, they should be ok)
4. Will my roo's cross bread, are my EE eggs going to be little baby EE's or is it possible that they will be EE,sussex mixes and vies versa
OMG what have I gotten myself into

 

[auntpeep]

One more quick question. Am I just crazy? Should I just go out and buy pullets in the spring? I know that's two questions but you can disregard the first one. I already know I'm crazy.

 

[phaethona]

I would give them a chance first and if its not working out the way you want, then intervene and do the work, although, the benefit of doing it yourself is that you control how many and when.
something to keep in mind too is that the roo can harm the babies, so you'll need to relocate them for a while after hatching

 

[phaethona]

Quote:

hahaha! you're an addict!

(just like the rest of us)