Single hen

[VicW]

I've been having vague thoughts about breeding some pure-breeds, just based on experience of how difficult it was to find what I wanted. Just wondering about the practicalities of it. Particularly about what to do with all the boy-chicks?

 

Those of you who breed - what do you do with them? Kill them as soon as you can tell? Keep them (but then how do you keep a good male/female ratio as you don't want too many males), give them away (to who??) or eat them (at what age?)

 

Sorry for being naive. Is only a very vague thought at the moment and need to get some experience of looking after my girls first, just thinking ahead about the possibilities...

 

thanks x

[chickenanne]

A lot of breeders spend huge amounts of time ensuring the chicks meet the Breed Standard, so it does require an ability to get rid of birds (male and female) which do not meet this so you breed only "good" specimens.

Some breed are auto-sexing: i.e. you can tell at hatching if they are male or female due to colouring.

Those that aren't, I guess most would keep them until they are "table weight" which depends on the breed, and have them for dinner, keeping only the most "true-to-type" specimens for future breeding.

How many cocks per hen again depends on the breed: some breeds have cockerals which are more, erm, active than others in that department.

[Gallina]

I wouldn't be able to bring myself to eat my little lame Brahma cockerel, but I know someone else who will. I had intended to give him to a farm where they take anything, but he is so lame I don't think he would survive there. But he's not going until he starts crowing.

 

If my Blue Orpington also turns out to be a boy (the jury is still out) I will try to sell him, because he is a gorgeous specimen. Someone must have some Blue Orpington girls who WLTM such a handsome fellow. If not, he goes to the farm, because you can't keep cockerels unless you live in the countryside. It's not fair on them or your neighbours.

[VicW]

Thanks both. I wouldn't have a problem with cockerels as I am in countryside and 3 of my neighbours already have them! In fact, one of them has a lone cream legbar (females got eaten by her dog ) which she desperately wants me to have!!

 

Well, its just a thought at the moment that needs further developing.... I like the idea of being able to eat the males when they are old enough but need to do some research on which are tasty ones. Another of my neighbours says she has tried hers and they aren't too good!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I've got no experience in this field whatsoever but just wanted to say, you'll be getting big thumbs up from the Omleteers for being so responsible and researching all this before you start .

[chickenanne]

I live in the middle of nowhere too, and my nearest neighbours on both sides have cockerels.... I'm tempted to rear chicks next spring, and get my dad to do "the business with the boys" when the time comes (I'm too soft!).

There are a lot of "dual purpose" pure utility breeds which reach a decent size and weight but also lay decent numbers of eggs - erm.... I THINK light sussex and rhode island reds are this type (which I have) but there are probably zillions of others.

Otherwise there are "table" pure breeds, which are as they sound, bigger and fatter and rubbish at laying eggs - they tend to be lovely docile breeds, too.

I have a book called "The encyclopedia of Chickens" which is great for choosing breeds etc etc. I can't remember the publisher or the author - will try to let you know Monday if you want.