Unsecure chicken perches

[fretters1]

Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone could help me with chicken 'relationships', I've looked on the internet with no luck ! I've just hatched out 4 maran's (looks like 3 girls and a boy, but not 100% sure !) and my question is can I now keep them with their mum and dad ? Obviously Dad will leap on them as soon as they're put together, and I'm assuming that's not to be encouraged ? My hens are free range so keeping them apart will be difficult ! Would I be better selling them on and getting some 'new blood' ? Any advice appreciated !

[joza2210]

Breeding the hens back to the father is fine ...I learnt its just when you breed to close relation ships (e.g. Brother and sister) Things go wrong ...

There is a bit of information for you ... Hope it helps ...

[Lewis]

Its maybe not ideal, but can and is sometimes done

 

Its usually done to improve/bring out traits, but that can go the other way and bring out imperfections.

Edited June 23, 2010 by Guest

[tom123]

Mother to Son, Father to Daughter etc. is fine and is done really quite often in rare breeds however Brother to Sister isn't advised as this is how deformities crop up

[fretters1]

Oh ok, great advice, obviously I didn't have a clue ! will be getting rid of the male anyway (seem to have found him a home) so that should work out ! Really interesting stuff.

 

Thanks again for the advice !