Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Nibbley13 on April 10, 2018, 17:50

Title: Breeding Bantams
Post by: Nibbley13 on April 10, 2018, 17:50

I'm after some advice. I'm thinking of breeding from my bantams bit have read that you should keep different aged groups apart. I only have three (two hens and one rooster) and want to know if its ok to breed from them and then let them run together? I have a broody hen and would like advice asap before she goes off the idea.

Thanks

Nibbley

Title: Re: Breeding Bantams
Post by: New shoot on April 11, 2018, 11:11

Adult chickens can be very aggressive towards chicks, plus a broody in the coop can be very disruptive for both her and the others.  The usual advice is to separate the broody into her own coop and run, let her hatch her eggs and raise her chicks. then introduce the chicks and broody back when they are older. 

You also run the risk of getting a lot of unwanted cockerels, which are almost impossible to re-home.  If you are going to breed, you have to be ready to cull the males at some point.   Its one of the reasons I don't breed mine and buy in fresh bantam hens when I want them.

Title: Re: Breeding Bantams
Post by: Sassy on May 01, 2018, 23:46

Agree with New Shoot. I had dual purpose birds so that we could eat the cockerels bred  :)