[Craigx]

Hello,

When will my cockerals stay to tread? So that i know when I can hatch my own eggs?


Craig

[joyfull]

Craig a cockerel will start to tread from quite a young age if the hen will let him, however whilst he is young most older hens will tell him off and send him packing.
If he is their brother then it isn't wise to hatch their eggs as this can lead to genetic problems. Also it is best not to hatch eggs from hens under a year old.

[Craigx]

he isnt related, totaly different suppliers of the eggs,

The girl i want to breed from is a black copper maran to begin with

Craig

[Debbieta]

Hi Joyfull,  just read your post and wondered if you could say why it's best not to hatch eggs from hens under a year old.  I'm thinking of trying to hatch eggs next spring and have a range of hen ages, but would obviously like to get the best hatch rate.
Thanks, Debbie

[ANHBUC]

Hello,

When will my cockerals stay to tread? So that i know when I can hatch my own eggs?


Craig

One of mine has started and is only 11 weeks old.   

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=100556.0

[joyfull]

until a hen reaches a year old they are classed as a pullet - their eggs are generally smaller and their chicks will also be smaller. This happened with lavender araucanas. They became so popular that people bred from pullets and this resulted in a lot of smaller birds.