Breeding chickens - If you are considering expanding the size of your flock,
then one of the most rewarding ways to do this is by using a cockerel to
provide you with fertile eggs from your own hens so that you can incubate and
hatch your own.
There are however a number of considerations to consider,
apart from whether a cock bird would be too noisy for your neighbours! From
selecting the right birds to breed from, keeping them in the best possible
health to obtain viable hatching eggs and then storing these eggs correctly
before you even think about incubating them. This article provides some
information on how to get these things right so that you can hatch some healthy
chicks to increase the size of your flock.
Before deciding to breeding chickens, it is sensible
to consider whether or not you have the space to raise chicks and sufficient
housing to be able to rear them. You cannot mix young growers with adult birds
firstly because of the risk of them catching a disease (they take time to
acquire immunity) and secondly because smaller birds will get bullied so you
will need separate accommodation for them. If you have this covered then the
next step is to consider what to do with (on average) 50% of your hatch being
males.
Remember: Ensure you have a plan for unwanted males.
Rehoming is difficult since everyone who hatches chicks has a surplus.
Selection of Breeding Chickens
If you are breeding chickens a specific breed, then it is only right
to be selective of which cockerel you choose and which of your hens you use.
Genetically, the traits of the parents will be passed down to the progeny so if
you are breeding from poor quality stock you will be increasing the number of
poor quality birds. Sadly, so many pure breeds have been diluted down by poor
breeding and sometimes there are massive differences within a breed. Birds that
have bowed legs or wry tails (point slightly to the left or right continuously)
for example should not be used for breeding chickens as these problems will just be
passed on.
Breeding Chickens Tips 1: Breeders Health
Birds should be examined for good health.
With experience, general good health can be seen in a bird. The cockerel should
be attentive to his girls and should court them from time to time, without
bullying. Birds should have clear bright eyes, have a red comb without any blue
edges and the birds should be bright and alert. Nostrils should be clear of
mucus and breathing should be without any wheezing which could be a sign of
respiratory problems. Check for lice, especially around the vent and under
wings and check the vent for any discharge or scabbing.
A sound diet and good management of the birds during
breeding is obviously essential not only to maintain good health but also to
provide good hatchability and healthy chicks. A varied but balanced diet
including greens is recommended with pellets having a high level of protein of
around 16-20%. Breeders pellets contain all of the minerals and trace elements
in the correct proportions required to produce healthy chicks. If large numbers
of dead-in-shell chicks are occuring before hatching then this can often be
overcome by switching to breeders pellets.
Breeding Chickens Tips 2: Eggs
How many people buy a breed that have a published
annual number of eggs in their poultry book, only to be disappointed that their
hens hardly lay anywhere near that number? This especially applies to utility
type birds that have been changed massively for showing purposes where shapes
and feathering have changed over the years to meet the demands of show judges
leaving factors such as egg and meat production behind. This is because of poor
selection of the ‘good' egg layers. Let's face it how many people can say how
many eggs their chickens lay each year? Well even harder, could you say which
were the good layers and which the bad? Many serious breeders recommend using
the first year of lay to record egg numbers then in the second year, the better
layers can be considered to go in the breeding pen. Whilst this is not easy in
the backyard, over the cause of a year, with a simple coloured leg ring and
frequent observation of your hens, you soon get an idea of who is laying well
and who is not.
Breeding Chickens Tips 3: Egg Selection
Egg selection for hatching is very important
and overlooked by many. Eggs for hatching should be checked for size, shape,
colour and texture. Check the standard for as much information on your breed as
possible but if you can't find information about their eggs, go to an online
forum and ask for help from other breeders of this breed - for example Copper
Black Maran should be a large size and dark brown in colour, Cream Legbar
medium sized and blue, don't set eggs that are incorrect because firstly you
are not helping the breed and secondly you are reducing hatchability. The
better the egg quality, the better the hatchability. If you select weak eggs,
this trait will be passed on down the generations and hatchability and chick
quality will suffer.
Once you have the best of your birds selected, your breeding
pen up and running, and the best quality eggs selected, you should allow the
cockerel 10 days with the hens before collecting eggs for incubation so that
they are fertile. If changing cockerels or removing hens from a larger run with
other cockerels present, it is necessary to wait 14 days otherwise you can get
fertilised eggs from the wrong cockerel. If hens have suitable nest boxes with
clean bedding material, most eggs should be clean and not require any sort of
washing prior to incubation.
Breeding Chickens Tips 4: Egg Storage
If eggs are stored before incubation, they
should be kept in a cool place, away from bright sunlight and sources of heat.
A garage or pantry is often the best option. They should be stored pointed end
down and turned through 90 degrees twice a day. The easiest way to achieve this
is by placing eggs on an egg tray or large egg box and placing an empty half
dozen box under one side of the tray in the morning and the other side in the
evening so that they are lifted by 45 degrees from horizontal one way, then the
other. Eggs can be stored for a week without degrading hatchability too much.
Next is the 21 days of incubation which is covered elsewhere
in the incubation and hatching section.