# If my girls need a man??



## Myrtle (Apr 26, 2013)

I love love love my girls (all 12 RIR) they are 9 weeks old and I would love to have more of them. Would I be smart to get a man for my girls or start fresh with an entire new flock and include a man?? My goal starting out was to get to the egg and I refused to get a rooster but now I would like to have eggs and baby chics too! 

I hear so many people say they have mixed flocks am I better off to stick with all RIR if I am starting off or is it okay if I want them for meat and eggs to mix and match? The breed % thing would only be a factor if I was selling am I correct on that or is there an incest thing I need to be aware of when mixing breeds?? Don't want 2 headed chics running around THAT WOULD BE BAD!!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

You can add a new rooster (to a flock of all hens) at any time... that shouldn't be a problem. The problem is usually when adding another rooster when you already have one (or more) or adding new hens can be a challenge too! That being said I'd wait until they were fully grown and add a fully grown rooster ooor find a rooster the same age they are and introduce them now (after proper quarantine.) Don't want him to be too much older and harass them while they're too young to breed or worse. 

Either way... you can get any rooster you want really. If you want pure bred RIR get a RIR rooster, if you don't care get some other breed that has the characteristics you desire (meaty egg layering breed.) If you mix breeds you could end up with "hybrid vigor" which means the hens from that generation will look different then their moms (usually) but should be egg laying machines. I wouldn't worry about incest... if you really want to avoid that just get your rooster from somewhere else. There's often a flood of them for free on Craigslist.... people who get them accidentally and don't want to eat them.... could be a win win there. 

Good luck!


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## kaufranc (Oct 3, 2012)

Well said WeeLittle! Good luck Myrtle !


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## Myrtle (Apr 26, 2013)

Thank you so much for the help!! I will start the hunt for my girls a man!!
Really appreciate it!!


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