Hi,

 

My three females have each had a clutch of eggs (3,2 and 2), The babies are coming out of the nest at the moment.

Should I let them have another clutch? Two are first time Mum's, (one has had a clutch of 4, 6months ago)

We going on a holiday next year, so they wont be breeding then, so I thought it would not stress them to have another clutch.

Thanks,

Kirsty

If they managed well with the clutches they have had AND are still in very good condition then YES. But if their condition is in any way down a little then NO.

Hi,

 

My three females have each had a clutch of eggs (3,2 and 2), The babies are coming out of the nest at the moment.

Should I let them have another clutch? Two are first time Mum's, (one has had a clutch of 4, 6months ago)

We going on a holiday next year, so they wont be breeding then, so I thought it would not stress them to have another clutch.

Thanks,

Kirsty

My first breeding female had 2 clutches on the trot, I had had her over a year before she mated. The second clutch had a baby with hip displacier, it was so cruedl and having to put the poor little thing down was awful. Since then I have as Kaz says taken notice of the hens overall condition, and have out of 8 that mated only let 2 go for a 2nd clutch.

We get to have a gut instinct as to wether the hen can go again or not, actually my biggest lesson was learning that the cock had to be got out of the breeding aviary, as he was always ready to go, and would mate his mate to death if he got the chance.