“Thing is, I’d really also like to keep a rooster so I have a more self-sustaining flock.... But how will he affect the eggs we collect? Will they all be fertilized? Just some of them? And do I have to keep him sequestered from the hens so he doesn’t breed with all of them?”
As I’m sure you know, you won’t have ANY sustaining flock without a rooster, but why would you want to keep him sequestered? If you have a particularly aggressive rooster that is damaging the hens, that is, drawing blood, then just try another. There’s nothing wrong with him breeding all the hens. As you also probably know, even if every egg has been fertilized, without a good brood hen that goes off and sits on her eggs, you won’t have any sustainability. A gentle rooster is a good asset to the flock. Just eat all the new young roosters before they get too tough. I always liked to keep three or four around, but that was for about 100 hens, give or take.
How does that impact egg quality with a rooster around? We tend to give a lot away and I’m wondering if there will be blood spots etc. in the eggs that people will turn up their noses at.
The hens are Orpingtons/Australorps so I’m hoping at least one will go broody when the time comes. The sequestration idea is so I know who is breeding with who to keep the genetics at their peak. But maybe I’m overthinking this.
Little tip for anyone contemplating a move from city/suburbs out to the country. There’s an insane amount of stuff to learn! :)