What do you think of this guy?

Pictured is a rooster chick that I hatched out the end of October 2015. He is Buff Orpington on the Rooster side and Easter Egger on the hen side. I have been hatching a while and I am moving towards purebred chicks, not necessarily show quality, my customer base is backyard poultry for eggs and pets. Since the Easter Egger is a mutt bird anyway I was wondering what you guys think of this guy. He is just over 4 months still filling out, and I think very pretty with full cheeks and beard, and a quirky little personality. He follows me around (sucker) I am getting attached to this guy but to keep him he needs to be a stud muffin! Since the Easter Egger is not really purebred do you think I could save him for my Easter Eggers hens and put him to work? I hope the pictures are helpful.

I don't know much about genetics, so I'm not much help. But I think he is gorgeous! Seriously, a Buff Orpington, EE cross seems like the best of both worlds to me!

My best to you on your breeding project.

I'm not a breeder myself, but as a customer I can tell you I would be thrilled to get EE birds that look like that! Especially if they were also that friendly.

Ahhh, thanks guys for your nice words.

If your goal is to produce an EE cross that is pretty and friendly, then he seems like a bird that should be given a chance to contribute. The pride of breeding an SOP quality bird is wonderful, but there's plenty of room in the world for other birds also. As long as you're honest with buyers about the mixed heritage of the chicks, you will probably have some very happy customers. He's very showy.

Hes absolutely stunning!!!!!I mean just WOW. I think he would sire some good looking offspring,with great personalities. But if you want to go for more purebred birds then just get a EE roo. No biggy. Theres plenty of fish in the sea.

Just like you said, EE are 'mutts' with no standard so by that technicality, it is true that anything goes. It is also your flock, so if you like him... keep him, who cares what anyone says, really...

However, due to a couple traits being a common feature, so many people have come to expect them to have a certain 'look' to accept them as being EE.. the two main ones are beards and pea comb. A lot people also expect the chicks to be striped and have green or blue legs. A percentage of them think leg color has to do with laying colored eggs(no connection though!).

I'd say you would be perfectly fine using him as EE stud rooster but maybe expect possibly a little 'pushback' now and then as the rooster has a single comb.. which also means he likely does not have the gene that helps them lay shades of green or blue eggs.

Him over a brown egger very likely would only produce tan or brown eggers. No green or blue. (which might be offputting to those expecting "easter eggs")

With green or blue eggers, there will be at least half green/blue eggers... possibly all if said hens are pure for the blue eggshell gene. but since you got a single comb cockerel, it is a strong hint that probably the stock is not pure for green/blue eggs.

Thank you Kev that is exactly the information I was looking for, not that all the ooohs and aaaahs were not appreciated, they absolutely were. So I can't keep him to breed. I will try and find this guy a home even if I have to give him away to a current customer I will do that I just like him.. he speaks to me, in my own head of course. LOL... I am new and still learning, but want to put out as good a product as I can. Thank you, you all are great!...

jjaazzy said:

Thank you Kev that is exactly the information I was looking for, not that all the ooohs and aaaahs were not appreciated, they absolutely were.  So I can't keep him to breed. I will try and find this guy a home even if I have to give him away to a current customer I will do that  I just like him.. he speaks to me, in my own head of course. LOL... I am new and still learning, but want to put out as good a product as I can.  Thank you, you all are great!...

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Wow, just wow! Love that coloring. I don't care if he never produced a green/blue egg layer. That color would be great for my Naked Neck project.

Pack him up and send him my way.

BTW: not only is @Kev a Naked Neck expert, but a real genetic wiz.

He is pretty cute! Why not add some color into the EE line?