Gammond
Songster
This year I naturally hatched out most of my chicks. For next year, who should I keep? Brock the Speckled Sussex or Brocolli the Buff? I am looking for neat looking chickens who lay a lot of eggs.
Who to keep?
- Thread starter Gammond
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They're both good looking roosters but if it were me, I'd be keeping whichever one is kinder to the hens and to people.
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They're both white skinned brown egg layers. Neither breed is a stellar production layer as a rule.
Besides temperament, color is going to be your main difference.
The disappointing thing is, that pretty speckling on the Sussex is all recessive. So, unless you have a speckled hen, none of the offspring will get that pretty color.
Underneath the speckling, the Sussex is mahogany red. That's a pretty strong color, so you'll get a lot of red chick, depending on who you breed him to. Black usually dominates over red, white tends to be about 50/50.
Buff is a fun color to play with in chicks. It's genetically very complex, and holds it's own against black. You can get some very pretty mixed color chicks with a buff rooster.
I'd go with temperament first, then color.
Besides temperament, color is going to be your main difference.
The disappointing thing is, that pretty speckling on the Sussex is all recessive. So, unless you have a speckled hen, none of the offspring will get that pretty color.
Underneath the speckling, the Sussex is mahogany red. That's a pretty strong color, so you'll get a lot of red chick, depending on who you breed him to. Black usually dominates over red, white tends to be about 50/50.
Buff is a fun color to play with in chicks. It's genetically very complex, and holds it's own against black. You can get some very pretty mixed color chicks with a buff rooster.
I'd go with temperament first, then color.
- Thread starter
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Gammond
Songster
Thanks for all the great info! I currently have a flock of pure Isa browns, and then a ton of banty/araucana/Leghorn cross. The roosters are booth young still and seem to be very nice. Maybe I will wait a few more months to see how their personalities develope.
What type of rooster would be good for good egg layers? My mother in law also has a nice araucana rooster I could pick up.
I think you'd be better off with your mother-in-law's rooster if you're looking for a greater variety and if I have my information correct, the offspring will be Easter Eggers so you potentially could wind up with tinted egg layers as the roosters carry the blue egg gene.
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Leghorns and Sex links pretty much set the standard for egg production. So, crossing either of your roosters with sex links should give pretty good layers. Not as stellar as the parent hens, but good enough I think you'll be happy with them.
Not knowing what the "aracauna" is in this mix, it's hard to say. Often they're garden variety Easter eggers, so they're a wild card genetically. If it's a true, pure Aracauna, I they're not production level birds either. But, you would get the colored eggs, if that's a bonus for you.
something else to consider, if you're hatching your own, is what to do with all the excess cockerels. If you're going to use them for table birds, either of your boys would add some meat to a cross, giving you a bit more substantial meal.
Not knowing what the "aracauna" is in this mix, it's hard to say. Often they're garden variety Easter eggers, so they're a wild card genetically. If it's a true, pure Aracauna, I they're not production level birds either. But, you would get the colored eggs, if that's a bonus for you.
something else to consider, if you're hatching your own, is what to do with all the excess cockerels. If you're going to use them for table birds, either of your boys would add some meat to a cross, giving you a bit more substantial meal.
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