Okay to cross?

[mchap310]

Hi guys! I'm a total newbie to all things chicken, but thanks to my son we now have six Gold Star chicks he is raising as part of a 4-H program. Our neighbor needs to rehome a young rooster and I'm wondering if he would be okay to mix with our girls (obviously when they're much bigger). Neighbor says he is a Cochin Bantam. Pics of the peeps and the roo for reference

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It would be fine. They just will be mixes though

 

[nuthatched]

It's fine. :]

 

[mchap310]

It would be fine. They just will be mixes though

Thank you! I don't mind mutts as long as they're healthy.

 

[townchicks]

Do you mean breeding him to your girls? Sure you can. The offspring would be mutts, or barnyard mixes, as we say, but nothing wrong with that.

 

[mchap310]

Do you mean breeding him to your girls? Sure you can. The offspring would be mutts, or barnyard mixes, as we say, but nothing wrong with that.

I guess I'm mainly wondering if a bantam rooster is okay with standard hens? And then yes wondering if cross breeding the two would be desirable or if we should hold out for a Rhode Island or Gold Star rooster instead. Thank you for your input!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I guess I'm mainly wondering if a bantam rooster is okay with standard hens? And then yes wondering if cross breeding the two would be desirable or if we should hold out for a Rhode Island or Gold Star rooster instead. Thank you for your input!

Gold stars don't breed true, so even getting a male wouldn't make you more.

 

[townchicks]

I guess I'm mainly wondering if a bantam rooster is okay with standard hens? And then yes wondering if cross breeding the two would be desirable or if we should hold out for a Rhode Island or Gold Star rooster instead. Thank you for your input!

Desirable all depends on why you would breed your chickens. You might be putting the cart before the horse, however. You could possibly have an accidental male in the batch of chicks that you have, it happens to lots of people. Does the 4H project include breeding? If so, what is the aim for progeny? You have plenty of time to figure that out but you might miss out on that cute Cochin boy.

 

[mchap310]

Desirable all depends on why you would breed your chickens. You might be putting the cart before the horse, however. You could possibly have an accidental male in the batch of chicks that you have, it happens to lots of people. Does the 4H project include breeding? If so, what is the aim for progeny? You have plenty of time to figure that out but you might miss out on that cute Cochin boy.

Good point. This programs main goal is for kids to learn how to raise laying hens, and ends with showing them at the county fair and auctioning some or all of them off if they choose to. I don't think my son is going to want to part with any of them but we'll see. I just thought that rooster was so cute... But I think you're right and I should just wait lol