Best "all around" roo breed?

[yomama]

So I think I am going to go ahead and order a roo, along with a few pullets, and actually hatch out a few chicks. I've never done this before, I've always just ordered chicks from hatcheries. I have Marek's disease on my property, where I live is known for it, so I've always just assumed I shouldn't hatch my own, and just buy vaccinated chicks. Well, this is getting spendy, not to mention, I would love to be able to mix and match, just a little. I don't plan on hatching chicks and selling them, just hatch a few for ourselves. After having some feedback on this forum, along with the fact that my neighbors who have had chickens for like 20 years, and don't do a darn thing with them,and have never had a case of Marek's, I thought it wouldn't hurt to maybe just try it. I'm still debating as to whether I would let the hen hatch them, or if I will use an incubator, and vaccinate them myself.

Anyways, I realize everyone has their favorite breed, and each roo's temperment is as different as the next, but that aside, going by what you have experienced, as well as general breed characteristics, my question is: which breed (for a roo) has a docile temperment, is medium sized(don't want a large roo hurting my smaller girls), and would be a good all around protector? I currently do not have a roo, lost the best one in the world a few months back, and the current breed of hens I have now are: EE,Australorp,RIR,White Rock,Buff Orp, Silkies, Barred Rock,and Speckled Sussex. I plan on ordering some BLR Wyondottes, and maybe some more EE, in the spring, but not sure. The roo I had in the past that I loved dearly was all the characteristics I mentioned above. However, he was a mix. He was Silkie/barnyard mix.
So, if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them

Thanks!

 

[johnsons-r-us]

I don't have much experience, but I love my silkie guy

He's calm and never intimidating. Not sure that's a good quality in a roo, but I also love the way he crows. He just started...really late compared to my other two. I was still holding out he might be a she until last week.

Good luck!

 

[kari_dawn]

I would say australorp or orpington...they seem to be rather docile breeds (and I am very fond of orpingtons. Personality, Looks, they have it all) but since you are looking for a smaller rooster, I would probably go with silkie cross...they seem to be nice roos, but the more I read about roosters here, the more I think it is all in how you raise them. Apparently people who raise their roos cuddling and loving on them tend to end up with a roo that becomes agressive and downright annoying as a juvi, but then they seem to calm down around a year or so.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Even with the size thing you mentioned, I am still going to say Faverolles. They are supposed to be big, but many of them aren't. They are simply amazing!

BUT I just happen to have a blue Silkie / Ameraucana bantam cross cockerel that needs a home....

 

[peepblessed]

My Delaware cross roo is perfect, but that isn't very helpful to you. This link on BYC tells the temperment and size of every breed. You might check it out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/breed-chart

 

[Moonlight Piano]

I would have to say my partridge rocks are the best roos I have ever had. They are not huge, they are about average size. They are very beautiful. They are somewhat quiet. And, best of all, they are very good to the girls. I have included a pick of my partridge boy bill. He is very pretty, to me anyway.

.

 

[Twiggers96]

Cochins are lovers & beautiful too.
They have very pleasant personalities.

 

[Nimby Chickens]

Quote:
X2 on the Faverolles. Great birds.

 

[hdowden]

i would keep the silkies with a silkie roo and you could even use the roo to cross with some the others. i have only kept d'uccls and thats just recent to but i have heard that they are very good roos

 

[yomama]

Quote:


OOOOH! I'm not that far from you

Could you post a pic of your guy?