Breeds, winter hardy, egg production

[Rodrad]

We are planning to have 10 chickens plus 1 rooster. Winter hardy and heavy egg layers. So far we are considering 2-3 each of these:
- barred rock
- australorp
- Orpington (color?)
- Wyandotte (color?)
- Rhode Island Red
Which rooster out of these breed would be a good choice?

Any input/comment on this selection will be highly appreciated.
thanks

 

[Aapomp831]

If you want tons of eggs, go with the Rhode Island’s. I would highly recommend any sex linked breeds - my personal favorite being black sex links. They are beautiful, docile, cold and heat hardy and can lay up to 320 eggs per year. They rarely take breaks from laying.
As far as roosters, each one is different. I know Rhode Island’s have more of a reputation for being jerks while Cochins have a reputation for being sweet and docile.

 

[Wormhunter]

We are planning to have 10 chickens plus 1 rooster. Winter hardy and heavy egg layers. So far we are considering 2-3 each of these:
- barred rock
- australorp
- Orpington (color?)
- Wyandotte (color?)
- Rhode Island Red
Which rooster out of these breed would be a good choice?

Any input/comment on this selection will be highly appreciated.
thanks

 

[Wormhunter]

Hi, we’ve got 7 those island reds and they are now 8 months old
They are prolific layers even now with less daylight
A couple of them are a bit’feisty’ and bully the others but that’s orobably the same for all flocks
They are a funny breed with great-personality’s
They are quite large but are very happy birds in our small free range garden

 

[Rodrad]

[

If you want tons of eggs, go with the Rhode Island’s.

Thank you, we will have possibly 4 of Rhode Island’s. But we would like to have others too. I hear that Rhode Island’s rooster is a very pretty.

 

[Rodrad]

Hi, we’ve got 7 those island reds and they are now 8 months old
They are prolific layers even now with less daylight
A couple of them are a bit’feisty’ and bully the others but that’s orobably the same for all flocks
They are a funny breed with great-personality’s
They are quite large but are very happy birds in our small free range garden

Thank you for input. So far I have received two replies and both are praising R.I. reds.

 

[Aapomp831]

[

Thank you, we will have possibly 4 of Rhode Island’s. But we would like to have others too. I hear that Rhode Island’s rooster is a very pretty.

They are. This is my RIR cock.... he’ll be 20 weeks soon. So far, good temperament but still too early to fully tell.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Hi, we’ve got 7 those island reds and they are now 8 months old
They are prolific layers even now with less daylight
A couple of them are a bit’feisty’ and bully the others but that’s orobably the same for all flocks
They are a funny breed with great-personality’s
They are quite large but are very happy birds in our small free range garden

Zero personal experience, but I have heard over and over that RIR's are JERKS. (Including hens)

 

[BleuSaphir]

I had production red version of Rhode Island Red. She was super sweet but docile bird. She couldn’t stand being bullied by my Sebright Bantams.

Before having a hen, I had two Rhode Island Red Roosters. Both were sweet. They were also terrified of my Bantam pair. They always come to me for safety. Until they were bold to mate with my Bantam hen, off with their heads. Nope! Couldn’t deal with waiting for a rehome for the extra males.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The Reds get a reputation due to their allegiance of original flock. They do great with brood mates but later when intergrating new birds they will be the most intolerant and take the longest to accept the new birds into the flock.

This holds true to the red sex links too.