Chicken Breeds

[rcentner]

LOVE my blue laced red wyandotte, he is the most docile roo I have had yet. Barred rocks are nice, but big and Old english bantam roo's are not very nice at all, too fiesty.
I disagree with some of the above comments. Roosters are a lot of fun, they are always beautiful and are so fun to watch "provide" for his ladies. I love to hear them crowing. I have 3 adult roosters now and they are all very nice birds that have NEVER attacked me or any children that have been here. (or anyone at all for that matter). My roos are gentlemen and treat all of us with respect. They are a little more elusive than the hens and take a little more bribing to handle, but I would not have hens without the roo's. Just my opinion. with exception to the old english bantams, they have all been great.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Wow! thanks for all the great advice and information. I have been looking at the breeds that were mentioned
and have finally narrowed it down to three that I am considering. The Sussex, Australorp, and the orphington, in your
opinions do these breeds get along well together. As for the rooster I am still deciding if I want to get a rooster in
one of these breeds or another. I like the idea that one poster had of getting a rooster of a smaller breed. All
of these breeds are standard and rather large. I am not sure if I want a rooster that big. I think I read that
the silkies and the cochins roosters are smaller.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
We raise Sussex and Buff Orpingtons and they are very calm natured so they would do fine. On the rooster standard Cochins are large, alot of people comment on how big ours are when they come here. A silkie would be smaller. One of the roosters jobs is to defend the flock so bigger would be better,

Steve

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Okay, thank you that is a great point. I will take that into consideration when
choosing a rooster for the flock. A rooster that is able to defend the flock would
be a good thing to have in our case because we live in the country and I plan
to free range the flock.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

My Turkens, were my friendliest Roos, but I culled to find the nicest. I miss them. A good Turken Roo is gentle with the girls and will dance for them and they are friendly to the family and want to be petted. Any of the turkens will bow down to be pet, they love the attention. But they are big, too big for small children to carry around, which actually is good. My granddaughter carries around a white mix of something hen and she just scretches to get what she wants. There is such a thing as spoiling them. I'm stuck, I can't get rid of that bird and she knows it.

Now I only have S Buttercup Roos and they are gentle with their ladies and come around to see if I am bringing goodies for the girls but won't stand for petting.

It really depends on the bird, no matter what breed. Everyone here says Brahma's are so gentle, but my experience with them was a disaster. I have had 3 and don't care to try again. So try a gentle breed once you decide which one you want. If it doesn't work out try again. If you have room get several and pick the gentlest not the head Roo. But their personalities can change when they come of age.

Steve is right - Roosters defend, but at the same time they can be gentle around their girls and people. Bigger is not necessarily needed though. When I had both, my S Buttercup Roo would take on the Turken Roos on a regular basis to keep them away from the its hens. By the way my Buttercup can't fertilize the Turken hens. Goes through the motions, but not one fertile egg from them.

 

[bigchicken2]

Banties: Silkie, Pekin (Bantam Cochin), Showgirl (Silkie x Turken)
Standies: Cochin, Orpington, Turken (Naked Neck)