Crossing Easter eggerxamericauna with Orpingtons and Prod Reds

[Ilovefatchicks]

Thinking of keeping fat cheek, bearded EE/ Americauna Rooster with Buff and Black Oprs and Prod Reds. I have 2 cockerels and 8, 11 wk old EEs and 5, 2 yr old hens in my flock. I may keep one roo but am not sure it's worth the trouble. Any advice is welcome!

 

[aart]

If you want to hatch chicks from your flock, you need a male...
...otherwise it's just personal preference.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not totally sure what your question is, what do you want advice on?

What are your goals? Why do you want to keep a male at all? The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Anything else is personal preference. Nothing wrong with personal preference, it can be a strong motivator. But that is a want, not a need. I typically suggest you keep as few males as you can and still meet your goals. That's not because you are guaranteed problems with more males, but that problems are more likely. I don't know your goals so I don't know if the right number for you is 0 or 1.

Are you asking about integration, how to go about that? Adding an immature cockerel when you are integrating pullets to older hens change the dynamics some. You are likely to have a lot more drama.

Are you asking what the chicks might be like if you hatch eggs from those crosses?

Or do you want advice on something else? I have no idea how to respond.

 

[Ilovefatchicks]

If you want to hatch chicks from your flock, you need a male...
...otherwise it's just personal preference.

Spell check! Crossing not keeping! Thamks6!

 

[Ilovefatchicks]

If you want to hatch chicks from your flock, you need a male...
...otherwise it's just personal preference.

Spell check! Crossing not keeping! Thanks!

 

[NatJ]

If you're wondering whether hens of those breeds and crosses can be kept together--yes, because just about any chicken breeds can be kept together.

If you want advice about a rooster: keep one if you want to hatch chicks, otherwise I recommend not. If a hen goes broody and you have no rooster, you can buy fertile eggs, or you can let her set on fake eggs for 3 weeks and then buy chicks to slip under her (many hens will adopt the chicks), or there are ways to break up a broody hen (such as a wire cage with feed, water, no nest: usually works in a few days' time.)

If you're asking what happens with a cross among those breeds: you get cute chicks, some or all with puffy cheeks, and either all or half of the pullets lay green eggs (depends on the rooster's genetics). Various colors of chicks are possible, depending on the exact color of the rooster.