Decision Time....Any Ideas

[Dandelion Acres]

OK, I have a batch of meat birds to butcher in 2 weeks, and I also have to make some decisions on the other flock. I ordered a chicken coop assortment from Murray McMurray and am really quite pleased with the ratio of hens and roosters. So to get to the point here's the dilemma, which roosters do I cull?

1 White crested black polish, very nice looking bird, quite vocal, very attentive to the ladies
1 Gray (blue) and white with black polish Same as his brother above oh and my wife is in love with him, so he's kind of a no brainer, but DW says she'll take some advice.
1 golden polish....this bird is going to freezer camp, just a goofy bird.

1 Buff Orpington, very mild mannered, just starting to crow
1 Barred rock, he is HUGE already, but doesn't worry much about the ladies as of yet.
1 Araucana Rooster

2 Questionable Cuckoo Maran Roosters thought they were barred rocks, but they have some crazy looking feathers coming in.

Here is what we have for hens-
4 Barred Rock hens
3 Maran Hens
1 Polish Hen
1 Buff Orpington hen (her sister was Bald Eagle Lunch)
1 Silver polish hen
2 Straight feathered silkies
2 Cochin hens
1 frizzle
So experts, What say you all? We do want chicks eventually, but want to take this list down to 2 roosters. A couple of the roosters are no problem. I was thinking of saving the wifes Blue polish and either the barred rock or the buff. BUT Maran's would be nice.......so would....oh forget it, any Idea's?????

 

[kathyinmo]

Personally, I would get rid of the Polish first. Of course, I hate Polish ..... they are so dumb, or maybe it is their crest that causes them to be blinded. At any rate, they were the first to go from our first flock.

I love the Cuckoo Marans and Barred Rocks. I also love the barring they create in progeny. Araucana rooster? Are you sure that is what it is? If it came from a hatchery, it is likely an Easter Egger, and they are great for creating green eggs. Buff Orps are very nice. He would probably make a very nice rooster for you, too.

 

[pookiegoldman]

I'd do away with the polish. Mine are flighty, not really wanting to have anything to do with me, no personalities, etc. I'd keep the maran, and the BO

 

[DanEP]

How old are they? I might be tempted to see what their like at 6 or seven months old that might helpYou to decide who to keep. We just rehomed a bo roo who a real sweetheart till 6 months old then turned into a real butthead that would not stop attacking my mil who's in her eightys

 

[Amyable]

Wow, Dandelion, our flocks are pretty similar. I've got 19 hens in 10 different breeds, and 2 roos. I kept an Ancona roo to go with my 3 Ancona pullets, and a blue Ameraucana roo for the blue egg gene.

It depends on what you want in chicks, I guess. Since you have some dark egg layers, you could use the Araucana roo to make olive eggers. Or have a little breeding quad of Barred Rocks. I must say I'm not a big fan of the Poles either. I have 3 hens, they are so jumpy I wouldn't want to hatch their babies.

 

[Judy]

I'd keep the BO and BR, the BR because he is so big. Both sound like they will become good roo's.

I don't see any point in Polish, myself. Don't they have a cranial defect, by definition?

 

[sourland]

If you can, wait a while. As the roosters mature some may become human aggressive or overly aggressive with the hens. These "bad boys" would be the ones to cull. Good luck with your decisions.

 

[Dandelion Acres]

They are going on 6 months right now, From the info gathered here, I would have to say the White crested Black Polish is going, as are one of the if not both of the Marans. The Barred Rock is just too danged big to let go, his genes will be used in future freezer camp birds

. I also like the Arauacana and the BO. We will try and keep Wifes Polish for now, but I am predicting he will probably end up getting beat up......and then end up in the freezer as well. Who knows, maybe the little freak of nature will hold his own. Happy Wife = Happy Life.....LOL.

The one polish we did bring back from a Cranial Issue already, so his genes will be better utilized for soup. Thanks for the tips. I will say this for polish though, when I was a young lad and raised them they were the stupidest birds I had ever seen. The breeding has come leaps and bounds in the last 15-20 years and they aren't quite as bad any longer. They still are goofy birds though, I guess just not my style. Now Momma, she's been hypnotized by the one I think....evil bird....