EE maybe?

[Smithnchickens]

My husband said we could only keep one rooster and that was a stretch. So how do you pick the "best" rooster? Or should that question be posted elsewhere? Still learning the ropes here!

 

[haileyeverhart]

Definitely have a few boys there (based on large comb and wattles) and maybe it's a buff orp cross? Who cares a chicken is a chicken! They're all beautiful.

 

[debid]

Barred rock looks like a boy as does the first bird you showed. #1 could be an off color RIR or NHR. If he's bigger than the rest, he is probably a Freedom Ranger. He does not look like a Dixie Rainbow.

Would you mind elaborating on the difference between a Freedom Ranger and Dixie Rainbow? ASAIK, it's a licensing thing and the Freedom Ranger only comes from specific distributors (similar to ISA Brown) while the Dixie is essentially the same thing, just from a different hatchery (similar to Cinnamon Queen).

 

[debid]

My husband said we could only keep one rooster and that was a stretch. So how do you pick the "best" rooster? Or should that question be posted elsewhere? Still learning the ropes here!

IMHO, you choose the one that isn't aggressive toward humans or unnecessarily rough on the hens. If you're lucky enough to have more than one that meets this criteria, pick the one you like the looks of best.

 

[lazy gardener]

My understanding is that the FR is a red bird, while the Dixie Rainbow, also known as a Pioneer has sex linking in it's breeding, at least the ones I had did. The females were a light brown/red with a bit of variation in the coloring. The males were a much lighter color and were all barred. IIRC, the females had willow colored legs, and the males had yellow legs.

You are correct in that each hatchery will have their own "recipe" or breeding program for the birds they offer. The ones I describe came from Murray McMurray 3 - 4 years ago.