EE or Brahma roo

[EggSighted4Life]

How long are you thinking about growing them out? They continue to grow in their attitudes for a little while... definitely past 10 months though I am unsure how much longer. Although you may be able to get a good idea before that.

I think speckled Sussex are beautiful hens... haven't seen the roos and no personal experience with them. Yes Brahma should be fairly large.

Why not grow a bunch out? As long as you have plans for the extras...

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hmmm, I hadn't really thought of that tbh haha

I guess I was just thinking of hatching soon and keeping the roos till I decide which one I like best?

Or I could keep them longer if I get no crow collars and build a bachelor pen lol

Yeah, I'm hoping to hatch some and maybe I'll see which roo of different breeds i like haha but yeah, that was my thought too. Do you think they'd be too big for standard hens?

And hahah good thinking

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

I don't think they'd be too big for standard hens.

 

[AuntJamie]

Also, I'm thinking a Brahma roo might be too big?

And what are your thoughts on Speckled Sussex roos?

Or should I just grow a bunch out and see which one I like?

That's exactly what I'm doing. I got 4 NHR and 2 BSL pretty sure all cockerels. Plan to let them grow and see which I like best and eat the rest. Whoever I choose has to be good to the hens and not human aggressive. I hope it works out the way I want it to.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Make sure you have a place to separate them before they start trying to mate. They chase, grab neck feathers and don't let go, make pullets scream. And all will try to mate a single pullet that they have caught. It's quite a rude awakening if you aren't prepared. And they will go after the weakest, over and over. Many of them peck at the top of the head. I have girls with chunks missing out of their combs. The boys are quite vigorous when they first reach that age. After they mature a little... they will call the ladies to treats, drop a wing and do a little dance shuffle as well as a handsome little serenade sound they do. And they learn that they don't just take it when they want, they learn to take no for an answer on occasion.

It also help if your ladies are are older before you get the boys. They are more confident and able to fight back if they want. Verses pullets of the same age have no chance and the boys are ready to mate a bit before the girls. They always mature sexually a bit sooner in my experience.

I don't think any of the roos will be too big for your girls unless they are bantam. I even saw one person who's full size roo stands on the ground at the back and gently mates her banty.

That's exactly what I'm doing. I got 4 NHR and 2 BSL pretty sure all cockerels. Plan to let them grow and see which I like best and eat the rest. Whoever I choose has to be good to the hens and not human aggressive. I hope it works out the way I want it to.

You won't know that until they get up there close to 8 or 10 months before they actually start protecting the hens and possibly attacking or showing human aggression. Some are just aggressive from very young. But there is hormonal changes that take place that bring out the different natural behaviors. Did you see the links to rooster training?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don't think they'd be too big for standard hens.

That's good to know. Thanks

That's exactly what I'm doing. I got 4 NHR and 2 BSL pretty sure all cockerels. Plan to let them grow and see which I like best and eat the rest. Whoever I choose has to be good to the hens and not human aggressive. I hope it works out the way I want it to.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking of doing too. Not sure I could eat them haha but rehome or let someone else or something. They also have to not be dog aggressive

 

[AuntJamie]

Make sure you have a place to separate them before they start trying to mate. They chase, grab neck feathers and don't let go, make pullets scream. And all will try to mate a single pullet that they have caught. It's quite a rude awakening if you aren't prepared. And they will go after the weakest, over and over. Many of them peck at the top of the head. I have girls with chunks missing out of their combs. The boys are quite vigorous when they first reach that age. After they mature a little... they will call the ladies to treats, drop a wing and do a little dance shuffle as well as a handsome little serenade sound they do. And they learn that they don't just take it when they want, they learn to take no for an answer on occasion. 

It also help if your ladies are are older before you get the boys. They are more confident and able to fight back if they want. Verses pullets of the same age have no chance and the boys are ready to mate a bit before the girls. They always mature sexually a bit sooner in my experience.

I don't think any of the roos will be too big for your girls unless they are bantam. I even saw one person who's full size roo stands on the ground at the back and gently mates her banty. 

You won't know that until they get up there close to 8 or 10 months before they actually start protecting the hens and possibly attacking or showing human aggression. Some are just aggressive from very young. But there is hormonal changes that take place that bring out the different natural behaviors. Did you see the links to rooster training?

Rooster training as in asserting dominance using a long switch to keep him from mating, tidbitting, eating, etc when I'm around. I read that aggressive rooster thread, posts 18 and 25, I believe. Yes, I've done some research on that. But links, no. Where were they? Thanks for the info, I didn't know the time frame. I have one cockerel who seems more aggressive than the others but he's also older so it's hard to tell if he's just starting pecking order hijinks or if he's going to be a problem. I'm quite unimpressed with his behavior though.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Rooster training as in asserting dominance using a long switch to keep him from mating, tidbitting, eating, etc when I'm around. I read that aggressive rooster thread, posts 18 and 25, I believe. Yes, I've done some research on that. But links, no. Where were they? Thanks for the info, I didn't know the time frame. I have one cockerel who seems more aggressive than the others but he's also older so it's hard to tell if he's just starting pecking order hijinks or if he's going to be a problem. I'm quite unimpressed with his behavior though.

No, that was what I was talking about. Think I might have put a link to that thread, earlier on this thread. I didn't know it said keep them from mating and tid bitting, but ya eating and crowing when you're around.

It could be that your one boy is a little more hormonal already. But there have been plenty that I could tell very young were going to be a problem for their flock and such. Pecking order hijinks start taking place around 3-4 weeks of age usually.

We were very unimpressed by one of our Brahma cockerels very early on because of behavior also.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

That's good to know. Thanks
Yeah, that's what I was thinking of doing too. Not sure I could eat them haha but rehome or let someone else or something. They also have to not be dog aggressive

No, you want them to be dog aggressive! They're supposed to protect the flock. So having some aggression towards potential predators (like your dog) is a good thing.

 

[ShrekDawg]

No, you want them to be dog aggressive! They're supposed to protect the flock. So having some aggression towards potential predators (like your dog) is a good thing.

I guess so but aren't they smart enough to learn the difference between my dog and a different dog? Or to learn when to attack (if he did suddenly turn and go after the chickens) versus when not to like when he's not doing anything? I was more referring to the kind Eggsighted had said about attacking for no good reason. I want him to protect the flock, that's fine, but what I don't want and what I meant is a rooster (or any chicken) that will terrorize my dog or attack him for no reason.