Experience with these rooster breeds?

[Perris]

I'm just wondering if anybody has anything to say about certain breeds. Some just don't do well in confinement (we free range, but they occasionally have to stay in the run)

Penedesencas don't like confinement, but I don't think it's such an issue for Welsumers or Marans.

I know it depends on the individual, as well as genetics and what situations they're in, but I'd rather sort through what would be a better choice to try out first.

That's a sound approach.

Knew it was a long shot with the Penedesencas. Sadly, they just aren't common at all.

They are very rare everywhere.

I wanted Penedesenca pullets, but they have been "sold out" for a couple years. There's a very slim shot at getting a cockerel.

If you can find a breeder in your area, perhaps they would sell you hatching eggs? If so, 50% are likely to hatch out as males.

 

[chooki]

Once I raised a welsummer cockerel, he was quite intelligent. I am not sure it's a breed thing or just him.

 

[Perris]

If you can find a breeder in your area, perhaps they would sell you hatching eggs?

further to this, I remember @ChickenCanoe had a large and beautiful flock of Black Penedesenca in the St. Louis area, and used to sell their hatching eggs; perhaps they still do? Or if they do not trade any more, maybe knows someone else who bought from them and breeds the same strain now?

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

further to this, I remember @ChickenCanoe had a large and beautiful flock of Black Penedesenca in the St. Louis area, and used to sell their hatching eggs; perhaps they still do? Or if they do not trade any more, maybe knows someone else who bought from them and breeds the same strain now?

I'm up for trying hatching eggs.
No real breeders that I can find locally advertising, so I'd need to have them shipped in and thus they have to be NPIP tested/clear. And that's kind of the issue I'm running into.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Once I raised a welsummer cockerel, he was quite intelligent. I am not sure it's a breed thing or just him.

I've heard they're stunning and supposed to be relatively nice

At least compared to breeds people think are more "aggressive", like Rhode Island Reds (all our RIR hens have been great, though)

 

[Ridgerunner]

So you are after behaviors. I wasn't sure what you wanted from your first post. I'll link Henderson's Breed Chart so you can read what they say about these breeds.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

I consider this chart a compilation someone put together together from research and with some personal experience from their own chickens for a few breeds. As you can appreciate, it is a huge effort. I do not know what their sources were. For averages to mean anything you have to have enough samples. If you only have one or a few then you could be way off from the average.

In my opinion, strain (or line) is very important in any of this, probably as important as breed. For example, you obviously want the really dark egg genetics. If the breeder is selecting which birds get to breed based on dark egg genetics you can get a line that typically lays really dark eggs. If that is not a criteria, say they are selecting which birds are more likely to win a breed show and don't pay attention to eggshell shade, then you are less likely to get really dark eggs. Even if your line typically lays really dark eggs you can get one individual that just doesn't. Or one that takes confinement well even if most don't.

Information from this or similar charts or observations by people that have those breeds is probably the best you can go by. Information about certain lines could really be important if you can get it and trust the source. Good luck!

At least compared to breeds people think are more "aggressive", like Rhode Island Reds (all our RIR hens have been great, though)

This is what I'm talking about. Some strains of RIR's can be aggressive. Some are not. Somebody on here had an aggressive RIR so now all RIR are supposed to be aggressive. You know form experience that not all are.

 

[Perris]

No real breeders that I can find locally advertising

You could try the old school route and find them via breed clubs. I imagine the Poultry Society of America has a list of contact details of all the secretaries of all the clubs. These clubs exist partly to put breeders in touch with potential buyers. I am imagining a US equivalent of this
https://www.poultryclub.org/resources/poultry/breed-clubs/