Gonna keep a roo or two, but which breed?

[BarkerChickens]

Well, I think I convinced DH that we need to keep a Salmon Faverolle and a Buckeye. He still likes the BJGs (Poor Pia! She'll get hurt 'cause she is so tiny, so I am strongly voting no based on size). He argues that BJGs are good meat birds...aren't they poor meat to feed ratios because they have heavy bones? Well, that's beside the point. We also heard that mottled Javas have excellent flavor (uhh....tastes like chicken?

), so he wants to keep one of them maybe too. Has anyone had experience with Mottled Java roosters?

edited to fix typo

 

[BarkerChickens]

No one has experience with mottled Java roos? anyone? I've looked online for info (and, of course, searched this site

) and I haven't found much info at all. Is there a reason no one seems to keep Java roos?

 

[Chickndaddy]

I would vote for the Mottled Java and the Salmon Faverolle.

I have had White and Black Java Roosters who were very gentlemanly. I had Mottle hens but never had any luck with a Mottled roo. They always died of a tragic freak accident. After going through four I gave up on actually breeding them or my Spangled Orloffs. I just enjoyed the girls.

Faverolles are wonderful roosters. My large fowl Salmon rooster was a doll to me and everyone else, but he was a dragon king when it came to chicks. If I ever had a broody hen I put her in the Faverolle pen to hatch her chicks because he was such a good father. On several occasions I saw him attack and spur hawks trying to get a chick. He never lost one.

ETA: I think Javas are just one of those breeds that has completely lost its popularity in favor of the newer breeds although they are making a comeback like Delewares, Buckeyes, and other heritage breeds. If you want to read up on Javas I recommend these links:

http://highgroundfarm.blogspot.com/2007/10/white-java-chickens-and-black-javas.html

http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/2/2-4/Michael_Dougherty.html

http://www.dawnlandfarm.com/javachickens.html

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Java/BRKJava.html

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/2002-02-01/Java-Chickens-Back-From-the-Brink.aspx

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/2005-02-01/Enjoy-Heritage-Chickens.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_(chicken)

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Java/JavaHomestead.html

http://www.msichicago.org/scrapbook/scrapbook_events/blackjavas/javas.html

http://www.uwlax.edu/native/valleyfarm.htm

Whew...you have a lot of reading to do...lol