Good mixed flock rooster?

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Beautiful bird!!! I think I’m going to end up with welsummers. I just love them more and more each time I look at them online.

This one might melt your heart. It sure melted mine watching these two raise their young together.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

And another

 

[GreenEggsAndHens]

Precious!! We had a buff hatch chicks last summer and is was the sweetest thing.

 

[Chullicken]

Go with what you like, there is no breed/type of rooster on earth that is better than another. Just comes down to what the individual likes, i.e. colors, personalities. And trust me, out of the 15 sexed chicks you probably have a small handful of roosters already, it's not a perfected art form as of yet.

Side note, I hope you looked into your predator issue before you get your new chicks or you'll just be doing the same thing hoping for a different result. Good luck and share some pics when you get them.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Many people like buff orp roos. I personally will always choose a polish roo if I go for a standard and if not, a cochin, to be the flock head. I love cochin roos. Excellent guys. I have the -best- cochin guarding my outdoor flock right now and he is worth his weight in gold.
I like polish because they tend to be docile and they have nice hair.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

When you get the mail order chicks, give them a drink of water immediately. There may be one or two that do not make the trip. Or die shortly afterwards, but I have had pretty good luck with them.

As for ordering a rooster, I really prefer a rooster that was raised up in a multi-generational flock, not with just hatch mates. No one lives in their chicken coop, a rooster chick rapidly becomes bigger than the other chicks, and interested in sex a long time before the pullets, and with nothing bigger to teach him some manners often becomes aggressive.

These chicks are often more personable, outgoing, and tend to be become people pets. Which they lose all fear of people, and often later the darling becomes the nightmare.

I suggest that you wait till your hens are laying, and look around you for a rooster in someone else flock that has been schooled by older hens and a rooster. He is so nice, that he was spared being culled. That is the rooster that you want. Roosters are cheap, and easy to find.

Good luck
Mrs K

This is also great advice. Then you can pick and choose a boy you really like.

When we go out to get a new bird we usually go to a breeder and get a young adult- like Mrs K said, one who's been raised with others and schooled up by them. I have 2 local breeders who are my go to sources for chickens and I usually get a bird who's just becoming mature when I do it or an adult bird well into maturity. A quality, well breed rooster will have no match as a companion or flock guardian. I've paid for some of the hens I have, a lot of money, and they're worth every single penny I paid. Every one. Such a difference from hatchery birds. I have 3 of the most incredible frizzled cochin hens you've ever seen in your life- they don't look real.

 

[besorto]

I personally hate buff orpington roosters with a passion. My old rooster ruined the whole breed for me . I have a very lovely Cream legbar/silkie roo.

 

[red horse ranch]

I'm starting all over with chickens this year. We lost our entire flock to multiple predator attacks last year between stray dogs and raccoons. I'm planning on ordering a variety of chickens from Valley Farms Hatchery this year. I've never done mail order chicks, but the place has excellent reviews, and they are much cheaper than other larger hatcheries.
Anyway, so far my order consists of 2 each of barred rocks, buff orpingtons, silver & gold laced wyandottes, welsummers, easter eggers, and cuckoo marans, all hens. I need one more bird to meet the minimum order of 15 chicks, and I want a rooster. My question is what are people's favorite roosters? This is simply a barnyard mix flock but egg laying is my #1 priority. I love rosters that are very showy, but it must be a breed that is docile. I contemplated another Easter egger just so that there is a possibility of passing on the interesting egg color genes to potential offspring, but those dark brahmas really caught my eye, but I don't know much about them. Bottom line is that I love colorful/interesting looking chickens, and unique colored eggs. My hope is that my orps will grow up to be broody and I'll be able to continue hatching my own little barnyard mix chicks.

So sorry you lost all your birds last year. That must have been heartbreaking,

I have a 7 year old Golden Laced Wyandotte who has been the best rooster I've ever had. Never aggressive and a perfect leader for my flock of 50+ chickens. He keeps the other roosters in their place without fighting. Beautiful too.

But I also love the colorful Welsummer roosters and they are a docile breed. I finally got to keep a young one last summer but unfortunately he died around Christmas from wry neck. I will be trying to get another one this summer.

 

[GreenEggsAndHens]

Go with what you like, there is no breed/type of rooster on earth that is better than another. Just comes down to what the individual likes, i.e. colors, personalities. And trust me, out of the 15 sexed chicks you probably have a small handful of roosters already, it's not a perfected art form as of yet.

Side note, I hope you looked into your predator issue before you get your new chicks or you'll just be doing the same thing hoping for a different result. Good luck and share some pics when you get them.

Yes we are rebuilding the entire chicken run and adding field fencing around our entire property. It is very common for us to get dogs dumped on us where we live so hopefully the field fencing will keep the majority of them off our yard. The other major predator was a neighbor’s dog roaming into our yard. The neighbors are chicken people too and as soon as they found out their dog killed our mamma hen and chicks, they promptly got rid of it and gave us replacement chicks. Very nice people.

 

[Chullicken]

Yes we are rebuilding the entire chicken run and adding field fencing around our entire property. It is very common for us to get dogs dumped on us where we live so hopefully the field fencing will keep the majority of them off our yard. The other major predator was a neighbor’s dog roaming into our yard. The neighbors are chicken people too and as soon as they found out their dog killed our mamma hen and chicks, they promptly got rid of it and gave us replacement chicks. Very nice people.

That is horrible, dumping dogs. Can't imagine the stress involved in that. Sounds like you have a super duper plan. Keep us updated on that and your 'luck'. =)