Greetings from France

Many thanks for your warm welcome and your answers.

I have noted the breeds of rooster you recommend.

That would be really great, if you guys would be so kind as to post photos of your crosses : Orpington x ?, Wyandotte x ? and Marans x ?

Btw I like heavy and very colorful hens and I would be disappointed to cross with a breed that would give me monochrome hens.

Loving my Girls : the manor and the gardens are south-facing. But at the back, in a ruined outbuilding, I have a large, shadier, cooler area lots of grass. That's where I'm going to put the chickens. And then at night, we have the fresh, invigorating air of the Massif Central blowing down into Aveyron.

TwoCrows: I promise, I'll post photos as soon as the little family arrive.
I'm afraid I don't have any of the above crosses, but I do love big roosters. I've had several brahma crosses, and an easter egger crossed with orpington, and then crossed to my largest brahma hens. These are some of my favorites.

Doris, son a blue orpinton rooster x splash ameraucana hen
20210221_160413.jpg


Goliath, son of easter egger, Doris & a dark brahma hen
20230210_145707.jpg

Cooper, son of Goliath & a crested cream legbar hen
20230206_134212.jpg

Igor, son of Goliath and a turken hen
20230118_082032.jpg

Another Goliath x legbar, Ivan
20221118_121535.jpg

I've had langshan crosses that were beautiful and big also.
 
Glad to meet you, Stephan, and welcome to BYC. Your flock sounds quite beautiful! Best wishes with your chicken adventures! Here is one article about rooster behavior and another about choosing chicken breeds. I hope they help you.

Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

1. Intro to chicken keeping

2. Common mistakes & how to fix them

3. Ventilation (important to chicken health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)

3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.

4. Predator protection for new & existing coops

5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run

6. Gardening for chickens

7. BYC Lists of Chicken Ailments and Cures

To look for articles on your own:

A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!

B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.

C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!

Notes about where to put a coop:

1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.

2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.

3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.
 
I'm afraid I don't have any of the above crosses, but I do love big roosters. I've had several brahma crosses, and an easter egger crossed with orpington, and then crossed to my largest brahma hens. These are some of my favorites.

Doris, son a blue orpinton rooster x splash ameraucana hen
View attachment 3801065

Goliath, son of easter egger, Doris & a dark brahma hen
View attachment 3801064
Cooper, son of Goliath & a crested cream legbar hen
View attachment 3801063
Igor, son of Goliath and a turken hen
View attachment 3801062
Another Goliath x legbar, Ivan
View attachment 3801060
I've had langshan crosses that were beautiful and big also.

Gorgeous boys @janiedoe ❤️
 

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