I need to get some new roosters. My chickens are getting a bit too inbred. I'm an established breeder, but I don't breed for a specific breed type, I have my own set of criteria.
I like dark eggs
I like chickens who lay at least 200 eggs per year, and no stopping during the winter.
I like chickens who forage
I like a larger frame
I like roosters who aren't real mean
Lastly, (least importantly, but if wishes came true) I like pink skin.
That being said, I don't care about feather color or whether or not they go broody.
Here's a little history. I have had cuckoo marans. They were really well bred, from the Fugate line, but were very stingy layers and dopey. They'd rather lay in their own filth than walk around and eat. But they had a nice heavy frame and GREAT egg coloration. The roosters were not mean towards us, but tried to kill each other.
I have had black penedesencas. They were terribly flighty. Too light. Egg color wasn't right, I think what I had wasn't pure because their lobes weren't right either. They were half white, half red.
Then I got some welsummers. I like them the best overall. Frame could be a bit heavier. They lay well enough. The roosters aren't extremely mean. A little mean, but not bad. They forage great. Their egg color - at first it wasn't excellent, but I have culled them to the point where the egg color is great.
So I am not sure where to go with my breeding program. I just need some roosters to cross on my hens which won't mess up what I already have, and hopefully improve something. Not much to improve in my mind, but I wouldn't mind darker eggs and/or more eggs and/or bigger frame.
Thanks for the advice,
Cathy Sizer
http://chickens.sizerfarm.com
New Castle, VA
I like dark eggs
I like chickens who lay at least 200 eggs per year, and no stopping during the winter.
I like chickens who forage
I like a larger frame
I like roosters who aren't real mean
Lastly, (least importantly, but if wishes came true) I like pink skin.
That being said, I don't care about feather color or whether or not they go broody.
Here's a little history. I have had cuckoo marans. They were really well bred, from the Fugate line, but were very stingy layers and dopey. They'd rather lay in their own filth than walk around and eat. But they had a nice heavy frame and GREAT egg coloration. The roosters were not mean towards us, but tried to kill each other.
I have had black penedesencas. They were terribly flighty. Too light. Egg color wasn't right, I think what I had wasn't pure because their lobes weren't right either. They were half white, half red.
Then I got some welsummers. I like them the best overall. Frame could be a bit heavier. They lay well enough. The roosters aren't extremely mean. A little mean, but not bad. They forage great. Their egg color - at first it wasn't excellent, but I have culled them to the point where the egg color is great.
So I am not sure where to go with my breeding program. I just need some roosters to cross on my hens which won't mess up what I already have, and hopefully improve something. Not much to improve in my mind, but I wouldn't mind darker eggs and/or more eggs and/or bigger frame.
Thanks for the advice,
Cathy Sizer
http://chickens.sizerfarm.com
New Castle, VA
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