Help! What breed is my rooster? I need to know if I'm going to keep him...

[busysahm]

We rescued this guy last year, agreeing to take him because we didn't have a rooster yet. Or so we thought....one of our store bought "she's" turned out to be a "he". So now we have 2 roosters with 11 hens. This smaller guy runs my big boy (Barred Rock) off the feed. He's definitely the top roo. My husband thinks we need to get rid of one of them. I love my big boy; I raised him from a chick and he's my friendliest chicken. He's good at rounding up the girls when we let them out in the yard. But I do LOVE to look at this beautiful smaller rooster. I've searched through lots of google pics and he looks the most like an Ameraucana to me. At first I thought Rhode Island Red, but I'm not sure. The person who gave him to us didn't know, and we were new to chickens and just thought he was pretty! Now I'm wanting a few buff o. hens (for good sitters, because none of my girls will sit, and I want chicks) and I'd like a few Easter Eggers. So I thought about keeping my friendly guy and trying to trade the pretty boy for the hens I want. I really don't want to get rid of either, but I'm not sure what else to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and of course I want to know what kind of rooster he is. If it turns out he's an Ameraucana, then any chicks I get from him could get the "blue gene" and lay colored eggs, right? So I would def keep him, and just try hard to work out this 2-rooster prob. Thanks!! (I can try to get better pics if these aren't good enough)

 

[Chickenman76]

He's a game chicken

 

[busysahm]

Ohhh...I haven't looked that one up. Is he worth keeping do you think? And thanks so much!

 

[Chickenman76]

No problem, as long as he don't fit to bad with your roos, personally I would, add a different look to the flock

 

[vickichicki]

I agree with the Game bantam.

Here is a link to feathersite it is a great place too look for idendtifying breeds. The page I have linked is the one for game bantams, she looks just like the first guy.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Games/AmerGameBantams/BRKAmerGameBty.html

 

[busysahm]

Thanks so much! Great info on that site

 

[Eggcessive]

He is an old english bantam, maybe a BB red, and if you breed him, you will probably get some good broody sitters, because OEGB's are great at broodiness.

 

[busysahm]

Thanks so much! I have been researching his breed, and was just getting to the differences in OE vs. American Game. I'm thinking of entering him in the Dixie Classic Fair this fall, but I have to know what breed to label him as on the entry form. How can you tell he's OE? And according to pics I've seen, he is a Black Breasted Red.
And that's awesome to know about breeding him. Now I have to decide how to get chicks--none of my hens will sit. So I was thinking of getting a game hen and/or a silkie. Or figuring out how to make my own incubator...still doing some research! Thanks for your help

 

[NosiphoChooks]

I have a silky who I got @ POL at about 12/14 weeks and she laid about 15 eggs and then decided she wanted to be a momma! They are definately very broody chickens and shes a great mum, the cutest thing is when the chicks ride on her back! I also have a buff orpington who has gone broody, they are good for sitting on eggs cus they are huge and you can get lots of eggs under them!

xx

 

[aaronsroosters]

Rhode Island rhode