How To Pick A Roo?

You really need to figure out what your goals are in keeping a roo. If they are purely as a flock protector, then you might be a little disappointed. They should call an alarm if they spot a predator, but an older hen will often take on this role too in the absence of a roo. Very few roosters will actually take on a predator which is odd because they seem to think they can take on a human with more regularity! But then it probably comes down to a dominance thing with human aggression rather than seeing us as a predator.....anyway, I digress....

If you are wanting to breed from them, perhaps to make your flock sustainable, then it might make sense to chose the largest one, so that any cockerels can be raised for meat.

If you are wanting to breed for colour, then clearly Mr Ed is the handsomest of the two welsummers.... not even convinced Peggy Dude is a welsummer! Using Crimson for breeding will result in all his offspring being barred, which can become a bit boring.

If you are interested in eye candy, it's a matter of personal preference, but Mr Ed wins it for me.

If you are interested in temperament, then that is a much more fluid concept and will be dependent on a number of factors. I started out with 2 roos. The top one was an established cock who was good with the ladies and showed no human aggression. The junior was constantly testing him and human aggressive. I removed the younger one from the flock and the main rooster suddenly decided that, since he had no one challenging him from below in the pecking order, he would challenge my authority and we had several run ins over a couple of months before he settled down and I had to daily exert my dominance by walking through him as well as the more serious exchanges before he got the message. They change quite dramatically in temperament once they become adult and have a flock of their own and I think the best temperament is often found in a cockerel that has grown up with an adult rooster in charge or at least older hens to teach him some manners.

Good luck with your decision making. It is never easy but I think trying each of your birds with the flock before selecting one will probably make the decision easier. How old are they at the moment? I find Welsummers are quite slow to mature and mine were/are total wusses even at 2 years old....won't come anywhere near me and panic if they see a stranger in the garden.

Best wishes

Barbara
 
Thanks! This is really helpful.
I do want a sustainable flock-I want to be able to raise them for meat as well as extra hens if the need should ever arise. I think Mr. Ed is awful pretty too-and he is HUGE compared to the others. I also want to allow them more time in my not completely Fort Knoxed grassy run area-so a protector is also pretty important.

Mine are 15 weeks old right now. I just spent the last hour in the coop/run area with them and integrated Mr. Ed with the older ladies-so far so good.

I will try not to rush the decision then, I was worried I had to do it right away-but I think you have given me reason to wait....and that is a huge load off my chest!
 
Really? I always thought I needed 20 hens per roo. I cannot remember where I thought I read it. Maybe it was a dream. Yes...I dream of chickens haha!
 
Really? I always thought I needed 20 hens per roo. I cannot remember where I thought I read it. Maybe it was a dream. Yes...I dream of chickens haha!

No, he couldn't cover them all. Where I live lots of people have chickens, they say seven hens per rooster. You can have more or less depending on the roosters and what you want.
I have too many roosters...only four or five hens each, I think. Guess I have to get more hens!
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If they fight a lot, be ready to get rid of one. But you could definitely have two, at least.
 
Welp, I guess that is it then...I wait and see and hope for the best!

Thanks so much for the help and advice ya'll!
 
I don't mean to burst your bubble, but at 15 weeks you are fast approaching the time when things will change. Hormones will start to kick in and I will warn you that teenage cockerels are mostly horrid. In a few weeks time, you might decide that no rooster is the best decision and an easy one to make!
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If they are penned together with the pullets, you will need to keep an eye on the lads for fighting as well as harassing the girls. I appreciate that they have been brought up together but once they reach adolescence things can change overnight or mid-day for that matter. I'm aware that I am painting a bad picture here, but things can get ugly quickly. On the other hand, you may be lucky and have a very smooth transition.... just be vigilant and have a back up plan that can be put into operation at short notice.

That said, keeping a self sustaining flock can be very rewarding. I have several broody hens with chicks at the moment and it is wonderful entertainment. Your older hens' production will drop after the first couple of years and it is always good to have young pullets coming into lay at the back end of the year when the older girls have knocked off for moulting.
I do think it is worth the aggravation with the young cockerels and once they get over that adolescent phase, it becomes much easier, but just don't go into it with rose coloured specks..... Once you have a good mature rooster, things become much less stressful for everyone.

Regards

Barbara
 
Ya...I spend a LOT of time out there with them-just because I have gotten a little addicted, but now I have a 'rooster check alarm' on my phone so I can go every 40 minutes and see what is happening...and will most likely keep this up for quite some time. I've heard a lot of horror stories and I think that is why I am stressing out so much. Better to be too informed than not informed enough! :) Hope for the best and prepare for the worst...

Since my little separation trial run this morning, my smaller younglings and silkies are much happier. I think the roosters were just too much for them. Everyone, so far, is happy...but it is a new world...and they haven't had enough time to run amuck!
 
Just be sure you keep him separate at first. to make sure you don't bring together a sick bird with your healthy birds. It is too easy to fall in love with a chicken only to find out later they are wheezing and next thing you know they are all sick. Be excited but be smart.

I would observe how they are around the chickens they have - look at the girls backs and feathers coverage - Roosters get up in the morning and tend to chase the hens until he has bred with all of them.

Lots of observation and thought before adding him to your flock.
Caroline
 
Thanks for that info! I didn't know they chased them around first thing until they were all...used...it is very efficient! haha! I've had them all since they were chicks-I had them quarantined for 30 days prior to letting them go in the separation area in the coop so they could all get acquainted behind chicken wire in both the coop and the run. That is another reason I want to be able to grow my own flock-so I don't have to worry about that quarantine thing all the time. :)
 

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