How to pick out which roo I want to keep for breeding?

[Godiva]

We have a LOT of roosters and only a few hens. We decided to order straight run and eat the extra roos. How on earth do you know which ones are the better roosters for their breeds. I don't want to go only on personality. We have Buff Orpinton's, SPeckled SUssex, and partridge Cochin bantams. THese are the ones where I am going to have to sift the possibles and come up with one roo of each breed... I would really appreciate any tips esp from someone who knows what to look for in each of these breeds. I think I have only one cochin hen and three roos so I assume it would be better to get it down to one roo to one hen... What on earth to do with extra cochin roos!? I doubt whether there is enough meat on them to eat and besides they are more like pets than the dual purpose breeds. Ideas anyone?

Our flock: 8 Buff Orpingtons, 9 Speckled Sussex, 4 Golden Polish, 4 Partridge Cochin Bantams, 4 White Silkies, 1 Black Rosecomb.

 

[SpottedCrow]

For breeding you want to keep the one that is most like it's type...
Cochins should be fluffy with a single comb and feathery legs. Give away the roo that doesn't have good leg feathering or the wrong type of comb.

 

[Godiva]

How old should they be to have a good idea of whether they are good type? They are still getting their feathers- they are 9 weeks old and I am not sure when they are fully feathered with their adult plumage? One of them seems far ahead of the others as far as his plumage changing to cockerel colours. ( I thought I had 4 hens and now it appears that I may have one hen and 3 cockerels! I didn't realise their feathers went through a few stages before settling in to the adult plumage...)

 

[SpottedCrow]

They moult 3 times in the first year.
The baby down, then teenage feathers, then adult feathers.
They probably won't show their "true" colours until the second year. That's what I've found out with Obelisk. She started out all black, the second year she had a white splashed tail feather and a white splashed flight feather, and the third year she's got white pencilling on some of her back feathers, and more white tail feathers.

 

[greyfields]

You need this:

http://tinyurl.com/ytttqa

Or, just pick the one you like the best (if you don't plan on showing).

 

[Godiva]

Thanks for the advice! I think I am going to be asking for that book for my birthday... THis is a great forum, everyone is so helpful.