How to tell a good roo

[ZachyWachy]

We will soon be going into the chicken breeding. I was thinking on maybe having another coop later, the one where I try to improve what I have. And I was wondering what to look for in a good roo and hen. The idea is that the black australorp roo on a barred rock hen will make black sex-links, so why not keep a strain of them apart from the flock and breed them for better outcome as far as production goes.

 

[feedman77]

What chickens do you have in your flock?

If your just looking to breed black sex links. Just keep a non barred rooster (Rhode Island red and new hampshires) as well as australorp over your barred rock hens. Then all hatches will be black sex links.

But sex links bred to each other are not going to give sex links.

For hens if you can keep track select the ones that will lay eggs daily. Have a decent body size.

Roos. Bigger body size, good non agressive temperment. Good with hens (gentleman) and has the colors you like.

I'm guessing you are breeding for egg production?

 

[ZachyWachy]

Mainly egg production but also meat, after a little while we will not have room for them so they will be just for meat. That info about sex-links is helpful, thank you. Just curious, what would a sex-link roo on a sex-link hen produce? We have 14 hens total, 1 white legorn, 1 rhode island red, 1 barred rock, 1 black australorp, 1 speckled sussex, 3 red sex-links, 2 gold sex-links, 2 americaunas, and 2 buff orpingtons

 

[Mrs. K]

It is a good idea to go over the standards of breed, good confirmation is important in breed

 

[feedman77]

Basically a barnyard mix.

 

[ZachyWachy]

I am still kind of new, so a barnyard mix would mean that there would be a variety of colors, but they would all be dual purpose, right?

 

[feedman77]

Yes would be dual purpose. But would all depend on the combination of genes that mix. As to looks and bidy size and laying amount.

But they will still lay eggs and still taste good in the cooker.

 

[keesmom]

Dual purpose means they are not at the top of either the egg layer list nor the meat bird list. There are a lot of traits to select from if you want to specialize your own backyard flock. You should decide which traits you prefer - more/less eggs, more/less meat, foraging ability, docile/flighty, comb type (large comb in hot climates, small comb in cold), feathered/clean legs, and so on. Since all chickens taste, well like chicken, you can eat the ones that don't meet your standards.

If you want to lean towards meat production I would suggest you look into incorporating red rangers/Freedom Rangers/Pioneers into your flock.

 

[ZachyWachy]

It is a good idea to go over the standards of breed, good confirmation is important in breed

Well they will be a mix of the following: 1 white legorn, 1 rhode island red, 1 barred rock, 1 black australorp, 1 speckled sussex, 3 red sex-links, 2 gold sex-links, 2 americaunas, and 2 buff orpingtons and a black australorp roo.

 

[ZachyWachy]

Dual purpose means they are not at the top of either the egg layer list nor the meat bird list. There are a lot of traits to select from if you want to specialize your own backyard flock. You should decide which traits you prefer - more/less eggs, more/less meat, foraging ability, docile/flighty, comb type (large comb in hot climates, small comb in cold), feathered/clean legs, and so on. Since all chickens taste, well like chicken, you can eat the ones that don't meet your standards.

If you want to lean towards meat production I would suggest you look into incorporating red rangers/Freedom Rangers/Pioneers into your flock.

The plan is to collect their eggs and eat them when they start to get older, and after a while we would have so many chickens, so maybe eggs, but my parents are happy with the chickens we have (in other words, they don't want to buy more). Maybe though, I might have to wait until I leave and have my own flock.