Is this RIR a rooster or a hen?

[drumstick diva]

lovely pullet. If you do get a rooster please quarantine before adding to flock. You never know what they bring with him, especially from Craig's list.

 

[Farmer413]

I'm actually having a hard time finding one locally.

 

[Farmer413]

I found a local farm with Black Star roosters. They are close in age to my 6 Rhode Island Reds. Would this be a good pairing or would you suggest against it? I really wanted to have all the same breed. But I saw the Blackstar is a mix that includes the Rhode Island red.

 

[donrae]

Well, a black star (black sex link) rooster will give you mixed breed chicks, but they should all be good egg layers. If he's really a black sex link, half his babies will be barred, regardless of gender. Mixing him with the Red hens will give you mostly black birds with red leakage, and you may get some cool "calico" colored birds like this girl.....



It just depends on what you're looking for in your next generations.